Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is an area located on the coastal side of Italy, consisted of five small villages (thus the name, that means “Five Lands”), Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. I had the chance to visit this beautiful  Unesco World Heritage Site in 2010. This place is acknowledged as having one of the most dramatic coastal scenery on the planet, and indeed it was! Colourful houses built in terraces on cliffs overlooking the sea. These villages have no car ways, only walking paths, train rails and boat docks. The village is ancient, rustic and mysterious, yet warm and enchanting at the same time. The villages are famous but not as crowded as other cities in Italy. 

Unfortunately I only had 2 days to spend in Cinque Terre, so I decided to spend it in Riomaggiore and took a walk along the Via Dell’Amore (meaning : Pathway of Love) to Manarola. Via Dell’Amore is a walking path that stretches 850 metres along the coastline. The view is breathtaking! On the left you can see stunning stone beaches and the waves of the sea, while on the right you have cliffs and vineyards. The name itself was derived from the legend that this footpath became a meeting place for lovers from the two towns. By the end of the path, under the tunnel near the Manarola side, you will see thousands of padlocks attached to wire mesh with name initials carvings on it. It is believed that when couples do this, they will seal their love and stay together forever. Unfortunately I was single at that time, so I could not join this interesting worldwide ritual :) According to latest update, this path is now closed to public due to risks of landslide, so I was very lucky to be able to see this beautiful pathway.

The roads in Riomaggiore and Manarola are narrow, colourful and filled with small cafes and Trattoria and Ristorante (restaurants). In Italy, there is a policy that dining in in restaurants are charged extra, from 1 Euro up to 5 Euros. So if you want to save some money, take away the food and eat it elsewhere. However, there are some restaurants that have magnificent view that you just can’t miss. One of it is Marina Piccola Ristorante in Manarola that has an excellent view on sunset. So I decided to enjoy early dinner there and enjoy the seafood treats and beautiful view that they have.

To get to Cinque Terre, I took a train ride from La Spezia. The train system in Italy is managed by Trenitalia. The train rail connects all 5 villages of Cinque Terre, so if you don’t have the energy to walk all the way to all 5 villages, a train ride is highly recommended. As for accommodation, don’t expect to find a luxurious 5 star chain hotel in this area. Most accommodations are run by the locals. You can find various types of accommodation, from hostels for backpackers to villas with higher price. Me myself travelled backpacker style, so I chose to rent a room of 25 Euros / night. You can also rent a room at a villa at 150 Euros / night. The choice is yours. 

So guys, if you happen to be visiting Italy, Cinque Terre is highly recommended place to visit. This place is very different with any other cities in Italy. You must be prepared to walk though, since it is the best way to really explore the village. You can go through the small passages and really get yourself immersed in these villages’ atmosphere.