The Cinque Terre, translates to "the five Lands" and discribes five small, colourful villages, laying on the rugged cliffs along the Ligurian coast, in Italy's North-West .
The villages names are Monterosso al Mare,Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. All of them, the coastline and the surrounding hillsides are part of the Cinque Terre National Park and are listed as an UNESCO World Heritage site.
Most of the people, that have lived and still live along this coast were and still are fisherman. Over the centuries they have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the mediterranean Sea.
Until recently the villages were linked only by mule tracks and could only be accessed by train or boat. The ancient paths are still the best way to visit this five magnificent little villages.
With 850.000 tourists annually, Tourism now plays a big role in the area and is responsible for the new found wealth of the region.
If you get the chance, you should definitely vist Cinque Terre. Board a boat or catch the train and stroll through the tiny alleyways of Riomaggiore, Manarola or Vernazza. Have a drink in one of the bars and restaurants in Monterosso al Mare or sit on the cliffs of Corniglia and enjoy a traditional italian pizza while you watch the sun set over the mediterranean sea.