the five cities you must see.

My time in Portovenere, Italy was short. But I made it a must to see the five cities nearby – also known as Cinque Terre. In one day, I saw views that many people wait a lifetime to check off of their bucket list.

Cinque Terre includes the cities of Monterrosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. This beautiful area and popular landmark of Italy translates to ‘five lands,’ and I promise they are all uniquely and colorfully beautiful.

My wonderful hotel, Royal Sporting, recommended I take a boat before the hike in order to see all of the colorful towns. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip, which is easy to understand when you see my view from the water.

Although I would have loved to hike all five cities, I was short on time and still wanted to get back to explore Portovenere before dark. I hiked part of the Blue Trail between Monterrosso and Vernazza. If you’re more willing to climb than me, you can hike the whole trail that runs 12 kilometers long. Even though I only hiked 1/5 of that, I saw views that will last a lifetime.

Vernazza was in my sight after a couple of hours. The stairs and sweat was worth it when I saw the view of the colorful buildings just a few flights below. Let’s just say I was ready for more than one cone of gelato.

The streets of Vernazza led me right to a little cove where I could relax and dip my toes into the Mediterranean.

Not only did I have a good workout, I had an unforgettable view that I can’t wait to get back to someday.

See you again, Cinque Terre!

always,
madeline