cinque terre

The Cinque Terre is an area on the rugged Italian coastline made up of five towns. Cinque means five and terre means towns, so the literal translation is “five towns.” These towns are on cliffs that drop into the Mediterranean Sea, and they are beautiful! We had one full day and an afternoon to spend in the area, during which we visited two of the five towns, Monterosso Al Mare and Riomaggiore. 

Monterosso Al Mare is where we stayed. We got lost in narrow alleyways, we dipped our toes in the Mediterranean Sea, and we ducked into cute little stores. We found our favorite gelateria and ate this goodness while overlooking the crashing waves. Although it was raining in the morning, we made the most of the sunshine in the afternoon and enjoyed a scenic walk along the coast. 

The only other town we went to was Riomaggiore. For my 12th birthday last year, I was given my first travel journal that had a watercolor painting of a cove in Riomaggiore on its cover. I LOVED it! It was my favorite present! I knew that I wanted to go here and see my journal “in real life.” Thanks to my Dad, we were able to find the exact viewpoint and take a short train ride to see it. This moment was extra special for me, and it was so beautiful. 

Our time in Cinque Terre was perfect; we enjoyed our fair share of gelato and beautiful lookout points! I ❤️ Italy!