We took a bus into Riomaggiore (the northern-most village) first. Here, we walked on Via Dell'Amore or "Lover's Lane." When the towns first were popularized, this was the walkway that people would walk to to meet others from surrounding villages. There was a man playing an instrumental version of Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night" with a accordion and couples' initials carved everywhere. It was so beautiful I almost died.
We then took a train from Riomaggiore to Corniglia, the next town. We followed a hilltop from the base upwards, not knowing at all where it would lead us. As we climbed higher, the view just kept getting more and more breathtaking. The entire mountaintop was lined with terrace-cropped (run from side to side in order to use mountain terrain for cultivating) grapes and olives. As we turned at the top, we could see the whole village against the Mediterranean Sea. There are no words!
We then went on a 2 and a half hour hike from Corniglia to Vernazza. The hike was very intense. We were scaling rugged boulders, roots, and making our way up and down cliffs. Any time we needed a break, we would stop and simply look to our left. From there, you could see limitless miles of the Mediterranean see and cliffs. When we came upon the town of Vernazza, I felt like I was looking out into a play set, something out of Disney. The entire village of pastel buildings and terracata colored rooftops dangles on a mountainside. It felt as if it appeared out of nowhere.
Here, we spent a few hours. My roommates Jess and Tiff rented kayaks and rowed around the sea to get a glimpse of the town from water. Me, Kelly, Dee and Gina tried some of the local cuisine (a white wine cultivated right in Cinque, and pesto gnocchi since that is where pesto originated) right on the oceanside. I could not believe this was real life.
It is hard to recap the amazement, beauty and wonder I felt in this little town. I think the pictures do it better justice! Enjoy :)
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