Cinque Terre (CHEEN-kweh TEHR-reh; pop. 6000) is the outdoor enthusiast’s Spring Break region. An exorbitant number of American cliques crowd the area for beach-bumming and hiking. The tourist office claims strong hikers can cover all five villages in about 5hr., but the word on the cliff says 3½hr. will do. Both the speedy and slothful can find numerous opportunities for kayaking, cliff jumping, scuba diving, and horseback riding. Rather than rushing through, take time to wander through villages with tiny clusters of rainbow-colored houses amid hilly stretches of olive groves and vineyards. Each town has its own identity: Bustling Monterosso is the ideal destination for gelaterie, upscale Vernazza the best swim-spot, Corniglia is a perfect rocky shore getaway, tiny Manarola maintains a steady stream of backpackers, and Riomaggiore offers stunning cliff views and wild nightlife. So reserve ahead, put on your hiking boots, and step away from the modern world for a few days.
Trains: The towns lie on the Genoa-La Spezia line. Find schedules at tourist offices. Most trains stop at Monterosso and Riomaggiore , making them the most accessible of the 5 towns. From the station on ...more
The five villages string the coast between Levanto in the northwest and La Spezia in the southeast, and are connected by trains, roads (although cars are not allowed inside the towns), and inland and ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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