Seductive and Magnificent Cinque Terre

Our day began in Portofino, another place on Jeff's bucket list [after hearing about it from our friends Dean and Cathy Vogelaar]. From the Serenade we took a tender boat in this charming fishing village known for its natural beauty, luxury yachts, high-end boutiques and seafood cuisine.

From Portofino, we began our long day that included a ferry, a train and a coach journey along the Ligurian Coast. The ferry took us to Santa Margherita, a town located in the Italian Riviera, in the region of Liguria. It's known for its picturesque harbor, colorful buildings, and luxurious hotels. Santa Margherita is in the region where Columbus was born, and a famous statue commemorating Christopher Columbus is located portside. The statue depicts Columbus standing atop a pedestal, with allegorical figures representing the four continents at its base.

From Santa Margherita, we took a scenic drive through narrow streets to the town of Sestri Levante where we boarded our train for the beginning of our journey to two of the towns in Cinque Terra: Manarola and Monterosso al Mare.

Cinque Terre, Italian for "Five Lands," encompasses five picturesque coastal villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. This enchanting stretch of the Italian Riviera is renowned for its breathtaking beauty. Each village is nestled among terraced vineyards, offering spectacular vistas of the Ligurian Sea.

Our journey began in Manarola. Here's a photo of what it looked like in 1982, and another from today.

From the train station, we descended the town's steep slopes and winding stairway towards the sea. As we made our way down, we explored the village's charming nooks and crannies, taking in the colorful houses and local atmosphere that make Manarola uniquely captivating.

During our journey to Monterosso, we traveled along the winding coastal road high above the villages. The route offered breathtaking vantage points, and at times we felt as though we were participating in thrilling Grand Prix race! From these elevated positions, I had the opportunity to capture stunning photographs of Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. The terraced hills were very reminiscent of our hike up Machu Picchu.Each image showcased the villages nestled into the rugged coastline, providing a spectacular bird's-eye view of their unique layouts and the surrounding Ligurian landscape.

Next we stopped in Monterosso, the northernmost and largest of the five villages that make up the Cinque Terre. It's known for having the best beaches in Cinque Terre, with a long stretch of sandy beach filled with changing booths and umbrellas.

Immersing ourselves in Italian cuisine is an irresistible part of visiting the country. Drawn in by a charming quote on a sign, we decided to pause at a local café.

We savored a few beers alongside lasagne alla bolognese, which I found even more delicious than my homemade version. [Jeff, ever the considerate husband, playfully disagreed, saying, "No way... there's no (Banning) beef in this one!"] This delightful meal marked the end of our Cinque Terre adventure and the beginning of our journey back to our awaiting ship - a trek involving trains, coaches, ferries, and tenders. It also concluded our visit to Italy, reaffirming its place as one of my favorite countries in the world.