Exploring ‘five lands’ of Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre, which translates to "five lands" is one of the most popular destinations in Italy. With borders starting to open up I was desperate to travel again and Italy sounded like a great option. Italy was badly hit by coronavirus and was among first countries to face the crisis. However it is the great example of how to manage the crisis and now it is one of the safest places in Europe. We arrived to Pisa and took an hour train to Monterosso - our base point to explore Cinque Terre. But first, let me share why this part of Italy is so great. It doesn’t only offer beautiful beach time, but also exploring the natural environment and walking on hilly paths in the Cinque Terre National Park, an area protected for both its marine and mountain habitats, with sea waters that won awards from ecological associations. Add to that the rich historical and art treasures.

Riomaggiore

The southernmost town, Riomaggiore gets its name from the position of the characteristic tower homes built along the river. It is often the starting point for exploring the other four villages, 120 km of trails along the coast and the hills right over the coast. The town history goes as far back as the 8th century and it has grown in importance for it’s marina. Its pastel-shaded homes climb the steep incline and open an amazing view from the top floors (in case you decide to stay here for a night).

Monterosso

Divided into an “old” and "new" section, Monterosso has a small tunnel of about 100 meters that connect the two sections. Once only accessible via water or the mule trails that led inland, this town was truly isolated until the railway came through in the late 1800’s. The biggest village out of five it has a few beautiful sandy beaches and many restaurants in the “old” part that create a nice vibe in the evening. You can also find here the remains of the giant statue of Neptune, sculpted in 1910.

The must visit here - Ciak seafood restaurant. Usually full with locals, it’s a good sign for the good food lovers.

Manarola

The colourful buildings and houses that slide down the rocky and rugged coast of Manarola make it hard to imagine that this town was (and still is) famous for its wine production. The name itself is proof of the agriculture society that went hand in hand with the fisherman, as it stands for the dialect word for "mill wheel" (you will see the wheel along the main street right below the church tower and the river that flows down to the sea). The picturesque hillside terrace farming surrounds the hidden and isolated village.

Corniglia

Perhaps one of the older of the five cities, the town of Corniglia was a strong producer of wine and agricultural goods. The origins as a Roman borgo was confirmed by the findings in Pompeii of anforas (clay containers for wine and oil) that were labeled with the Roman name for this town “gens Cornelia”. The only town with no natural port, you need to climb the “Lardarina” with more than 300 steps to admire the streets and alleyways of this little hamlet.

Vernazza

Vernazza grew as a powerful fortified town, probably used as a port for defence against invading pirates. Boasting the only natural port in Cinque Terre, it is easy to imagine the boats tied up next to the houses: in medieval times there wasn’t a beach or a “proper” port like there is today. Without any car traffic within the city centre, this little town is characterised by pastel-coloured homes that look out towards the water. Don’t miss Belforte restaurant overlooking marina, we had one of the best meals there!

Food

It’s hard overrate Italian food, many will agree - it’s the best. We didn’t have even one bad meal, people here are passionate about delivering the best ingredients, traditional flavours and mind-blowing food experiences. My only advice would be, go with a waiter’s advice, they are very particular about even tiniest regional varieties of the same dish and will suggest the best. Also we always relied on their wine pairing advice and every single time it was spot on whether that was a seafood spaghetti with Lambrusco, grilled octopus with a glass of white from that restaurant’s vineyard or pesto fusilli with a glass of Cinqueterre Campogrande red.

Portofino & Santa Margherita

For the last day we moved further along the coast and stayed in Italian riviera town of Santa Margarita. Just a walking distance from Portofino it was an ideal end of our trip. Famous for it’s art residents and the fact that it inspired SIr Clough Williams-Ellis to built Portmeirion in Wales Portofino is a lovely place to spend a day in. Stroll along the little port, visit sculpture park and climb to the castle. Then take a picturesque walk through “Lover’s path” back to Santa Margherita for a dinner in one of the many good eateries in town. We dined at historical seafood restaurant Trattoria del Pescatori that has been open since 1910.