In October we made a three-day stopover in the Cinque Terre, the five colourful villages on the Italian coast. The two full days were quite enough. The villages are very beautiful, but even in October they were still full of tourists.
Peace in the side lanes
As soon as you left the “main street” and turned into the side lanes, you were almost alone and could enjoy the wonderful atmosphere. The weather gave us two warm days, interrupted by a two-hour rain shower – ideal for finally planning our honeymoon in Tuscany. After the wedding these quiet days with good food simply did us good. The dolce vita with strong coffee and delicious cream croissants is hard to beat.
By train from village to village
We stayed in Monterosso al Mare and took the train to villages such as Manarola, Riomaggiore and Vernazza. Which was the most beautiful is hard to say; each has its own charm. The well-known highlights are easy to reach in a day, which left us time for the quieter corners.
A steep stairway between old walls – in the side lanes you are almost alone. A stone tower between pastel houses on the green slope. A rusty door knocker and a sign reading camere – zimmer – rooms. A break at the wall above the rooftops by the sea. Boats between tall colourful houses. Colourful houses on the steep slope above the sea. A red house and boats on the quay beneath stacked houses. A stone arch between the rocks, colourful houses behind. A gull in mosaic and colourful houses on the cliff. Manarola on its rocky cliff above the little cove. A cemetery with cypresses on the cliff above the sea. Dense colourful rooftops and balconies. Agaves on the rocky cliff right above the dark sea. A colourful lane and Vernazza on the cliff. Cacti in a clay pot. Dark clouds above the sea, a bright strip on the horizon. Sunbeams behind clouds above the steep coast – just before the shower. A prickly pear and palm fronds. A smile among the rocks. Stacked stones on wet rock and a red boat in green water. Harbour, church tower and colourful houses of Vernazza. White surf over dark rock. Houses and a salmon-coloured church on the wooded slope. Flaking pink plaster and a green door with steps. Colourful houses on the cliffs, the surf in front. A pink façade with pale green shutters against a cloudy sky. A cactus against a pink wall and a window with mint-green shutters. A peeling green wooden door in a weathered stone wall. A rope on a blue gunwale and boats stacked up. A pale hull with flaking red paint. A narrow lane in orange and pink and a view through a dark opening. A pink house with green shutters and a cactus on the balcony.A dark headland in the sunset glow – dolce vita to finish.
