Picture this:
You're walking along a narrow dirt and rock trail several hundred feet above the blue, blue Mediterranean sea. You are surrounded by fig, lemon, and olive trees, flower gardens and vineyards. Several hundred feet up the slope is the road, where, yes, there are cars, but you can't see them and you can't hear them. You're following an old mule path that connects five towns, or Cinque Terre: Monterosso al mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. You clamber over some rocks, hungry and hot, and see a small village ahead of you with an inviting sandy beach and some cozy sidewalk cafes.
I've hiked the Cinque Terre five times - twice as a guide for Butterfield & Robinson. So, here's what I think you need to know:
- Allow a full day - but not necessarily more than - to hike the Cinque Terre. If you start at a reasonable hour - say, 9 am - you can stop for lunch, have a swim, look around the towns, and hike at a pretty leisurely pace. Go in the spring when the days are longer.
- Hike it from north to south - starting at Monterosso - not the reverse. It's prettier, and you do the hardest hikes at the beginning.
- There are 5 towns, therefore 4 hikes. The first two are actually in the category of hiking as opposed to walking (though I've actually seen people on the trail wearing flip-flops and stiletto heels), and take about 1.5 hours each. The third hike is much easier and takes less than an hour. The final one can certainly be done in flip-flops or stilettos and takes about 20 minutes.
- Eat local: taste the farinata, taste the focaccia, taste the local wine; don't miss the limoncello, don't miss the pesto.
- If you're tight on time, just don't want to hike, or suffer from vertigo, view the Cinque Terre from a ferry boat.
Note: The Cinque Terre is definitely making its way onto the "obvious" list of things to do in Italy, and the trails can become somewhat crowded in high season, so set expectations accordingly, or go in low season (try April or September).
Photo of Vernazza from Wikipedia
