Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre in Liguria – five villages cosily nestled in little coves, perched on cliffs and hillsides along a coastline so steep as to seem inaccessible except to the birds. The irresistible lure of this land attracted the first settlers about 1000 years ago. In the course of time they adapted themselves to a seemingly inhospitable landscape. They built their homes on the rocks near the sea and they worked tirelessly on the vertiginous land, creating cultivation terraces, or strips of land for wine and olive growing, held in place by dry stone walls with a combined length of some seven kilometres.

Situated along the north-western coastline of Italy facing the glittering Ligurian Sea, the villages of Riomaggiore in the south, followed by Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare make up the “five lands” of Cinque Terre, with a total of about 5000 residents.

Known throughout the world for its scenic beauty and irresistble Mediterranean charm, it is no wonder Cinque Terre is top of many a must-visit travel destination list…