Cinque Terre … the five fishing villages …

We took a step back in time toDSC_0426 visit historic Cinque Terre which is said to be one of the best preserved natural areas of the Mediterranean. The name Cinque Terre dates back to the fifteenth century and its strict rules help protect these seaside villages with their steep, terraced vineyards and colourful architecture from modern development.

We arrived by train, in Riomaggiore, the first of the Cinque TeDSC_0441rre villages. We took a walk along the infamous Via dell’Amore and took in the spectacular coastal views and, along its trail, we saw the padlocks left by couples who want to seal their love by writing their names on the padlocks and locking them in place.

Manarola may be the oldest of the towns in Cinque Terre, it’s local church, San Lorenzo, dates back to 1338. The tiny harbour of DSC_0450Manarola features picturesque buildings leading down the ravine towards the town's swimming hole. Although there is no real beach here, it is said to have some of the best deep water swimming around. The water is crystal clear and very inviting on a hot summer’s day.

To reach Corniglia, we had to take a long climb up a flight of steps … not an easy task on a hot afternoon as the climDSC_0480b included 33 flights of stairs and nearly 400 steps. What sets Corniglia apart from the other villages is that it is not directly adjacent to the sea. Instead, it is on the top of a lookout about 100 meters high, surrounded on three sides by vineyards while the fourth side descends steeply on the sea. Although documents dating back to the late 1200's mention the existence of a castle it has yet to be discovered.

DSC_0513The fourth village, Vernazza, has a unique layout with tower shaped houses extending along the river valley which allows them to hide from the view of others approaching from the sea. A few months after we visited, Cinque Terra experienced an earthquake and the village DSC_0521of Vernazza was close to the epicentre and suffered a lot of damage. This village is where we stopped to take a moment to enjoy the Mediterranean sea. Unfortunately, Shannon slipped on the rocks, cut his leg, and tending to his injury, we ended up missing our train to get us to the last village of Monterosso.

Running behind schedule, we ended up catching a DSC_0483later train to Monterosso. We learned that this village was briefly excluded from the Cinque Terre trail in 1948 because Italian officials considered the village too large. Unfortunately we didn’t get to spend too much time here but we did hear that this village has the most extensive sand beach in all of Cinque Terre.

The rugged coastline of the Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Part of its charm is the lack of any modernization. The pathways, trains and boats that connect the villages is the only way to gain access as a tourist. Visiting Cinque Terre was time well spent and one of the highlights of our trip to Italy.

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