One of the most anticipated places for us was the Cinque Terre, and it was all we expected and more.

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These ancient little villages have clung to the cliffsides since the 11th century, subsisting on fishing, vineyards, and olives for the majority of their lives. Today the area has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, making it quite crowded at times. The villages are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park, which is yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rugged hiking trails link all the towns together, attracting trekkers from all over the world. Some of the trails are closed due to landslides but others are passable. A few WWII bunkers still guard the coast, reminding visitors that even this remote and rugged area of the country was vulnerable.

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Our hotel in Monterosso al Mere was built into the cliff (literally...we even had some partial rock walls in our room!) next to the beach with a beautiful view out the window. Half our tour group stayed here, while the other half stayed in another hotel owned by the same family up on the hill overlooking the town.

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Our first night we were treated to a group dinner hosted by our hotels' owners, complete with a pesto making demonstration (a specialty of the area). Our full day in the Cinque Terre was spent exploring the little seaside villages. We took the passenger ferry to the last town, Riomaggiore, then took the train back along the base of the cliffs, bypassing Manarola and Corniglia but stopping to explore Vernazza. Some members of our group took an early morning hike along the seaside trail to Vernazza, and others found some other trails up into the vineyards.