Hike the Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre clings to the Ligurian coast in a display of human determination—five villages wedged into cliffsides where the mountains meet the Mediterranean, their colorful buildings cascading down ravines to tiny harbors, connected by ancient footpaths that traverse terrain so vertical that vineyards are worked by hand from platforms suspended above terraces. This UNESCO World Heritage site represents what travelers seek when they imagine "authentic Italy": fishing boats, family-run restaurants serving fresh seafood, wines from the precipitous slopes above, and views at every turn that make you stop walking and simply stare. Monterosso, the northernmost and largest village, offers the only real beach—a stretch of sand that packs densely in summer but provides Mediterranean swimming that the other villages' rocky shores cannot match. The old town preserves medieval character, while the newer section across the tunnel provides accommodation options and easier access. Monterosso serves as practical base for those preferring beach time alongside their hiking and village exploration. Vernazza claims the title of most photogenic—its natural harbor, medieval tower, and amphitheater-like arrangement of buildings creating compositions that sell calendars and inspire Instagram posts. The village concentrates small restaurants, wine bars, and gelaterias along streets narrow enough that opposing balconies nearly touch. The church of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia sits on a promontory at harbor's edge, its striped marble facade oriented toward the sea that shaped everything here. Corniglia perches atop a cliff 100 meters above the sea, the only village not directly accessible by water, its position reached by climbing the famous Lardarina—382 steps from the train station—or by shuttle bus for those who've already exhausted their legs. This elevation provides perspectives the waterline villages lack, and Corniglia's relative inaccessibility preserves a quieter atmosphere that others have lost to tourism. Manarola offers the second-most-photographed setting—the view from the cemetery up the hill captures the village's tumble of colorful buildings in compositions that feel almost artificially beautiful. The vineyards surrounding Manarola produce Sciacchetrà, the sweet dessert wine that represents Cinque Terre's distinctive viticultural tradition, grown on terraces maintained by dry-stone walls that required generations to construct. Riomaggiore, the southernmost village, presents a dramatic ravine-side setting where the main street follows the former stream bed between rows of tall buildings. The harbor below, with boats pulled up on the slipway and diving boards on the rocks, captures the fishing village essence that persists despite tourism's transformation of the economy. From Riomaggiore, the famous Via dell'Amore (Path of Love) once connected to Manarola—though this easy, romantic walk has been closed for years following landslides and remains uncertain to reopen. The hiking trails provide the Cinque Terre's essential experience. The main coastal trail (Sentiero Azzurro) connects all five villages along paths that climb and descend the cliffs, sometimes paved, sometimes stepped, always offering views of the impossibly blue Mediterranean below. The full walk takes 4-5 hours, but sections can be hiked individually with train returns. The Cinque Terre Card, required for trail access, also covers the trains that run every 15-20 minutes between villages. The crowds represent the Cinque Terre's principal challenge. Summer brings day-trippers from cruise ships and tour buses in numbers that overwhelm the tiny villages, filling the trails with slow-moving groups, packing the restaurants, and eliminating any sense of discovery. The solution involves visiting in shoulder seasons (April-May, September-October), staying overnight in one of the villages to experience morning and evening quiet, and hiking early or late when day-trippers have departed. The wines merit attention beyond casual consumption. The vertical vineyards, worked without mechanical assistance, produce small quantities at costs that reflect the labor involved. Whites from Bosco, Albarola, and Vermentino grapes pair with the local seafood—anchovies, mussels, and the catch of whatever boats went out that morning. The Sciacchetrà dessert wine, made from dried grapes, achieves intensity that justifies its premium pricing. The trails beyond the main coastal route offer escapes from crowds. The high paths (sentiero rosso) run along the ridgeline with views both to the sea and into the inland mountains. The sanctuary paths climb to churches above each village, where the faithful made pilgrimages and hikers now find solitude. These routes require more effort than the coastal trail but reward with perspectives and quiet that the famous path cannot provide. The Cinque Terre delivers exactly what travelers imagine when they dream of the Italian Riviera—provided they visit at the right time and with realistic expectations about what "undiscovered" means in the age of social media tourism.