Cinque Terre, Italy

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I board the train knowing that today would be a very busy and tiring day, but one I am eagerly anticipating. Today I will walk, or attempt to walk the Cinque Terre trail. The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. "The Five Lands" is composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the national park. The entire area is around eight miles long, while the average distance between neighboring villages is two miles.

I arrive from the train in Riomaggiore. My first task was to find my hostel. I follow the instructions and I go up this long hilly street. I have my large backpack on my back at this time, and this is quite the challenge. I am already thinking I am going to be pushing myself a bit today if I am already breathing hard. Anyway, I find the check in spot, however the apartment I booked was back down the hill. I was thinking to myself that I would never be able to find this place again. I actually took photos of the alleys and surroundings, so if I was lost I might could find my way back.

After getting myself a little familiar with the little town I was staying in, I decide it was time to hike the trail. I felt like I was up for the challenge of hiking the entire distance of the Cinque Terre Trail between Riomaggiore and Monterosso. It is around 12:00 pm, and off I go on what I feel will be a wonderful, yet tiring experience. Betweeen the first city and the second city, you cross Via dell'Amore ("Lover's Walk" or "Lover's Lane"). The most popular section is about half a mile in length, and it's a favorite tourist activity to tread along the coast. As I am walking across this stretch, I noticed it was well paved and a nice path with beautiful scenery. I thought to myself that this hike would be a breeze. Little did I know, but I will get to that later. The neat thing on this stretch was all of the locks that were hanging on practically everything. Most had names and dates on them, and I am assuming these represented the lovers and their love for each other.

After a pretty easy walk I was at my next city which was Manarola. I spend a little time in the city, but I am anxious to continue my journey. On I go to my next city of Corniglia. It takes me a bit more time to get to this city, and my mind starts telling me that I am in for a very tiresome day. Never the less, I am determined. I arrive in Corniglia, and I am feeling the burn. My cardiovascular workouts on the stair stepper compare greatly with this hike. Up and down many rocky paths. What a workout. I walk and look around a bit and take some photos. After a brief rest, I head off to the next village of Vernazza.

Back in 2011, there was a flood in this small town. I guess throughout Cinque Terre, but Vernazza was one of the worst hit. I did not know what to expect once I arrived. At the edge of the little town, I noticed photos of the main streets and the surrounding area. I was actually walking on this same street. Amazing cleanup efforts and repairs have taken place, for if I would not have known about the floods, I would not have been able to tell about the devestation if not for the aforementioned photos. I had to move on, so off to the next city.

What a long hike it was to get to Monterosso. It seems like I walked and walked and walked. I got close enough to see the beach, and then I went down these long set of stairs in what appeared a lemon orchard. There was a man on the side of the trail selling fresh squeezed lemonade for two Euros, but I passed and told him no thanks. I was almost exhausted by this point, and all I wanted was to fill my water bottle up with some cold water.

I had made it. I looked at my watch, and it was 5:00 pm. Funny. The average amount of time it takes to make the entire trek is five hours. It took me exactly five hours. How coincidental. Five hours it took me to hike the steep trail which was eight miles long. Although there are smooth areas, the trails are full of rocks and occasional mud. It was very challenging, however by hiking the entire trail, it provided me a chance to see each village.

At this point, I am very tired. I took the train back to Riomaggiore, and made my way back to the hostel. I was only here for the one day, and I need to get some good sleep. Tomorrow will be another experience in another city, and I can say that I made this day one that I will truly remember for the rest of my life.

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