CINQUE TERRE, AN INTRODUCTION And what better introduction than with a photo?  In this view looking northwest Riomagiorre is in the foreground with one light colored building at Manarola visible right about the center of the photo.  Across the small bay a number of buildings in Corniglia are visible on the hill.  Vernazza is beyond that but hidden and Monterossa is at the far end of the big bay where the light color is showing at the waterline. THE WORDS "CINQUE TERRE" MEAN "FIVE LANDS" REFERING TO THE FIVE VILLAGES HUGGING THE SEA SOUTH-EAST OF GENOA (GENOVA TO ITALIANS).  BUILT INTO THE MOUNTAINSIDE ON CLIFFS THAT DROP DOWN INTO THE SEA, THE CINQUE TERRE FORM A NATURAL PARK.  THE VIEW OF THE ROCKY COAST AND THE VINEYARD-LINED HILLS IS BREATHTAKING. EXPERTS ARE UNSURE JUST HOW LONG HUMANS HAVE OCCUPIED THIS AREA BUT CERTAINLY IT PRECEDES THE TIME OF CHRIST.  THE AREA HAS HAD THE TRADITIONAL USES, AGRICULTURAL WITH LOTS OF GRAPES FOR WINE AND A GOOD SUPPLY OF OLIVES, PLUS FISHING OF THE ADJACENT BAY OF POETS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.  OVER THE CENTURIES LIFE WENT ON, THE PEOPLE MINDING THEIR OWN BUSINESS OF GETTING ALONG. WHETHER THEY APPRECIATED IT OR NOT, THEY WERE LIVING IN A PLACE OF INCREDIBLE BEAUTY.  WE NOW KNOW IT AS THE ITALIAN RIVIERA. BY THE LATE 1970'S WORD OF THIS IDYLLIC SPOT HAS BEGUN TO LEAK OUT, A TRICKLE OF TOURISTS BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE THE LAZY LIFE HERE.  THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT SEES GOOD THINGS AHEAD AND ARRANGES IMPROVEMENTS DESIGNED TO ALLOW MORE AND MORE TOURISTS TO VISIT AND ENJOY THE AREA.  TRAVEL BOOK GURU RICK STEVES IS GENERALLY  GIVEN THE CREDIT (OR BLAME, DEPENDING ON YOUR VIEWPOINT) FOR PUTTING OUT THE WORD TO AMERICANS WHO, WITH GERMANS, NOW FAR OUTNUMBER THE LOCALS DURING THE BUSY TIMES OF THE YEAR. WITH SUCH POPULARITY COMES THE PROBLEM OF OVERUSE.  RECENTLY THE AREA HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A NATIONAL MARINE PARK, A PROTECTORATE AREA, WITH MINOR FEES CHARGED TO HIKE THE POPULAR TRAILS; THERE ARE CHECKSTATIONS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE.  BEFORE YOU START THINKING THEY ARE GOUGING THE TOURISTS, LET ME ADD THAT THE PARK PASS INCLUDES UNLIMITED USE OF THE TRAINS WHICH PASS THROUGH EACH OF THE TOWNS.  ACTUALLY TRAIN TRAVEL IS FREE (WITH THE PASS) FROM THE BIG CITY OF LA SPEZIA TO THE EAST ALL THE WAY UP TO LEVANTO ON THE NORTHWEST. DON'T EXPECT TO FIND ANY HOLIDAY INNS HERE, THEY DON'T EXIST.  RESIGN YOURSELF TO A COMFORTABLE BED IN AN OLDER BUT PLEASANT PLACE WHERE, WHEN YOU FIRST WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, YOU SMELL THE AROMA OF THOSE MOUTH-WATERING CROISSANTS WHICH ARE AWAITING YOU DOWNSTAIRS IN THE DINING ROOM.  DO YOU LIKE SEAFOOD?  YOU CAN BET THEY HAVE IT, FRESH FROM THE SEA.  AND BE SURE TO TRY SOME OF THE LOCALLY PRODUCED WINES, MOSTLY WHITES, WHICH ARE DELICIOUS. ARE YOU READY FOR MORE PHOTOS, SOME PROOF OF HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS SPOT IS?  CARRELL AND I COVERED THE AREA IN RATHER RANDOM ORDER BUT I WILL PRESENT THE PICTURES FROM MONTEROSSO AL MARE AT THE NORTH END TO RIOMAGIORRE AT THE SOUTH. MONTEROSSO AL MARE ALSO KNOWN SIMPLY AS MONTEROSSO THIS ANCIENT SEA VILLAGE IS SITUATED AT THE EASTERN END OF THE LIGURIAN RIVIERA, BETWEEN THE TIP OF PUNTA MESCO AND THE ISLAND OF TINETTO.  IT IS THE BEST EQUIPPED VILLAGE FOR TOURISTS IN THE CINQUE TERRE.   SOME OF IT'S STREETS ARE OPEN TO CARS; IN THE OTHER VILLAGES THEY ARE PROHIBITED OUT OF NECESSITY OWING TO THE VERY NARROW STREETS. THE CENTER OF THE VILLAGE IS VERY OLD AND VERY INTERESTING.  AT THE TOP OF THE VILLAGE IS THE CONVENTO DI CAPPUCCINI AND THE CASTLE FROM WHERE TOURISTS CAN TAKE IN THE ENTIRE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE.  THE NEWER PARTS OF THE VILLAGE CREATE A LONG PROMENADE NEXT TO THE SEA EXTENDING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS FROM THE OLD TOWN.   THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BEACH AREAS (LARGELY LACKING IN THE OTHER TOWNS), SOME ARE PRIVATE (PAY TO ACCESS) BUT THERE IS AT LEAST ONE PUBLIC BEACH AT THE NORTH END OF TOWN. A distant view from the trail ..... ..... and a closer view of the south part of town VERNAZZA VERNAZZA'S NATURAL AMPHITHEATRE-SHAPED HARBOR IS DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE PRETTIEST ON THE ITALIAN RIVIERA AND I CANNOT DISAGREE WITH THAT.  VERNAZZA WAS A ROMAN INSTALLATION AND HAD GREAT STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE DURING THE TIME THE MARITIME REPUBLICS OF GENOA.  IT WAS ALSO KNOWN FOR THE SKILL OF IT'S CARPENTERS. ADJOINING THE HARBOR IS A PIAZZA WITH A NUMBER OF RESTAURANTS, SHOPS AND THE CHURCH OF SANTA MARGHERITA DI ANTIOCHIA.  ON THE HILL OVERLOOKING THE HARBOR IS CASTELLO DORIA, THE DEFENSIVE TOWER FROM THOSE DAYS PAST.  WALK A SHORT DISTANCE UPHILL FROM THE HARBOR AND YOU ARE INTO THE TOWN ITSELF, OLD BEYOND ANYTHING IN THE U.S.A., BUT CONTAINING MOST EVERYTHING THE LOCALS AND VISITORS MIGHT NEED. Castello Doria Coastline view A local watches the passing scene Making friends with another local Vernazza from the water CORNIGLIA WILL BE NEXT