I'm sure by now everyone has heard of the Cinqueterre, made popular by travel guru Rick Steves. If not, they are five coastal Italian hilltowns nestled in rocky nooks along the scalloped Mediterranean coastline. These towns are gems because they are only accessible by train or footpath, there is no access for cars or tourist buses - an absolute delight! While all five towns are connected by trains that arrive every 15 minutes, my sister and I decided to take the adventurous route and trek the "L'alta via delle
Cinque Terre" the highest hiking trail. Wearing tank-tops, running shoes, and carrying our day packs, we began our trek in Monterosso (the northern most town) to the next town, Vernazza. We later found out that this leg of the hike is by far the steepest and most difficult, which we were tackling in the heat of the day, without food or water - big mistake! However the views were unparalleled. The narrow dirt trail hugs the side of the mountain which is lush and green, and has sweeping views of the ocean below. Above us w
e saw farmers laboring amongst their crops, terraced because the hills are so steep. The hike was very strenuous even for my sister and I who come from a family of avid hikers. But the experience was manifested by our final bend in the trail that overlooked the sparkling town of Vernazza. We could hear children laughing in the water, see the fisherman coming into port, daytrippers sunning on the rocks. It was a fantastic, cumulative moment, and I found that in that moment I was no longer tired, or thirsty, or out of breath - just in awe and at peace.
Cinque Terre" the highest hiking trail. Wearing tank-tops, running shoes, and carrying our day packs, we began our trek in Monterosso (the northern most town) to the next town, Vernazza. We later found out that this leg of the hike is by far the steepest and most difficult, which we were tackling in the heat of the day, without food or water - big mistake! However the views were unparalleled. The narrow dirt trail hugs the side of the mountain which is lush and green, and has sweeping views of the ocean below. Above us w
e saw farmers laboring amongst their crops, terraced because the hills are so steep. The hike was very strenuous even for my sister and I who come from a family of avid hikers. But the experience was manifested by our final bend in the trail that overlooked the sparkling town of Vernazza. We could hear children laughing in the water, see the fisherman coming into port, daytrippers sunning on the rocks. It was a fantastic, cumulative moment, and I found that in that moment I was no longer tired, or thirsty, or out of breath - just in awe and at peace.
2 comments:
I hadn't ever heard of the Cinqueterre, it sounds and looks amazing!
I wish I were there right now with Dad.
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