I’m going to jump ahead (will write about Pisa and Florence in a later entry hopefully) to a day I had been looking forward to very very much – visiting the famed Cinque Terre.
We were treated to a beautiful view of the bay as we headed to Cinque Terre. On the way our tour guide discussed the issues facing this unique area. While to a visitor it looks exotic and romantic, this is not a life that has appealed to the young of the villages. Toiling on vertical cliffs in harsh conditions to produce the wine and produce of the region has not been appealing to the majority of the young people and many of the vineyards struggle to find workers. Yet there is some good news as the trend towards locally produced and sustainable produce has started to bring new life back into ancient cottage industries.
Obviously tourism is a huge part of the local economy and this has lead to many discussion on how to protect this fragile area. The Italian government are looking at restricting the numbers of people who can visit each year in an effort to cut down the 2.5 million annual tourists. It is a difficult problem as obviously everyone wants to come here and the tourist dollar injects vital life into the economy, but it almost impossible for the locals to go about their daily lives.
We spent some time in the exquisite Manarola and then travelled to Monteroso by ferry so didn’t get to stop at the middle villages but we could see the crowds of people at each one. Lots of people swimming which was frustrating as we didn’t have any swimming gear with us! The ferry was very hot and overcrowded but we managed to get a seat in the sea breeze on the upper deck and enjoy. The spectacular views.
On arrival in Monteroso we were left to our own devices for lunch and we found a tiny restaurant where they cooked delicious seafood in a compact open kitchen. Beautiful scampi risotto still sizzling as it arrived at the table. Then we wandered round the medieval square a bit, rolled up our shorts and paddled in the ocean. It was warm, crystal clear and incredibly salty. Sadly time was up way to soon and we had to head to the train to get back to our coach.
Photos below are a hodge pudge of the day, hope they give some sense of how special this part of the world is.
This Much I Know 
Beautiful photos. Cinque Terre has been on my husband’s travel list for years– I think I see the draw, after your post. Any thoughts on the best time of year to visit (to avoid crowds but also see the area at its best)? Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you – they don’t really do it justice!
I would look at going later in September or early October when it’s a bit cooler and not so crowded. Or maybe at the beginning of the summer. I think it is always busy though.
We are looking at going back sometime and booking one of the little apartments in Manarolo. There is a lot to do – swimming, tramping, kayaking, diving, fishing etc and some excellent sounding cooking classes as well.
But it’s definitely worth spending time there even if you only have a day
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