December 2022 - Cinque Terre, Italy
The day started near my hotel in Florence, where I met up with the Walkabout Florence tour group before heading to the bus station. The walk there was a slightly comical affair, with everyone following along in a long, single-file line. From there, it was a bus ride west towards La Spezia and the rugged stretch of Ligurian coastline known as Cinque Terre.
It was winter, but the weather was on my side, and we had comfortable walking temperatures, clear views, and none of the summer crowds I imagine descend on these little villages when the weather warms up.
The plan was to visit all five villages, which meant a fair bit of train-hopping, and walking. But the beauty of Cinque Terre is that you don't have to do much to enjoy it. Colourful houses cling to impossibly steep hillsides, narrow lanes twist between buildings, and every now and then the landscape opens up to reveal that glorious blue stretch of Mediterranean.
The day began in Manarola, where a short guided wander took the group up through steep alleys and winding staircases to a viewpoint overlooking the village. After that, I was happy to explore at my own pace, heading down towards the harbour and along the cliffside walkway. There was even time to pick up some delicious olive focaccia before catching the next train.
Corniglia, perched high above the sea, offered sweeping views across the water and terraced fields clinging to the mountainside. While much of the group settled in for a restaurant lunch, I wandered the little lanes at the far end of the village and found a quiet spot to sit for a while.
Then came the walk to Vernazza.
The trail from Corniglia to Vernazza was the highlight of the day for me. It wound through shrubs and trees before climbing towards more open ground, where the views became increasingly spectacular.
Green hillsides tumbled towards the sea, dotted with little buildings that seemed to cling to the slopes by sheer determination. Below, the water sparkled blue-green against the rugged coastline.
This is my kind of scenery. Give me dramatic cliffs, winding coastal paths, and a view that makes me stop in my tracks, and I'm happy. I'm especially fond of coastlines without a big stretch of sand getting in the way.
Even in winter, it was lovely walking weather, and I remember being struck by just how beautiful the whole scene was. In fact, I liked it enough to have a photo from this very spot printed and hanging on my office wall. It's still one of those images that makes me want to pack a bag and go somewhere.
Vernazza was every bit as pretty as I'd hoped. Its colourful buildings wrapped around a sheltered harbour, creating one of those views that seems almost too perfect to be real. I wandered down to the water, took plenty of photos, and considered stopping for a drink at one of the harbourside spots. They were packed, though, so I settled for exploring on foot before rejoining the group.
Monterosso was less my cup of tea. It's the largest of the five villages, and it felt more commercial and less distinctive to me. There's also a stretch of sandy beach, which probably didn't help its case. I had a wander and took a few photos, but I wasn't sorry to move on.
By the time we reached Riomaggiore, the winter afternoon was drawing to a close. This was the last of the five villages on the itinerary, and it turned out to be a lovely way to finish the day.
From the station, I followed the tunnels into the village, emerging into a narrow valley lined with colourful houses stacked high on either side. Everything seemed to lead down towards the little harbour, where boats sat upside down and out of the water, waiting for their opportunity to return to the sea.
I wandered along the elevated walkway beside the harbour, passing a few small restaurants and looking back towards the water as the sun slipped behind the mountains. The light softened, the colours deepened, and the village took on that lovely in-between feeling when the day is ending but the evening hasn't quite begun.
Away from the harbour, the streets were starting to quieten down. Shops were closing for the day while restaurants prepared for the evening crowd. There was something particularly appealing about seeing the village at this hour, when the last of the daylight gave way to twilight and the place seemed to settle into itself.
I took my time wandering before heading back to meet the group. After a full day of trains, trails, viewpoints, and village lanes, it was time to make my way back to Florence.
The return journey to La Spezia and the bus ride home were both in the dark, so the Tuscan countryside had to wait another day (stay tuned).
By the time I got back to Florence, I'd had a full day of coastal scenery, colourful villages, winding trails, and far too many photos to count.
I don't remember every lane I wandered down, but I still remember that view on the trail to Vernazza. In fact, I liked it enough to have a photo from there hanging on my office wall.
And Riomaggiore, with its colourful houses and little harbour in the fading light, was a pretty lovely way to end the day.
