Most first-time travelers to Italy expect to see an ancient or quaint country like the places they read about in history books or see in movies. Often times the place they picture has been taken over by busy streets and modern living. 

Visitors of the coliseum in Rome can't help but to get lost in the sheer grandeur of its architecture and history, but this visit is often shattered by the honks of a passing car. Like the coliseum in Rome, much of Italy's most popular stops are right off of busy streets. So where can you go in Northern Italy for a taste of the old world? Where can you find those breathtaking villages that will leave an imprint on you for the rest of your life? Do these towns exist or has the sad day come when development has overtaken them?

 If you want to visit a place that development has not overtaken, you must go where development cannot. On the coast of the Mediterranean Sea there is a string of fishing and wine villages that development literally can't touch. This area, called the Cinque Terre, is a region that leaves its mark on the hearts of all who visit. Cinque Terre means the five lands but they are actually five small villages chiseled long ago into the rocky cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

The villages are too steep and too near the ocean for traffic to confidently weave through (oh, so sad.) Instead of cars, people traffic the wide streets that are lined with layers of pink, yellow, green and blue homes with clothes lines and open shutters atop stores selling fresh baked breads, meats, local wine, homemade wares, gelato and hey, even dry cleaning services. The Cinque Terre and its "no cars allowed" lifestyle is a rare find and the impression it makes lasts forever.

When I first visited Riomaggiore in 1998 it was early May which meant light breezes, warm weather and plenty of sunshine reflecting off the water. The sun was getting ready to set and white decorative lights were strung around terraces and restaurants as the town transitioned to night mode. It may sound cliche, but walking into the town was like walking into a different century, or onto a movie set. Young couples sat along the rocks overlooking the sea guessing the nationalities of people getting off the tour boat. As I walked up the stone steps into town and then along the street going towards my rented yellow flat, I passed by a large group of older Italian men sipping wine by a seaside restaurant and laughing.

Around a corner came a group of elderly nuns speaking seriously in Italian and walking briskly. Up above in the cliff-cut homes, women pulled down white linens from clotheslines and as I looked ahead I saw backpackers swigging back bottles of water and heading back onto the path. As the streets widened they were lined solid with traditional stores whose goods were sold along the street in baskets or carts: wines, vegetables, fresh breads. The only noises were that of conversation, the "ot;ot;ot;ot;ot;ot;ot;wa-waa" of the sea waves, and music from the cafe. No cars, no phones, no city screaming. Almost everyone I passed had a smile and everyone seemed happy here. I still remember my trip there as one of the happiest times of my life. They say that happiness is not a destination, but something within each of us. If that is true, then the Cinque Terre actually reaches in and puts a little bit of happiness in everyone that visits.

The Cinque Terre is part of the Italian Riviera and is located just north of the Gulf of La Spezia, in the region of Liguria as marked on the map above. A tourist flying into Milan can take a train to Genoa (birthplace of Columbus and pesto) and then transfer to a train going to Levanto. Each town in the Cinque Terre has its own train station and the Levanto train will drop you off at each one. You can also take a cab from La Spezia to your desired town for a pleasant drive along the coast with wonderful views. ( Source: CIA World FactBook )

Visitors to the Cinque Terre can shop for homemade goods and crafts, take a historical tour, enjoy scenic boat rides, relax at the beach, swim the Mediterranean Sea, cliff dive, snorkel, eat fine food, sip wine or coffee from a terrace overlooking the sea, explore the hillsides, take scenic train rides along the coast, hike the five-mile path, shop for antiques or one-of-a-kind art, engage in fun conversations with locals, and take in scenes and sunsets. Every view, every photo taken of the Cinque Terre is picture perfect. Years later, when you're looking at pictures you'll have to flip each one over to see if it is a postcard or an actual photograph!

Coastline Ligure 5 Terre

One common activity among visitors to this region is taking a hike along the path that connects the five towns. In order they are: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manrola and Riomaggiore (pictured) and while each is beautiful they each have a unique personality.

Continue to Cinque Terre II