Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore
If you like beautiful coastal walks with stunning views and great places to stop off for food and drink then Cinque Terre will not fail to amaze you.
We took the flight from Bristol to Genoa and after a short walk from the airport to the train station (loving Goggle maps) we boarded the train to Corniglia, on time and cheap as chips !
Cinque Terre (Five Lands) is made up of 5 coastal towns all linked by a railway line and accessible by trekking the hillside paths. Each town has it’s own identity and the multi coloured houses and dramatic landscapes make those hours of walking a pleasure rather than a chore. It’s a great feeling to walk down into the next town on the path and relax with a cold drink whilst resting those aching feet and of course if you wish you can always catch the train to the next town or back to where you are staying.
We stayed in Corniglia as this is in the middle of the 5 towns and a good base to explore. One day we hiked to Manarola and Riomaggiore and another day in the opposite direction to Vernazza and Monterosso. We did take the train a couple times between the towns which ran at regular times and at a minimal cost.
B&B Da Beppe was delightful, clean, great bathroom and a traditional Italian breakfast. The local church is across the way and the bells were our alarm clock 🙂 https://www.bed-and-breakfast.it/en/liguria/bb-da-beppe-corniglia/1607
Many of the bars offer a free “aperitivo” with your early evening drink and this in some cases is a meal in itself. A couple times we had so much aperitivo that we didn’t make dinner ! One restaurant we did eat at a couple times in Corniglia was Osteria A Cantina De Mananan https://www.facebook.com/cantinademananan/, got to try the pesto !
Cinque Terre is ideal for all you walkers and those who appreciate stunning scenery, active days followed by chilled evenings with good food and wine…..just don’t forget your walking boots !
Bristolians Abroad 