Cinque Terre

in search of some outdoor time and beautiful scenery to hang out with some great friends and do some wicked hiking

i could stay here for months, its amazing here..the views are stunning, and the locals are very friendly

If you are tempted to swim in any of the harbours in the Cinque Terre take care. The water appears clear and warm but in the smaller villages the sewerage outfalls discharge very close by and a unhealthy looking brown scum with identifiable waste floats on the surface of the water. Vernazza and Monterosso seemed to be the least effected, Corniglia was the worst as the harbour is more enclosed.

Be prepared, especially if you are going for a day or two, to pay 5 euros a day for a Cinque Terre card to walk the walks (a slight discount for 3 or 7 day cards) I had not come across this in any of the information I had read before going. I met a few other people who were unprepared for this. The card offers many concessions on items but even if you just want to walk from Riomaggiore to Manarola (about 20 mins) you must have this card. We were there for 4 days and didn’t want to visit wine or fish museums or buy souvenirs from the information offices (all of which are discounted with the card), or take a free shuttle bus to the car park. 15 euros just to walk seems a bit steep (excuse the pun). The extended card with the train included seems even poorer value unless you intend to use 3 or 4 trains a day as the train tickets are only 1 euro.

It’s a wonderfully picturesque place and having had the most beautiful May weather (sunshine and clear blue skies) it would be difficult to find a fault with it. The walking is varied; from easy promenading between Riomaggiore and Manarola to the (literally) breath-taking climbs between Corniglia and Vernazza and Monterosso. The views are stunning, the food is delicious, the wine’s OK (not to my particular taste, I prefer red) getting around is easy and cheap but the people are either fellow visitors or somewhat diffident locals (but who can blame them with so many tourists traipsing through there beautiful villages). I would not want to be here in the high summer season though, it would be just too hot and crowded.
Stayed at the beautiful La Torretta, at the top of Manarola by the church.

...I stayed in the most amazing “rustico” cabin just outside of Vernazza. Since you’ll find an abundance of information scattered in numerous places all over the web I’ll try and keep my general comments to a minimum and focus on the pieces of info that might not be so readily available.

First the cabin I’ve mentioned. It’s located just outside Vernazza as you descend from the Coniglia – Vernazza leg of the hiking trail. The picture I’ve posted is a view from the cabin. The cabin itself is small, however, you have plenty of room on the multi-level terrace to stretch your legs. The view cannot be beat. There was a local massage therapist operating out of a spectacular house just down the trail toward the town (it’s the cabin up-close on the right with the rocks on the roof). I tried to dig up her name, but couldn’t find it. If she’s still in town she won’t be hard to find as she’s one of two therapists in town. Her business card was at the internet cafe down on the main street.

Though you can get lost in just the “five lands,” if you have enough time you may want to branch out a little to other towns. Naturally, Porto Fino is worth a visit – a stay even, but if you’re looking for a unique day-trip try Framura. Its beach is located just off the train tracks, well sheltered and truly unique. The town itself is extremely small, but picturesque. If you’re looking for some chill time, this is the place. Spend an afternoon there getting away from the relative hustle of Cinque Terra.

I want to go to this beautiful city with the man that I love and perhaps live there someday.

I had never heard of Cinque Terre before. I was going to Italy for a few months and my brother told me about it. He’d been there on a previous trip.
I fell in love with Cinque Terre instantly. Houses perched on cliffs by the Mediterranean. The colors, the water, the people. Everthing was great.
If you’re physically capable, you should definetely hike the trail that goes from Monterosso to Riomaggiore. Beautiful views. You should also buy a lemon from the man who sells them if he’s there that day. I never knew a lemon could taste so sweet!

The Cinque Terre is a unique area and therefore is very popular with tourists from around the world. Because it is small area and building is very limited, it is continually fully booked in the season. For this reason many people who rely on tourism for their business, ie. hospitality and food outlets, do not feel that they need to offer a good product. There are however many good ones, and it is important to research first to get something good. I am English but live on the Cinque Terre and know what it is like, and what to avoid. There are good placesto stay in the 5 villages, and above them. Also good places close by that are suitable for people with cars available. I may be able to help if you want more information.

It is stunning, offers the chance to hike between the villages on a very aggressive trail with unparrelled views, and if you can find some, the best homemade limoncello.