One of my favorite places in the world is the Cinque Terre, Italy.  In recent years the Cinque Terre has become more popular with tourists, but so far it hasn’t lost its charm. The “Five Lands” comprise of five villages situation on the rugged Italian Riveria coastline: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, villages, and adjacent hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

My best friend, Sarah, and I backpacked to the Cinque Terre a few summers ago. The pastel-colored houses daring to belly-flop into the sea, tiered vineyards etched into the sides of mountains, and the languid pace of life are just part of the allure. It inspires you to feel different, wide awake.

1. Manarola, the fourth village. (You can also see this pic  here .)

2. Riomaggiore, where Sarah and I stayed for a week. The cute guys working the kayak stand made cat calls at every young female that passed.

3. La Dolce Vita: Buying a 3 Euro bottle of local wine and sunning on the Italian Riveria.

4. The quintessential Cinque Terre experience is hiking between the towns. The hike takes about five hours, not including stops in any of the towns. Rough terrain demands strong longs and careful balance. Despite this, the trail is very doable for a hiking novice. My advice, learned the hard way? Start at the first village, Monterrosso, not Riomaggiore (going backwards is said to be more difficult), don’t start at mid-day in the summertime, and try not to be hungover.

5. On the Cinque Terre hike. Blissfully delusional and pooped. Another piece of advice? Wear high spf sunscreen unless you like the pinkish hue I’m modeling.

6. Join the locals and savor the sunset vistas. (Photo taken in Riomaggiore.)

text/photos: Nancy Harder

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