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Published: November 23rd 2016
In my own country I did not travel much because I have always been attracted about what is different from me and my culture.
But the very few times I came back home I had a trip to some nice lands nearby Italy.
One of them is called the "Cinque Terre" meaning Five Lands situated in the northwest part of the country in the Liguria region.
The five lands are under the province of La Spezia and are:
Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola e Riomaggiore.
These tiny villages are really characteristic perched on a cliff overlooking the seaside.
I got nearby the five lands, by train, and I stayed in Levanto which is just a few kilometers away from the villages.
The first land I reached, by walk, was Monterosso al mare. The first stretch is paved and easy walking towards the other destinations further up the way.
It is a beautiful beach with clear water and a lot of tourists but the interesting part becomes when the trail starts to move up and I had fantastic views
of the little place lying to the botton of the cliff and it isone of my favourite vistas.
It is from here that I trekked into the nature where, spread along the path, I could see cottages immersed in the vegetation and with some fine olives tree around them.
It is rugged coast until the next land which is "Verazza".
Vernazza together with Monterosso al mare developed first than the other villages in the 11 century.
Grapes and olives are the main crop around the five lands.
Vernazza is considered one of the best "Borghi" allover Italy and from the top I was just stunned by the little inlet that formed naturally and is used, now, as a docking area.
Once I arrived down I just had a bath in the inviting water and to
refresh myself from the stifling hot of the summer.
Vernazza is really characteristic and one of my favourite.
Following the path I arrived to the third one which is Corniglia and the only one that does not face, immediately, the
sea.
It is about 100 meters above the sea. To reach this land I had to walk
on a stairway called "Lardarina" and from the top I could the railway making its way through the tunnel and all the olive trees surrounding the village of Corniglia.
The winding path had wonderful views over the stark blue water that was just superb and also not crowded of tourists.
I then arrived to the fourth land called Manarola. It is perched up to a hill
and slowly down to the sea.
I love the colourful houses of the five land and their friendly inhabitant that are always available to provide you some informations about movineg around the towns.
Manarola is the smallest town after Corniglia.
Further up the trail I got to the fifth and last land "Riomaggiore".
Riomaggiore is similarly placed on a hill like the fourth town Manarola.
The town had taken this name due to the torrent that passes through the houses of the town.
It was an amazing day
trip through these stunning and lovely towns on the Ligurian coast.
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Dancing Dave
David Hooper
The Five Lands
Five villages with history going back 10 centuries with an exotic name would have been enough. But to think they survive today nestled and thriving with rugged vistas on Italy's coastline inviting a visit. Thanks for sharing Marcos.