One is good, two is better, FIVE is Cinque Terre

Just for the music. Ignore the video.

It’s water, sand and laziness. How different can two beaches be, let alone 5? Let me put it this way. Cinque Terre, the name given for these 5 fingers pointing out to the Mediterranean Sea, are as different as the fingers on your hand. 

To visit these places, it’s advised to stay at La Spezia, which is about 30 mins away by train from Monteresso. Monteresso is the last of the ‘five lands’ from La Spezia. The train ride is surprisingly annoying.

The trains are fine. There’s nothing wrong with the seats, if you get a place to sit. It’s the view that offers you glimpses of paradise and then takes it away as you blink, leaving you disillusioned. The train ride along the coast is frustratingly beautiful. But just as you begin to open your mouth to say ‘WOW’, a tunnel closes your mouth shut. For the most part, black darkness is what you get to see with miserly sprinklings of blue water and a horizon so pretty, it makes you want to reach out.

In a descending order in terms of distance from La Spezia, the ‘5 lands’ are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.

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Monterosso is the conventional sandy beach with beds and (mostly) yellow and orange beach umbrellas adorning it. The water is clear and quite inviting. The streets just above have wonderful little restaurants and a cold beer is never far away

Stairs leading up the cliffs provide perfect vantage points. Apparently there’s a path along the cliff taking you to Vernazza. Since we were informed it takes about an hour or so, we decided to make use of our train tickets.

Vernazza isn’t a sandy beach but has a path opening out into the sea. Don’t let the lack of sand dissuade you from lying on the rocks and enjoying the sound of the sea. 

 Warning: Don’t look directly for too long at the psychedelic houses.

 If you’re searching for Gelaterias, pizza places, small shops that sell sea food;  if you’re searching for a bit of peace or want to know what it’s like to not be in a hurry, Corniglia (Cor kneelya), Manarola and Riomaggiore (Rio maajeeorey) offer you 'moments' for answers.  

They show you friends sitting on steps digging their teeth into pizzas,

Corniglia (I think)

                                                                        

 

Manarola. (I think)

shops displaying their sea food dishes, 

  

Riomaggiore (I think)

                                          

                                                         fun,

  

partners sharing ice creams, 

and if you so desire, allow you to walk in perfect silence.

My brother, Joel.

We loved every bit of it. With that, we made our way out of Italy searching for more such destinations.

Our next stop : Nice, Monaco/Monte Carlo