Did you read my previous blog about hiking in Cinque Terre? I had so much to tell and so many photos to share, I decided to make two blogs out of my week in the most amazing spot in Europe, Cinque Terre Italy.
And I have seen a lot of Europe already.
… and then the adventure began …
As mentioned, after my three nights in Monterosso, I was eager to hop on the boat to Portovenere and enjoy the view of Manarola and Riomaggiore. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. The sky was blue, but the ocean was wild, leading to all boat trips being canceled. Who would have thought?
Oh well, traveling light with only my backpack and laptop, I decided to catch the train instead. Of course, the train didn’t go to Portovenere (I forgot about that part), only to La Spezia. From there I had to catch a bus to reach my final destination, Portovenere. Since I had already booked my ‘non-refundable’ accommodation, I decided to take my time. I had all day.
So, I stopped in Manarola first, then Riomaggiore, then La Spezia.
…
Cinque Terre Italy
Manarola
Arriving in Manarola by train, I immediately knew I had made the right decision to stop there. The village was incredibly cute, just as beautiful as I had read and hoped it would be. In fact, it might have been the prettiest of the five Cinque Terre villages.
I would have loved to stay longer, enjoy a coffee, and perhaps have some breakfast, but I wanted to keep moving and stay ahead of the crowds. So, after taking plenty of photos, I returned to the station and continued my train journey.
Riomaggiore was the next stop.
P.S. Manarola is the town I have taken the most photos. Besides Monterosso.
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Riomaggiore
Unfortunately Riomaggiore was probably my least favourite; it felt a bit neglected. It seemed older, smaller, and had less charm. Nevertheless, I walked around, took a photo, had lunch, and then caught the next train to La Spezia.
The train system is amazing here btw. I would highly recommend it.
…
Walking in La Spezia from the train station to the bus station, I enjoyed the feel of the big city and looked forward to returning here on Monday. However, once I arrived at Portovenere, I was happy. Portovenere (Porto Venere) was certainly my favourite spot out of all of them (I might have said it before). It felt more Italian and less touristy, than any of the other Cinque Terre Italy towns.
Well, given that the train doesn’t stop here, it wasn’t surprising.
Portovenere
And then came Portovenere, and it was absolutely beautiful. I liked it from the moment I arrived and was looking forward to spending two nights there. It had a more local vibe, and I hardly heard anyone speaking English. I could have stayed much longer if the weather had been better.
Luckily, it was a sunny afternoon when I arrived, so I settled into a lovely wine bar. From there, I watched people sunbathing on the rocks, there was no sandy beach, and boats turning back rather than venturing out of the harbour. The sea was still wild.
…
The next day I wanted to hike towards Riomaggiore, but it was raining, so I took a rest day, wrote my blog, and enjoyed some gelato. My last morning was sunny again, so I didn’t waste any time and went straight up the stairs first thing in the morning. After coffee of course. The path was wet and slippery, and steep of course, but the view of the port, the old fort, and the castle ruins was just amazing. What a morning!
Cinque Terre Italy was showing its best day yet!
…
I was looking forward to my last night in La Spezia as well, since I liked what I saw briefly before Portovenere, but it rained nonstop. So I hardly took any photos and only went outside to get some food. Shame. I might have to come back on a sunny day.
And so…
My week hiking in Cinque Terre, Italy, and exploring the surrounding area might not have gone exactly as planned, but it was an amazing experience that I thoroughly enjoyed. The hikes, the villages, and, of course, the Italian food. It was all wonderful.
Shame that I didn’t get to walk the famous Via dell’Amore, the route between Manarola and Riomaggiore and one of the easiest and flattest paths in the area. It was still closed during my visit and due to reopen later that summer, so I only just missed it.
Nevertheless, I had a fantastic time hiking between Cinque Terre villages, and I managed to visit all five of them, and more.
After all the rain in Portovenere and La Spezia, I was looking forward to going home again. Only to unpack, repack, and leave for my next adventure…
And you’ll never guess where! I am particularly excited because I’ll be visiting two new countries. Stay tuned! x
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