When hiking from one city to another in Cinque Terre, it is a good idea to keep one eye on the edge of the cliff. In some places (read: almost never) the 5 euros each hiker pays to walk the trail has earned them a hand rail or barrier between the trail and a long fall to a quick death. In most places however, a small misstep on the rocky, and at times, treacherous path is the only thing separating your from a short free falling experience. You had better believe this can lead to some rather careful stepping by any hiker that lives to tell the tale. It should also be mentioned, although I assume this is obvious, that this tales should not be attempted while intoxicated. I image that if you have a flask of wine at each town along the way, you may not make it to the last town….

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Hiking the Cinque Terre trail can be difficult – not because the trail is overly strenuous (although it does entail walking up and down a small mountain on rocky paths) but because it is so beautiful. The entire path offers breath taking views of the Mediterranean, vineyards, olive groves, and/or Italian cliff cities. The problem is that it can be difficult to look at the view and walk the path at the same time. I found it difficult to find a happy medium between watching where I placed my feet, the only way to avoid falling off a cliff, and enjoying the picturesque, views that were all around me. When I say happy medium, this is hiker code for “I stopped a lot to look around and take pictures”. This had the added benefit of giving me and opportunity to stop and catch my breath without looking like I was out of breath. I mean, it is a bit embarrassing to be passed on a mountain trail by an 80 year old Italian man who is breathing regularly while hiking up 500 stairs. I needed some type of excuse…right?

It took Natalie, Cup, and I about 5 hours to hike from Riomaggiore to Monterosso. If you go to Italy, this experience is well worth both your time and money (even if you are limited on both). The only downside is that many other travelers and tourist apparently feel the same way so the Cinque Terre area at times feels more like hiking with a tour group than a silent walk in the woods. Either way, it is a worthwhile endeavor.

Tags | Italy