Description
5 Terre – Monterosso, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza & Riomaggiore
A whole, intense and unforgettable day dedicated to the discovery of one of the most amazing and enchanting landscapes in the World: 5 Terre! Included stop in PISA and see the famous Leaning Tower (1 hr stop).
Five villages, suspended between sea and land, hanging from sheer cliffs surrounded by hills and vineyards, which will allow us to immerse into a little piece of Heaven. Our visit will start at daybreak, with the arrival to La Spezia, where we will find a motor vessel waiting for us: we will have the possibility to admire this amazing landscape from the outside, like in a postcard.Our first stop will be Pisa (time to see the famous leaming tower). 1 hr stop
Our first stop inside the 5 Terre National Park will be Riomaggiore, an old town at the end of the promontory where the built-up area still has the typical appearance of a Ligurian Village. After a short informative walk, we will have some free time to enjoy a tasty lunch based on seafood in a typical local restaurant and to dive into irresistible crystal-clear waters. Vernazza, a seaside town surrounding a little natural port, declared UNESCO World Heritage Site can be the right town to stop for lunch. Here we will have free time to relax, enjoying a delicious coffee or ice-cream in the main square, while observing activities of fishermen and locals.Here we will have some free time to take a stroll among the narrow houses and the small alleys before leaving again to discover the others 4 villages (Corniglia, Manarola, Vernazza and Monterosso) . As soon as we land at Monterosso we will be overcome by its enchanting beaches and luxuriant vegetation that surrounds the little village.
We will leave this little piece of heaven on the boat that will accompany us first to Portovenere and then to La Spezia where, back to reality, we will catch the way to go back to Florence.
In addition to comfortable clothes, we recommend to bring with you swimwear and a hat to protect against the sun…!!!
The 5 Lands – The 5 Terre
The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It is in the Liguria region of Italy, to the west of the city of La Spezia. “The Five Lands” is composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Over the centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea. Part of its charm is the lack of visible corporate development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside. The Cinque Terre area is a very popular tourist destination.
All the towns slope down to sea-level except for Corniglia, which is perched on top of a tall cliff. Four of the towns possess an old-world charm. The northern-most town, Monterosso, is completely different. It is very beachy-resorty, with not much to see beyond the boardwalk apart from modern apartment blocks and hotels – nothing like the narrow, crooked streets of the other towns, lined with colorful old houses stacked haphazardly on top of each other.
The main attraction of the Cinque Terre is the landscape. Mediterranean herbs and trees grow spontaneously from the top of the hills down to the water level. Well embedded in this magnificent natural scenery, one can admire the intense human activity of the ancestors, when the wine terraces were built. Tourists can enjoy the scenery, walk through the towns (or between them) or hiking on the paths and enjoying the local atmosphere.
