Where in the World: Cinque Terre

Do you get wanderlust in the springtime? I do. Maybe it's the weather, or maybe it's the last 20 some years of my life telling me that this time of year is made for adventures, but I keep finding my mind drifting to fabulous beaches and quaint countrysides. Lately it's been Cinque Terre, a group of 5 small towns on the west coast of Italy. Have you been? It was one stop on my European excursion with Ben last summer. Unfortunately our time there was cut short, but ever since then it's been at the top of my Must Visit Again list (well, besides Iceland). I could spend weeks wandering the old streets, hiking the Via Dell'Amore trail, and jumping into the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean. I'd love to share a little bit about our short time there, and some tips for those lucky enough to be planning a trip.

We planned for 1 night and two full days exploring the towns of Cinque Terre. We knew that wouldn't be enough, but we hoped  it would be a quick relaxing break between Florence and Rome. It was a warm cloudy day when we purchased tickets at the train station in Florence with a brief stop in Pisa (Ben had to be a tourist). Unfortunately, we settled into the laid back Mediterranean lifestyle, and by the time we reached La Spezia, the gateway for the localized Cinque Terre trains, we knew we'd miss our hostel's check-in curfew of 5 pm. Worried that we'd be stuck sleeping on those picturesque cobblestone streets, we ended up booking an overnight train straight from La Spezia to Rome. Big mistake.

We hopped on a train to spend the next 4 hours in Riomaggiore, the southernmost of the five towns. It was breathtaking. From the second we stepped off the train we were greeted by the salty sea breeze and old Italian women shouting from their second-story windows, "Ostello! Hostel!"

We spent our short evening wandering the colorful, hilly streets admiring the views, watching the water crash into the cliff side, and perusing the street markets. It was the perfect, quintessential Italy that I'd always imagined. The best part? Watching the sunset from a patio bar dangling over the Mediterranean with local craft beers and chocolate cake.

Bar e Vine

If we had more time there, we would have ridden the ferry between all the towns, explored the many trails along the coast, swam in the pools of Manerola and laid on the beaches of Montorosso. Sigh. If only...

Next time we go...

STAY: I'd stay at Camping Aqua Dolce, which is just north of the 5 towns and serviced by the same local train route. We had such a great experience with these camping hostels in Florence and Rome, and it's one of the most affordable ways to travel in Italy. I'd rather walk to my bathroom and spend my money on pasta!

DURATION: If you're in a hurry, I'd give it at least 2 full days here. I know, I know, TripAdvisor members would hate me and say you need at least a week! And they're right, you could easily spend a few weeks here and not get bored. But if you're trying to fit it in on a tight schedule and budget, it needs at least 2 days.

DO: Jump into the swimming holes in Manerola, walk the Via Dell'Amore and leave a lovers lock on the gate, and eat EVERYTHING.

TRANSPORTATION: The trains are the best way to get in and out of Cinque Terre. I didn't feel any need to have a car, and flying would have been overkill. However, the overnight train into Rome was not the best plan. Our budget car was full, there was no space, and it was very noisy. We arrived in Rome too exhausted to do anything, so any time we might have gained there was spent sleeping it off.

Which destinations are you dreaming about?