For my first few days in Italy, I chose to make Genova home base. Fooled by a quick, under-researched Google search, I assumed I would have easy access to the pricier villages of Portofino and Cinque Terre for day trips without the overnight expenses. While Portofino was a short commute, I discovered quickly that visiting Cinque Terre was quite an ordeal.
Nonetheless, I set off on the two-hour train ride to Monterosso, the first town in Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre, translating to “five lands,” is made up of five villages separated by dramatic coastline, vineyards and so, many, stairs. Hiking along the Blue Trail, I was able to find solitude in walking between the five villages instead of taking the crowded trains.
First village: Monterosso
It should be noted that not one of the villages in Cinque Terre is undiscovered. It is packed with tourists filled with wanderlust, who idealized the version of Cinque Terre they saw on social media and in the Disney Pixar film “Luca.” But of the five, Monterosso was the most packed. The other villages are built into or on top of cliffs, but Monterosso sits on a flat spit of coastline and is therefore well-equipped for beach goers. Unfortunately for those of us on a budget, beach clubs have taken over the shores of Monterosso and it is difficult to find a spot to swim for free.
While I yearned to dip into the pristine blue waters of Monterosso, it was the first town of three in my day-trip itinerary and I had no time to waste, so I fled straight into town to resist temptation. I was grateful I did because while the boardwalk was a disappointing display of tourism, further into the village, the town of Monterosso was quite charming. Of course, it’s impossible to escape tourism anywhere in Cinque Terre, but when you look up in Monterosso, you can feel the history of the village with its vibrant buildings cobbled together and snaking up the hillside.
Quickly overwhelmed by the crowds and itching for a view, the only businesses I gave my time to in this first village were the train station to get my trekking pass and the corner store to buy an oversized water bottle for much needed hydration on my two-mile hike to Vernazza.
Being a Pacific Northwest native, the area in which I am cockiest about my physical abilities is hiking. Never have I been humbled so quickly. This trail ought to be a one-way trail (in the opposite direction of the way I walked) because the stairs from Monterosso to Vernazza are lethal. Not to mention, everyone on the trail seemed to know something I didn’t because I was the only one going up. I soon discovered why when the journey down the other side of the hill was less stairs and more pleasant, winding inclines.
Although my body ached with heat exhaustion and dehydration from excessive sweating, the views along the way were so incredibly worth it. Each time I looked behind me I was awarded with a bird’s eye view of the Monterosso beaches. Umbrellas dotted the sand colorfully, making the blue sea pop even more brilliantly. The trail climbed through wineries, cacti and the dry foliage of the Cinque Terre cliffs. As I began to climb down, Vernazza lay nestled into the cliff ahead of me and at each corner there was a picture-perfect viewpoint to gaze upon the village.
Second village: Vernazza
Of all the villages, Vernazza looked the most impressive from afar. Disappointed by the commercialism of Monterosso, Vernazza was everything I had hoped for in the realm of historic Italian villages. The main street splits the village in half, and is wedged between rows of shops selling gelato, souvenirs and 3 p.m. happy hour. The businesses end at a little bay, closed off by a cement pier that protrudes into the sea. The beach is certainly not meant for crowds, but it doesn’t stop people from pitching a towel in close company to others on the pebbles.
While I stood in awe of the village from my vantage point at the top of the hill, I wanted out of the village as soon as I was in it. Being on the trail provides solace from the crowds, which makes being immersed in them extremely jarring and overwhelming. But I figured after walking and sweating all that way, I deserved a treat so I stuck around in town long enough to find gelato. I got a cone heaped with dark, creamy chocolate and rich, nutty hazelnut and sat on the pier licking away as I watched kids dive into the ocean.
I left Vernazza in a bit of a daze, still headachy and now slightly more lethargic from the pool of sugar sitting in my stomach. Once again, the trail refused to go easy on me, but the incline was slightly less relentless than my first hike of the day and I was grateful for the stretches of flat land between the stairs. The hike from Vernazza to Corniglia is about 2.2 miles and climbs to Prevo, the highest peak on the Blue trail. At the top, I was rewarded with views of Corniglia and Manarola, but more importantly I was rewarded with alcohol.
I had embarked on my journey of the Blue trail without much research, so imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon a terrace bar serving ice cold drinks halfway through my hike. This was perhaps the most serendipitous hour of my entire two months in Europe. Although I was beet red and drenched in my own sweat, I had not a single complaint as I sat at a little two top on a rocky outcropping of the terrace, sipping Aperol and gazing in amazement at the coastline of Cinque Terre.
Third village: Corniglia
Tipsy from dehydration, I practically stumbled down to Corniglia and arrived in the evening around 6 p.m. when the day trip crowds had finally cleared. Although it was the smallest village, Corniglia ended up being one of my favorites. It is perched atop a cliff and is the only village without sea access, which I suspect is why it was least crowded. The main stretch of town has only a few restaurants and shops but in the middle, there is a courtyard with several cafes. I made myself comfortable at the cheapest one for pesto pasta and more Aperol with the company of a particularly friendly street cat.
If you ever find yourself in Cinque Terre, it is absolutely necessary to order something with pesto as they are most known for it. I myself am not the biggest pesto girl, but this meal was one of my favorites of the trip –– handmade pasta, fresh pesto and heaps of parmesan for only eight euros.
I left Corniglia as the sun was setting, perhaps foolish for a young female solo traveler with a two-hour train ride back to Genova ahead of her, but worth it once I had returned home safely. Exhausted from my big day, I slept soundly in my hostel that night and woke up early the next morning to return to Cinque Terre.
Fourth village: Manarola
Strategically, I planned to see Manarola and Riomaggiore on my second day so I could start in Manarola and avoid the hike from Corniglia. Advertised as the most difficult portion of the Blue trail, this stretch is approximately three and a half miles and climbs 1,200 stairs. I am confident I would have survived the journey, but my agenda for the day was more relaxation oriented so I decided I would rather not spend two hours questioning why I continue to torture myself with exercise.
Unfortunately, my day in Manarola started off rather angrily. After waiting in a herd of people to file out of the train station, I purchased a rather disappointing sandwich out of hungry desperation only to find much better options down the road. Unfortunately, this exact situation had happened to me many other times on the trip, and I learned to force myself into optimism — not every meal can be perfect when you’re eating out for two whole months.
After I had perused most of the businesses in town and stood at the edge of town for a while watching cliff divers plunge into the sea, it was time to begin the daunting climb to Riomaggiore. This part of the Blue trail is known as the most aerobically taxing section on the account of it being straight uphill. Luckily, it is only half a mile of torture to the top and then the second half is all downhill (good for my lungs, but not great for my knees). Because of its lesser mileage, this is the busiest portion of the Blue trail. While it got tiresome barking “scusa” every time I had to pass someone, the ego boost of being in better shape than the other tourists was rewarding.
As I made my way up, I took regular breaks to gaze back on Manarola. The town looked so peaceful jacketed in pastels and white and sitting at the bottom of terraced wineries. It is hard to believe these villages are so crowded because when you look at them from afar they appear almost desolate — like little flecks of color breaking up a massive cascading cliff line of green.
When I reached the top, I was so disgustingly sweaty that I had only one thing on my mind: a swim. I practically ran down to Riomaggiore, a hazardous feat considering the jagged stone steps slippery with dust.
Fifth village: Riomaggiore
Of the villages in Cinque Terre, Riomaggiore was the one I had heard the most about, and for good reason, because it ended up being my absolute favorite of the five. The town is set up in horseshoe layers, with the sea at its center and cliff top views from its outer streets. Off the Blue trail, you enter the village from the side and climb down through residential areas into the main stretch of businesses.
Typically, I would explore the town before swimming, but the need for refreshment was dire so I headed straight to the water and exchanged the salt on my skin from sweat to sea water. There isn’t an actual beach in Riomaggiore so the swimmers all flock to one tiny block of cement. In search of a more secluded spot, I hopped awkwardly between the rocks stretching out from the cliffs until I found a flat slab of granite overlooking the town. I was grateful for the extra effort exerted because while the Blue trail doesn’t provide great views of Riomaggiore, my swimming spot absolutely did.
I was accompanied that afternoon by a good book and a group of Italian boys who wanted to know if I thought their friend was handsome (he was). The water in the Riomaggiore bay was cool and clear and I was perfectly happy to float in it all afternoon, confident I had chosen the best village of the five for a swim. I left the beach reluctantly in search of a calamari and returned to Genova full of seafood and satisfied with my Cinque Terre experience.
