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Watching an Italian drink a coffee is mystifying. Blink and you will miss it. The Italians having a lovely saying that embraces a philosophy close to my own heart: ‘Il dolce far niente’ - the sweetness of doing nothing. They are famous for the idea of slowing things down. This applies to all things except for drinking coffee.
Just after dawn, I am standing at a bar near the Santa Maria Novella train station gulping down the strongest of espressos and watching the rain bucket down outside. I am about to leave Florence for the coast and plan to be hiking the Cinque Terre trail in only a couple of hours time.
The weather is not looking promising.
Raining in Florence
I begin my journey, hoping to leave the rain and clouds of Florence behind me.
The Cinque Terre: Five villages strung along the edges of rugged mountains of the Ligurian coastline, Italy’s very own Riviera.
These villages of colourfully painted houses are quintessentially Italian and at a glance the houses almost seem to be stacked on top of one another. Each village has it’s own unique aesthetic and atmosphere.
Terraced vineyards above the village of Manarola
I always love a good hike and if it’s possible to walk somewhere, I don’t hesitate at the chance.
Hiking the Cinque Terre has become one of the most popular ‘easy’ walks in Europe, with coastal pathways connecting the five gorgeous villages of Monterosso del Mar, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.
The hike between the villages of Manarola to Corniglia ends with a climb of 382 steps.
The area around Monterosso del Mar has an abundance of lemons. The lemon sorbet I tried was delicious!
While I tend to prefer something a little more challenging hiking the Cinque Terre was a beautiful experience and I was fortunate enough to have the trail between Vernazza and Monterosso del Mar to myself much of the time.
Because of the rugged location and the fact that these villages are literally carved into the sides of the coastal mountains, there are no cars and it is only possible to travel between the villages by train or boat.
Or, of course, on foot.
Cliff top village of Cornilga: a lunch of fresh Mediterranean seafood and pesto pasta (traditional to Liguria region) at a local restaurant with birdseye views of the sea and surrounding hills.
The paths connecting the 5 villages are of varying degrees of condition and stability ranging from very narrow cobbled tracks, to steep steps, to fully paved paths.
Vertiginous drops down the craggy cliffs to the Ligurian Sea below would probably cause a little unease to those who have any qualms about heights.
While dark clouds threatened to burst at any moment, the weather held strong: sunny but cool, the perfect hiking weather.
Always time for a spot of wine tasting – This region is famous for its white wines and our waitress was (not so subtly) mortified that we all wanted to try the reds!
Monterosso del Mar is only village of the five with a sandy beach.
Not quite the weather for taking a dip, but beautiful just the same.
Lover’s locks decorate the paved path of the Via dell’Amore (Lover’s Lane) to Manarola – stop for a wine and a snack at the bar along the way.
Solitude on the trail between Vernazza and Monteroso.
By the end of the day the storm clouds are rolling in.
The streets are shiny with rain and it is still sprinkling when I arrive back in Florence.
I sip my morning coffee as the local next to me literally inhales his, and tells me that it has been raining constantly in Florence since I left….
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Quiet Wanderings Cherina Hadley is the founder of the travel blog Quiet Wanderings and has been travelling the world off and on since 1998. She is a freelance travel writer and professional photographer who loves exploring new places and hopes to inspire others to travel through her writing and photography. Photography portfolio can be seen at: www.cherinahadley.com
David Jan 21 2013 - 2:07 pm
Oh, No!…..you have done it again, Cherina!! Now I am restless and forlorn. How am I going to get through the work day…….damn…will just have to read the blog ….again!!!
Quiet Wanderings Jan 23 2013 - 2:51 pm
Oh dear, I am truly sorry. You know though, David, that there is only one way to quell this restlessness! Do you have any trips planned for 2013?
jenny@atasteoftravel Jan 23 2013 - 9:00 am
The Cinque terre is such a fabulous area of Italy and this iss one of the best walks. How lucky were you that it didn’t rain. It’s so hard to know the best time to do the walk…I’ve had fabulous sunshine in February and rain in September! Your stunning photos make me want to return there again!
jenny@atasteoftravel recently posted..Tuesday Travel Bite: New York’s Top of the Rock
Quiet Wanderings Jan 23 2013 - 2:56 pm
We were very lucky really. I took all my wet weather gear and fully expected to have to use it. It was early April when I was there but like you said, the weather can go either way at any time of year! To be honest, I secretly wouldn’t have minded the rain so much…I love walking in the rain
Erik Jan 27 2013 - 9:32 pm
So glad I just found your blog! I’m hoping to do the hike between the towns of the Cinque Terre in early May. This has been near the top of my to do list for many years!
Erik recently posted..Photo Essay- Kawhia Sunset
Quiet Wanderings Jan 28 2013 - 3:31 pm
Thanks, Erik. I think May will be a great time to walk the trail. I was there in early April so the weather was a little less predictable – but we lucked out in the end. Have a fantastic trip!
budget jan Feb 28 2013 - 8:15 am
We saw it in brilliant sunshine in April, so I was intrigued by your stormy shots.
budget jan recently posted..Barcelona Photos from the Streets
Quiet Wanderings Feb 28 2013 - 4:43 pm
I must admit, I kind of love storm clouds. A good mix of both suits me
Vinnie Mar 14 2013 - 1:43 pm
These 5 villages, seem to provide a perfect setting to live there for while and unwind with beautiful beaches, picturesque surroundings, gorgeous houses and famed Italian food, what else do we need?
Vinnie recently posted..The Most Insured People in the UK
Hiking in Cinque Terre @Nomad Travellers Apr 23 2013 - 1:13 am
Even with the philoshopy “dolce far niente”, the hike it’s something not to be missed in Cinque Terre! I loved that place and I’ll be back to explore some more paths!
maria May 1 2013 - 7:47 am
I recommend to all, Cinque Terre are Amazing and unique
Thomas @ JourneyScout May 2 2013 - 8:03 pm
What beautiful photos you’ve taken here, I particularly like the one with the differenct coloured buildings, its amazing how all those colours work so well.
Thomas @ JourneyScout recently posted..Places to Visit in Scotland
Aubrey May 26 2013 - 11:30 pm
Gorgeous photos! This is on my must must list. I just got back from Venice and Lisbon and I’m starting to get that itchy travel bug all over again. Sigh.
Aubrey recently posted..Venice – The First Day – Wordless Wednesdays
Quiet Wanderings Jun 16 2013 - 8:57 pm
Thanks, Aubrey! I know the feeling