Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre

Happy Monday! I can't believe I am already recapping our last day in Cinque Terre which we spent in Monterosso. This was one of the more relaxing days of our trip, mostly spent at the beach. I truly felt like I had stepped into a Gray Malin photograph as we camped out under a colorful umbrella. 

For lunch we stopped into a beachside cafe and then enjoyed pizza, watermelon and cantaloupe back under our umbrella. In the late afternoon we decided it was time to do some exploring, so we left the beach, ate some gelato, and enjoyed the town. When we arrived Monterosso didn't seem very big, but when we walked around I realized it was much larger than I realized! There are even two different beaches, both of which were filled with tourists enjoying the sun. That evening we headed back to Manarola and enjoyed one last dinner at Trattoria dal Billy, which was recommended to us as one of the best restaurants in town. Cinque Terre was even dreamier than I imagined and Sophie and I are so lucky to have spent a few days among the all the colorful buildings. Next up, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast! 

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Vernazza, Cinque Terre

Yesterday I shared Sophie and I's photos from Riomaggiorie, and today you are getting a peek into our time in Vernazza! It just took a short train ride to travel between the two towns. You can also take a ferry between, but we opted for the day train pass which gives you unlimited train trips between the five towns. When we arrived in Vernazza we were greeted by large crowds shopping and exploring the town. After peeking in a few stores we got (amazing lemon) gelato and then walked towards the water. 

Vernazza has a beach so many people were swimming or eating at the seaside restaurants. We walked all around the big clock tower and then hopped back on the train to Manarola. I know that I will never forget exploring these two towns, Cinque Terre definitely lived up to my expectations! I hope you have a happy weekend, maybe spent on a travel adventure of your own. Monday we will be in Monterosso! 

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Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre

Ciao! Our second day in Cinque Terre was spent exploring a few different towns. We began in Riomaggiore and it was magical. Sophie and I got up early and took the train just a few minutes to the first town of the Cinque Terre. Our first stop was breakfast, and we were lucky to find some delicious apricot croissants at a small cafe. Afterwards we wandered through the town, heading up as we went. The cloudy weather was a welcome break from the sun and made for some really beautiful pictures. 

This region of Italy is known for their Lemons, and Sophie and I bought some lemon soap to take home as gifts. Soon we made it to the top of the town and the view was amazing. I highly recommend making the trek up in Riomaggiore, it gives you a peek into the lives of the residents and time to notice all the colorful details of the town. On our walk down to the beach we stopped at the Mamma Mia restaurant and got fish and chips to go. The lower part of the town has huge rocks where many people sit and enjoy the ocean. 

I hope you enjoy our colorful pictures from Riomaggiorie, tomorrow I will be sharing our second stop of the day, Vernazza! 

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La Spezia and Manarola, Cinque Terre

In order to travel to Cinque Terre you must travel through La Spezia. This is also where Sophie and I boarded our sailboat trip I recapped yesterday. Here are a few photos I captured walking through La Spezia on the way to the harbor: 

Like I mentioned yesterday, we stayed in Manarola during our time in Cinque Terre. We loved eating dinner overlooking the beautiful town and watching the sun set each evening. Tomorrow I will begin to share photos from the other towns we visited in Cinque Terre, but it was wonderful to have a home base in Manarola. During the day – and into the evening – people swim among the rocks and even climb to the top and jump off into the sea. One of our other favorite activities in Manarola was taking pictures in front of the beautiful flowering walls. Enjoy!

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Cinque Terre Sailboat Trip

Today I am sharing Sophie and I's boat trip in Cinque Terre! This was one of our favorite experiences of the whole trip – it still doesn't quite feel like it was real life. After leaving Pisa we once again took the train to reach Cinque Terre. This train trip required several stops, and we were VERY grateful that our hotel in Manarola was right outside the train station. The Hotel Affittacamere San Giorgio is the perfect place to stay, I can't recommend it enough. The location made our whole experience so much easier. Our first evening in Manarola was pretty relaxed after a busy travel day, but the next morning we headed back to La Spezia by train to board the sailboat! 

There were only four other people on our boat, and we had a great time getting to know them throughout the day. The boat first sailed past Portovenere and then slowly made its way past all five Cinque Terre towns. We were also able to swim off of the boat in two different locations, and eat lunch with a view of Monterosso. Thankfully we didn't see any jellyfish while we were actually in the the water, but we did see a GIANT one once we were back on the boat. Experiencing Cinque Terre from the water was an experience I know I will remember forever. If you have time while you are visiting this would be at the top of my list to repeat, especially in the July heat. Ciao until tomorrow! 

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