The Cinque Terre are the most pristine and fascinating natural part of Liguria and the Tyrrhenian coast. Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso are the villages suspended between sea and land that give life to the Cinque Terre. Clinging with all their strength on cliffs overlooking the sea, these villages are part of a National Park and since 1997 they are a World Heritage Site protected by UNESCO, to preserve this kingdom of wild scents as nature originally intended.

Riomaggiore

It is really suggestive to walk among the characteristic streets of this town, where lights and shadows create very special effects. In Riomaggiore begins the famous Via dell’Amore, a path carved into the rock that leads to Manarola. The path is really wonderful: you will walk in close contact with nature and you will be able to distinctly hear the sound of the waves that hit the rocks. Riomaggiore is a shy country, which can be discovered little by little, gradually revealing the Castle on the hill of Cerricò, which offers a beautiful view of the sea, or the lovely parish church of San Giovanni Battista.

Manarola

Historians believe that the name Manarola refers to an ancient magna Roea, or magna rota, a large wheel of a water mill. In the lower part of the town you can still appreciate the old mill or oil mill, refurbished by the National Park. Obviously the sea lovers will not be disappointed: going down towards the beach you will find small corners of paradise from which you can enjoy a truly breathtaking view.

Corniglia

To reach Corniglia it is necessary to go up the Lardarina, a grueling brick staircase, as many as 33 ramps with 377 steps, or cross a carriage road that leads from the railway to the village. The name Corniglia derives from the Roman colonist Corneliu, producer of the then already known white wine. Corniglia is a precious rough jewel, made up of small alleys and narrow streets carved into the rock, with a beautiful pebble beach, the so-called Spiaggione, caressed by a crystal clear sea that you absolutely must not miss.

Vernazza

The magical and slightly suspended atmospheres of the characteristic and medieval village of Vernazza will enchant you: mysterious and enigmatic alleys, hidden by the small and pretty red, yellow and pink houses, which in the summer are crowded with tourists from all over the world. Considered one of the hundred most beautiful villages in Italy, Vernazza preserves its long maritime tradition, which has seen the passage of important condottieri and sailors. We advise you to arrive in the city by sea, to get to know immediately the beautiful marina guarded by pastel-colored houses. The 11th century lookout tower, the Doria Castle, the Convent Tower of the Reformed Fathers of San Francesco and the Belforte are worth seeing. Wonderful is the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Reggio and its tree-lined square that will invite you to meditation and total relaxation.

Monterosso al mare

Monterosso still maintains its long fishing tradition intact and bears the marks of its struggles on the sea: the Medieval Tower, today the bell tower of the Church of San Giovanni, the Castle overlooking the sea, which includes three round towers, and the Aurora Tower , the last remaining of the 13 towers that in the 16th century embraced and protected the town. Once you have arrived in the narrow and labyrinthine streets of Monterosso, you can choose to entertain yourself in the historical center of the city, where the church of San Giovanni Battista stands out, or to stay in the modern Fegina, with very equipped beaches. In Fegina you can enjoy the Liberty style villa of the Montale family, as well as having wonderful baths. The beach of Monterosso is the largest of the Cinque Terre and in some stretches is sandy and in others rocky.

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Regional trains are connecting the five countries every 40/50 minutes. Journey time between one country and another: 5/10 minutes or so. Remember to validate the trains tickets. You can also rent a car but getting around by car is particularly problematic due to the narrow streets and the lack of parking.
To take the boat you have to join the harbor of La Spezia and then change boat in Portovenere or go to one of the village by car or train, the boat runs during the high season season from April to October.

The Best way to Cinque terre

Rather, we suggest to visit this beautiful place with a organized tour where everything is included boat or train and the only thing youhave to do is just Enjoy!

With a very comfortable Minivan you will arrive in Manarola; this is a fraction of Riomaggiore, so it is really small. Its peculiarity is to look like a crib of colorful houses, and even climbing up a few paths not too difficult to capture these colorful houses from above. Certainly particular is the setting up of great figures that reproduce the Via Crucis in the terraces dedicated to the cultivation of olive trees.

The Beautiful Riomaggiore

The next stop will be Riomaggiore which is the easternmost of the Cinque Terre, the first village you come from La Spezia.The houses, painted with the typical Ligurian colors, follow the outline of the tower-houses, developed in height on three or four floors, linked one to the other in parallel rows. Access to the houses is possible as well as from the main entrance, from the back to the height of the upper floors.In Riomaggiore the Via dell’Amore begins, up to Manarola, a very suggestive pedestrian street, where you can admire beautiful landscapes, amid the sound of waves crashing on the rocks and the salty air.

Charming Vernazza

After is the turn of Vernazza that was founded around the year one thousand. This town is considered the most charming of the five villages and it’s the favorite place for weddings. Followed by steep and narrow streets that descend towards the main road that ends in a small square located in front of the marina, Vernazza is punctuated by defensive constructions, tower-houses, the Tower and the Doria castle, symbol of the economic importance it had in antiquity and protected by the Genoese against the Saracens and the barbarian invasions.

Relaxing Monterosso

The last town to visit is Monterosso this is the westernmost village of the Cinque Terre and is divided into two parts; Monterosso Fegina the most modern part where the railway station is located and Monterosso Vecchio, the medieval village. Close to hills cultivated with vines and olives, Monterosso has beautiful beaches, sheer cliffs and crystal clear waters. Monterosso Vecchio is dominated by the remains of the obertengo castle overlooking the sea, the typical tower-houses crossed by narrow carruggi.
The beach of Monterosso Fegina is the largest of the Cinque Terre and therefore the country has a purely tourist vocation. Monterosso has the greatest hotel accommodation in the Cinque Terre and the Riviera del Risante spezzino.
The carruggi of the old town are very beautiful.

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The Cinque Terre represent a set of breathtaking landscapes and villages, forged by nature and man. Every year, this territory attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world, representing one of the most visited territories in our country.

We are located on the Riviera di Levante, in the province of La Spezia. The Cinque Terre, in reality, are five municipalities that, precisely on the Riviera, find their most natural location: Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, Riomaggiore and Corniglia.

In these places it seems that man, for once, has reversed his relationship of strength with nature, making himself almost a mockery of it. Overlooking the sea are the colorful houses of the five villages, which give a very striking and almost surreal chromatic effect. The scenery is comparable to that of a fairy tale, so much so that, in 1997, UNESCO declared the entire territory as a world heritage site.

The beaches of the Cinque Terre

The steep and rocky coast, characterized by bays and inlets, although not too extensive, offers very different beaches. One of the most characteristic is the Fegina beach, in Monterosso. In 2007 the American magazine Forbes was proclaimed one of the 25 sexiest beaches in the world. The beach is characterized by the “giant” of Punta Mesco, a large sculpture in reinforced concrete that depicts Neptune, and the two picturesque stacks. It is one of the few sandy beaches in the area and is the ideal place for families with children.

Another historic beach is that of Guvano, in Corniglia, famous for being a destination for naturists from all over the world: especially in the 70s, hippies and nudists chose this place to live in perfect harmony with nature. The area today is difficult to reach and is subject to landslides and landslides. However, it remains one of the most beautiful and evocative beaches of the Cinque Terre.

Another place to spend absolute moments of relaxation immersed in the wild nature of the coast is Riomaggiore beach, very close to the pier of the town. It is a beach language composed exclusively of pebbles, set between the sea and the mountain above. It is sheltered from the wind and generally not very crowded.

The main activities to be carried out in the Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre represent a territory of a unique natural and scenic beauty of its kind. Thanks to the characteristics of the territory, the Cinque Terre offer visitors the opportunity to practice many sports activities, in direct contact with nature. In particular, sports lovers will be spoiled for choice, starting for example from Levanto, which is the gateway to the Cinque Terre: here, every year, in spring and summer, hundreds of surfers gather in search of the perfect wave. To many it will seem strange that you talk about surfing in an area like this, but the strong wind that characterizes the Cinque Terre creates the perfect conditions for surfing.
Also, you can admire the beautiful underwater scenery by practicing scuba diving or snorkeling.

Typical products of the Cinque Terre

What’s better, after so much sporting activity, than a tasty dinner based on typical products of the Cinque Terre? Even from the culinary point of view, in fact, this territory does not disappoint anyone, not even the most demanding palates.

Like every Italian geographical area, even this corner of paradise in Liguria can boast top-quality gastronomic delicacies such as anchovies in salt, among the typical dishes of the Cinque Terre for over 500 years. The same anchovies, then, are the main ingredient of other traditional dishes such as stuffed focaccia and the Corniolo sauce, which also includes tasty peppers.

To stimulate the palate, a good wine of the area is what it takes: one of these is the Sciacchetrà, made from raisin grapes and produced from terraced vineyards.

Among the desserts, highly recommended is the Stalin cake, a tart filled with fruit jam and dark chocolate. To end the meal, there is nothing better than a nice lemonita, a syrup prepared with lemons without peel.

You can spend a journey as a taste of this beautiful place choosing a daytour!

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The national park of Cinque terre

The first thing that strikes you in the Cinque Terre is the landscape: the mountain that is thrown into the sea, the villages perched on the rocky coast, the dry stone walls, the shrines, the woods. But it is a landscape that must also be read and interpreted. A “living” landscape has been defined. With all due respect to naturalist-purists, it is a landscape in society, between nature and man. Nature has played its part, but man has shaped it and preserved it. Without man, the Cinque Terre would not only not be the Cinque Terre, but would literally crumble within a few decades. In part they are already collapsing, or rather slipping and crashing, just where man has abandoned them. As demonstrated by the disastrous flood of 2011.

A world heritage Site

The Cinque Terre since 1997 are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the National Park was established as an institution in 1999. It is small (about 4,000 hectares), densely inhabited (4,500 people) but above all “visited” (someone could say “invaded”) from two and a half million tourists a year. UNESCO organization, includes in its list, the most important, artistic, architectural and beautiful sites of the world. Italy has the majority sites of the rest of the world.

Where is Cinque terre

Cinque Terre are in the west part of the Liguria region in the Riviera di Levante, is a place rich in old traditions and authentic flavors inside a very nice nature. Cinque Terre are composed by five villages on the coast between Punta Mesco and Punta Montenegro about 10 kilometers north west of the town of La Spezia. The park is composed by these five villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso al Mare.

Come to cinque terre

What tourism do in the Cinque Terre? On the beauty of the five tourist resorts there is not much to add and then just consult a Guide to know everything. The advice, perhaps obvious, is this: the sea is fine, but you have to go “inside” this landscape, or better … “above”! The park is equipped to provide guides (paper but especially HUMAN) and itineraries that we tried to tell even in the videos of this web series. It will also be tiring, but then … they are unique satisfactions!
The way to go is not so easy, that’s why we suggest to take a day tour to visit this beautiful place!

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