Cinque Terre Top Five Experiences

Jen here. I had been so excited to visit Cinque Terre -- so much so that I booked it second only to Venice as we began this trip!-- and it didn't disappoint. We spent the second week of August there. 

The towns were beyond lovely, each with a similar but slightly different seaside-town-tucked-into-cliff vibe. We stayed in Monterosso al Mare, in an Airbnb with MANY steps (over 250 according to my source!) to climb to access our flat, which really cut down on the number of times we were zipping out just for a focaccia/espresso. And yet...it also meant that we had a wonderful view from our small patio.

Our Airbnb View

Our favorite experiences in Cinque Terre were....

1. Walking Between and Through the Cinque Terre towns. Chris and Otis took a longer hike, but all three of us had a great time walking around the towns. You can hike nearby trails including a popular one that links all (or most, depending on weather, tourists and other conditions) of the CT towns. 

On the trail

Hiking between Vernazza and Monterosso

Walking through an archway to check out the beach

2. Taking the Train Around the Cinque Terre towns.  There is regular train service between all of the towns, which are just a few minutes apart. Please note that you will still be walking a ton even if you opt for the train, because the CT is all about quaint but steep streets and walkways. And steps. Many, many steps.

3. Swimming. The water is clear and deep, cool enough to be refreshing and warm enough to be somewhere you wanted to spend time. We bought masks and Otis in particular was super psyched to see the fish, mussels and even jellyfish under the surface as almost everyone else swam around oblivious. Otis and Chris particularly liked swimming in Vernazza, where they climbed a ladder off of a large boulder right into the sea.

Love it

Chris and Otis heading into the Mediterranean

Rocky beach in Riomaggiore

Post swim in Vernazza

4. Italian Riveria Beach Town Vibe. There is something soul soothing about the relaxed pace of life in a seaside town. Yes, there are many tourists and yes, the beach can be crowded but the combination of a succession of lovely small towns, extremely pleasant weather, gorgeous views and abundant focaccia, gelato and sorbetto is hard to beat.

5. The Views. There is a reason this area is so beloved. It is absolutely beautiful and there are astonishing views from all angles. One thing that I wish that we had done is taken a boat ride between the towns so that we could have gotten a view of each town that taking the train and walking just doesn't afford. We will be back, CT!