Italy: Cinque Terre – Monteroso & Vernazza

Cinque Terre means Five Lands and represents five spectacular cliff villages along the coast of the Italian Riviera – Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The entire coast is a famous national park and a UNESCO Heritage Site. The five villages are connected by a beyond spectacular hiking trail that’s goes up and down the cliff (grueling hike at times with thousands of steps up and down, boats, and trains (no cars are allowed anywhere near). The villages are unbelievable, clinging to steep cliffs and it’s almost unimaginable how people have lived here for years. This post covers the first two villages.