Your Must Know Guide to Cinque Terre, Italy s Picturesque Northeast Coast
By: Rex Bush
Submitted: 2009-04-14 04:26:51 | Word Count: 673
The Cinque Terre (pronounced CHEEN kweh TEHR reh) is an eleven mile stretch of steep, rocky coastline on the oh so blue Tyrrhenian sea in northeast Italy.
Cinqueterre, which means five lands in Italian, is a poetic way of describing five small villages along the world s most picturesque sweep of ocean shore.
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The cinque villagi built into the rocky hillside are Manarola, Monterosso al Mare, Riomaggiore, Corniglia and Vernazza.
You can walk from one seaside hamlet to another using century old footpaths that wind through vineyards and chestnut groves.
ITALY FOR THE PHYSICALLY FIT
If you like the outdoors and are in excellent physically condition then this is the corner of Italy for you. You can hike in the green hills and swim and snorkel in the sparkling blue ocean.
A WORLD HERITAGE SITE, A NATIONAL PARK AND A MARINE PROTECTED AREA!
Because of the uniqueness of the Cinque Terre, it has been named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. (UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.)
The area has also been designated a National Park to protect the characteristic landscape. The Cinque Terre National Park is actively involved in recovering and maintaining abandoned terraces.
In 1997 the waters of the Cinque Terre were made a Marine Protected Area to safeguard the diverse range of animals and vegetation that are present, including several rare types of coral.
HIKING
To hike in Cinque Terre, you must get a hiking permit at one of the little booths along the hiking trails. I recommend getting the Cinque Terre Card, a ticket that includes train travel, hiking and the bus at Corniglia. It costs €12. for 3 days. Money collected will be used for wall, terrace, and trail repair. (And you can go home knowing you made a permanent contribution to Cinque Terre society.) You ll get a map of the walking trails with the card, which you can also purchase at any rail station in the Cinque Terre.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
The weather is pleasant and warm from Easter until the end of October. However, if you want the place to yourself or, at least, just you and the locals, then the best time to visit is before the tourist deluge hits in mid May or after it ends in mid September. As Rick Steves said, That quaint little village ain t so quaint when the tour bus pulls up. Note: Steves quote was modified slightly by this writer because ain t rhymes with quaint and ain t it just a little bit better that way?.
ADVICE FROM TWO OF CINQUE TERRE S BIGGEST FANS
Here s advice from Adrian who maintains a popular Cinque Terre website:
I recommend taking the local train to Monterosso and walking to the next two or three towns. The hike is steep and rugged at first but gets better as you get past town #3. [Whew! I m tired already] The walk from Manarola (#4) to Riomaggiore (#5) is really easy. [It s about time.] There are daily boat trips from Monterosso along the coast, stopping at some of the villages. Make sure you catch it before the last one of the day leaves. [Now that s some good travel advice!] Even if you miss it you can still take the train back. [Good to have a back up plan.]) Take the boat all the way to Portovenere and get the bus to La Spezia.
Thanks Adrian!
Dan Wood wrote: My overall description of Cinque Terre: Vertical towns. Expect a cardiovascular workout; this is not a town for people who spend all their time in a car or on the sofa. [That would be moi.] There is also a scuba diving operation in Riomaggiore.
Personally, I ll skip the scuba and head straight for the trattoria.
And thank you Dan!
TOURIST OFFICE
For more useful information about the area visit The Cinque Terre tourist office in Monterosso al Mare,
in Piazza Colombo.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
John Vittoe, Paul Sullivan, Dan Wood and Adrian Vingreyerz for their contributions that made this post possible.
Author Resource:-
Rex Bush is founder of Bush Law Firm near Salt Lake City, Utah where he handles personal injury cases in Utah and throughout the United States and Canada. For information on personal injury issues visit his website: http://www.utah-personal-injury-attorney.com
