Cinque Terre

I stayed in Florence and used it as a hub to see many nearby sights; Tuscany, Cinque Terre, etc.

I booked a day tour to go see Cinque Terre since I was unsure as to how to get there otherwise and the tour seemed like an easier option (also, tours are a nice way to meet other travelers and share the experience, though I don’t recommend them for everything). I quickly paired up with another solo female traveler from Seattle, who was there for her birthday (this particular day was her actual birthday, and mine was the day prior!).

Cinque Terre literally translates to “five lands,” and is split up between five small coastal villages; Monterosso, Vernaza, Riomagiorre, Manorola, and Corniglia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site as of 1997. It is home to plenty of fishermen and has some of the best coastal views in the entire world.

You can take trains between the villages, hike the entire thing in about six hours, or break it up (which is what we did). There is about an hour-hour and a half hike between Monterosso and Vernazza. My new friend and I started the hike on a blistering hot summer day. The hike overall is pretty easy; just a little long (but as scenic as a hike could get; by far one of the most breathtaking views along the entire way). It’s hard to get bored on this hike as you’re constantly surrounded by the extremely blue waters of the Ligurian Sea.

Halfway through the hike, there is a little bar / cafe where you can get fresh blended lemonade, or limoncello if you prefer to add some booze. Italy in the summer time is PRIME lemon season; the lemons (especially in the southern parts of the country) grow to be the size of melons, and are as acidic and fresh as you could possibly imagine. My new friend and I opted out on the lemons, and decided to get a bottle of birthday wine to split. A bottle of white wine made IN Cinque Terre for 19 euros? Yes, please.

After the bottle of wine, we continued on with our hike which we knew led to the first beach.

We decided to take a dip into the water. Some of these beaches were private for hotel guests only, but there were chairs available for people just visiting for the day. We saw a group of boys jumping off a cliff and decided to join them. We climbed up to the top and jumped off; only about a 15-foot jump, but just as fun as ever!

*Insert Cliff video**

After swimming and jumping off the cliff, we caught a boat to catch those picturesque views of Riomaggiore; the colorful houses lined along the coast that will come up as any first image after googling “Cinque Terre.” Because we opted for the tour group, the boat was so overcrowded that it was a little difficult to see coming into it. But once we were there, we were able to basque in the views and enjoy our time (This is one reason I regretted touring for Cinque Terre, it was A LOT to see in just one day).

We hung out in Riogammore where I was able to get some fresh seafood (a cone of fried mix seafood) and some gelato. I even met a cat and maybe it was the wine, but decided to share some of my fish with her.

^Notice I got more wine

After that, we headed back to the bus to return to Florence. Overall it was a BEAUTIFUL day, and Cinque Terre was one of my favorite parts of Italy. My only regret was not having more time there.