Ingenira Travels: 2016

Cinque Terre, in Italian language means five small villages. It is located on the northeast coast of Italy. The closest airport is Pisa International Airport. From north to south, these villages are Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. To go to Cinque Terre towns, you can take the train from La Spezia train station from the south or from Levanto station in the North. A few trains are leaving on every hour. The ticket is EUR4 one way (in 2016) from La Spezia to any towns, ending in Levanto (a modern town with access to the beach). It is more worthwhile to buy the Cinque Terre card (http://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/cinque-terre-card) which allows you to use the train, hiking trail and shuttle bus unlimitedly.

These five villages are surrounded by mountains which runs parallel to the "Appennino Mountains". In between the villages are insenature, steep valleys which makes for a unique landscape, different from the rest of the Italian coast. The typical colourful houses, mainly red, yellow and blue, are called liguri, built in between narrow alleys, and above the rocky terraces or cliff, vertical to the roaring sea. Protected by UNESCO, the Cinque Terre is a National Park with steep slopes and walls built to make terraces, and vineyards are planted.

Village of Monterosso

Monterosso has the widest beaches of the Cinque Terre villages. If you like to spend time sunbathing or playing with water in the beach, this is the best place. It also has the most streets with wine shops, artisan shops, hotels and restaurants. The village is divided into two parts from San Cristoforo hill and the old part of the village, protected by a rock spur, still presents the maritime village. When you exit from the train station, you can turn left to the old village where most restaurants and shops are available. If you turn right, you will go to San Cristoforo hill, and the area is populated with more hotels.

Monterosso beach (turn left after exit from Train station)

Monterosso beach walkway

Monterosso village

Monterosso sea side

Monterosso village and beach

The common food in Cinque Terre - The anchovies are so delicious !

Monterosso street view

Village of Vernazza

Vernazza is the most picturesque village of the Cinque Terre. It used to be the Roman installation and had a significant strategical importance during the age of the Maritime Republics in Genoa. If you climb up the hills behing the Vernazza village, you will get the panaromic view of the village below.

After that, take a walk in the village near the watch tower and the "Castello" remains. In the small square, overlooking the seaside, the church of Santa Margherita di Antiochia can be seen.

Perhaps due to its reputation, this town is flooded most with tourists when compared to other 4 villages. The train station has only 1 toilet each for man and woman, and the queue is often very long.

Hiking trail from Corniglia - approaching Vernazza

Vernazza from hill top

Vernazza view from hiking trail Corniglia - Vernazza

Vernazza

Hiling trail towards Vernazza from Corniglia

Vernazza view from hill terrace

Vernazza village

Vernazza panaromic

Vernazza beach

Vernazza beach front

Village of Corniglia

Corniglia is the only village built on top of the hill. To reach the village, you can either take a 365 steps up the hill, or take the 2 minutes shuttle bus. I paid EUR2.50 per pax per trip for the shuttle bus in 2016 Spring. For such short trip, it is considered expensive. However, if you have the Cinque Terre card, the shuttle bus is free.

This village is least crowded with tourist, and hence, in my opinion, the best place to experience the original Italian taste of these villages. The village consists of a small road leading to an enchanting terrace beside the sea. View of Manarola can be seen from here.

Placed on a steep promontory, with two exclusive small beaches at its sides, Corniglia can be reached from the railway through a long flight of steps leading to the village (an elevator is being built).

Church of San Pietro (1334) in Corniglia is considered as one of the most significant monuments in the gothic-ligurian style of the Cinque Terre. To the left of this church, you can find the hiking trail to Vernazza. This is a paid path, and Cinque Terre Card can be used. To the right of this church, you will enter the hiking train 7a, which is free, leading you up to the hill. It is an upward, mostly 30 to 45 degree hill slope, which is moderately challenging. In Spring, the blooming wild flowers make this region a really nice place to hike.

The hiking trail from Corniglia to Vernazza takes about one and half hour, and the view is spectacular. It is easier to hike from Corniglia to Vernazza than from Vernazza to Corniglia, due to the steep slopes down to Vernazza. If you starts from Vernazza, expect to climb the really steep slopes up more than 1000 steps. Well, unless that's the challenge you are looking for, go for it!

Corniglia as seen from hiking trail Corniglia - Vernazza

Manarola as seen from Corniglia

Manarola seen from Corniglia

View from Hiking Trail 7a

Signboard in Corniglia - what to see

Corniglia street view

Manarola seen from Corgnilia hill top

View from Hiking trail Corniglia - Vernazza

View from Hiking trail Corniglia - Vernazza (The village in the photo is Corniglia)

View from Hiking trail Corniglia - Vernazza

View from Hiking trail Corniglia - Vernazza (The village on the hill top is Corniglia)

Church of San Pietro in Corniglia

Village of Manarola

Manarola is another pictureque village, and its photo is most frequently used for representing Cinque Terre. Surrounded by vines, there are path for visitors climbing up the vines to get the panaromic view of the village. The wine of Manarola is very famous, and visitors who visited this place will often have wine with main course for lunch and dinner.

The hiking path "Via dell’ Amore" starts from here : an easy to walk, with a distance of two kilometres, connecting Manarola to Riomaggiore. Some of the path are walkway built beside the cliff facing the sea. The view is magnificent. Unfortunately, this path is closed in 2016.

Manarola Street

Manarola Street view

Manarola from hill terrace

Manarola panaromic view from hill terrace

Manarola from hill terrace

In Manarola town centre, you can take the bus to Volastra which is located on top of the hill. The scenic drive is really worth it. With Cinque Terre Card, this ride is included. From Volastra, you can take another scenic bus route to Riomaggiore.