A Visit to The Cinque Terre

 

The Cinque Terre, literally translated means "The Five Lands", and is part of the Italian Riviera. A visit to this part of Liguria had been a dream of mine for a long time. This rugged coastline is known for the beautiful vistas, and walking trails that connect five ancient fishing villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The villages, the coastline and the surrounding hillsides are now officially classified as the Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre (Cinque Terre National Park) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The villages remain tiny and relatively undeveloped, as compared to other resort towns on both the Italian and French coastlines. Even today, the very nature of the steep terrain and rocky cliffs along the coast have prevented a road connecting all five villages.

The Cinque Terre National Park was established in 1999. The mission of the park is to protect the marine coastline and preserve a way of life that has existed for centuries. The coastline has been inhabited for generations. There is documentation that terracing of the land began as early as 1000 A.D.. The steep hills are layered with micro farms producing grapes, olives and vegetables.

Cinque Terre Map

This incredible area receives approximately 2 million tourists annually. The heavy visitor months are April through October. Hiking is not recommended in other months. The off-season weather can be unpleasant, the walking paths possibly dangerous and many hotels and restaurants are closed. Visitors can reach the villages by train, boats (in season), eco-friendly buses or of course by foot. Travellers must purchase an official Park Pass and train ticket to access the villages. We found that although there is information available on multiple websites, the content is not always current. By default, we discovered that a travellers' best bet is to go to a tourist office, to confirm the most accurate information.

In the Cinque Terre, there are several hiking trails available for different abilities. The lower trail known as the Sentiero Azzuro or the Light Blue Trail is marked on walking maps as the #2. The most famous section of this trail is the Via Dell'Amore, "the Pathway of Love" from Riomaggiore to Manarola. The entire lower trail, from Riomaggiore to Monterosso is about 10 kilometers long and can easily be completed in one day by anyone in decent physical condition. Many hikers start in Riomaggiore and walk northward along the coastline. However, the advice we received was to walk the other direction (north to south) and then take the boat back to the start. This alternative allows the traveller to see all the villages from the water heading home. In either direction, the walk should take about 5 hours.

What to do in cinque terre

The problem that we encountered was that the Sentiero Azzuro was closed in April 2011, due to a landslide. We had decided to start the walk just outside the park in Levento and hike to Monterosso. This section should take about 2.5 hours to complete. The plan after Monterosso was to join the No#2 path, or lower trail and walk to Riomaggiore. We had received confirmation from several sources that the planned hike should easily doable for two people in decent shape. The upper trail is much longer 24km and clearly an enormous challenge to complete in one day, so we were faced with developing an alternate plan.

Despite a need to change our hiking plans, we were able to complete several beautiful pathway sections including:

• Levento to Monterosso - This path is not officially in the Cinque Terre National Park; however, it is a substantial walk. The standard time to complete is about 2.5 hours. Levanto is a decent seaside resort and the last train stop before the park. Leaving town the walk is immediately quite hilly. The trail is quite rough in sections, and I was quite happy to have my hiking poles. The path crests and there are beautiful views approaching Monterosso enabling the hiker their first glimpses of the park and the beautiful sea.

 

• Corniglia to Manarola - This upper trail is technically sign-posted as the #7a, 6d and 6 sections. From the train station, in Corniglia head up the road towards the village to reach the first sign for the #7a. From that point, it is a solid walk up to the top of the hill. The hiking trail, after the crest of the slope, is a relatively gentle but narrow path along the ridge line. Just before Manarola the #6 heads down to the village with lots of stairs. This is a particularly beautiful trail, and the descent towards Manarola will treat the hiker to views of the Mediterranean through the vineyards. The walk should take about 2.5 hours.

 

• Manarola to Riomaggiore - This section is the famous Via Dell'Amore it was the only part of the #2 trail that was open during our visit in April. This is a short, 2-kilometre walk along a level paved pathway. The Via Dell'Amore is easily accessible to all including those with mobility issues. In my opinion, this section was the most disappointing. The Via Dell'Amore does provide some fabulous views. The path is well constructed and offers, rest points, viewing platforms and even some artwork. Unfortunately, all of that infrastructure comes with crowds and a feeling that you have left nature far behind.

On the second day, we decided to do a walk outside the park, from Riomaggiore to Porto Venere. This hike is stunning and not terribly crowded. There are a few sections with considerable climbs, some narrow paths around cliff lines and a few rocky sections. We certainly recommend a sturdy pair of boots, walking poles and lots of water. There is no need to carry food, as there are places to stop and eat along the way. In total, the trek should take about 5 hours and will not disappoint the walker for their effort. Make sure to confirm the boat schedule, leaving Porto Venere as the trip back along the coastline is stunning.

A few final words. The local white wine, is truly decent, and feel happy about supporting the local industry while drinking a glass. The anchovies, according to my husband are perfect. There is also local olive oil, Limoncello and even a new line of beauty products - stock up and support the preservation of this truly unique and beautiful place. Finally, we found out that the only time the trains run on time is when you are running late!