Amalfi coast Italy/Cinque Terre
October 2024
The Amalfi Coast (Italian: Costiera amalfitana or Costa d'Amalfi) is a stretch of coastline in southern Italy overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Salerno. It is located south of the Sorrentine Peninsula and north of the Cilentan Coast.
Its high cliffs, enchanting coves and small bays, terraces dotted with citrus fruits, vines and olive trees, and its high-fashion shops and artisan workshops make it one of the most popular destinations in the world.
The drive along the coast is spectacular!! We ended up in Positano for lunch and had a most fantastic time. However it was definitely still overrun with tourists even in mid October.
Positano Italy is a cliffside village on southern Italy's Amalfi Coast. It's a well-known holiday destination with a pebble beachfront and steep, narrow streets lined with boutiques and cafes. Its Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta features a majolica-tiled dome and a 13th-century Byzantine icon of the Virgin Mary. The Sentiero degli Dei hiking trail links Positano to other coastal towns.
Cinque Terre is a string of centuries-old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. In each of the 5 towns, colorful houses and vineyards cling to steep terraces, harbors are filled with fishing boats and trattorias turn out seafood specialties along with the Liguria region’s famous sauce, pesto. The Sentiero Azzurro cliffside hiking trail links the villages and offers sweeping sea vistas.
Vernazza: Located to the north of the Cinque Terre, Vernazza is probably the most beautiful and picturesque fishing village of Cinque Terre, where its colourful houses hang above the sea level on rugged cliffs. We stayed at an AirB&B right in the middle of town. There is a train which travels between the 5 towns, it’s efficient and leaves every 30 minutes. You can also hike from one town to another. (we would have loved to have done more hiking however the weather would not co-operate) It’s absolutely beautiful and it wasn't nearly as touristy as Amalfi coast. We would come back here again.
Monterosso al Mare; Crystalline water, plentiful restaurants and small hotels and the area's only sandy beach make Monterosso al Mare the most resort-oriented stop of the Cinque Terre. Day beds and umbrellas are available for rent on the crowded strand, popular with both tourists and locals, especially midsummer. Our weather was misty however we still enjoyed the beauty of this town.
Riomaggiore, the southernmost village, is a favorite if you're looking for a slightly more lively atmosphere. With plenty of restaurants to choose from and local shops to explore, this is another picturesque village to wander around.
Manarola is a small town, a frazione of the comune of Riomaggiore, in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, Northern Italy. It is the second-smallest of the famous Cinque Terre towns frequented by tourists, with a population of 353. We could not spend too much time there as there was a sever weather warning and most stores were closed as a result of it.
Corniglia is located in the heart of the Cinque Terre National Park on a small cape, 100 meters above the sea. It is the smallest of the five villages and also the least accessible. You have to climb the Lardarina staircase, 382 stairs, (which we did) to reach the village or you can take the shuttle bus up from the train station. Once you are up in the village, it is relatively flat.
The village is surrounded by vineyards and stone terraces. Because of its size and relative inaccessibility, fewer tourists stay here, so there is more of a local feel. There are bars and restaurants here, but no real nightlife. Corniglia is definitely a place for hikers and nature lovers. The terrace and the bar La Terza Terra, at the end of the main street, is definitely one of the best places to enjoy the sunset in Cinque Terre. The best Gelato is at this town at ALBERTO!! If visiting don’t miss it.
On our last night in Vernazza we booked for a local wine tasting at Gianni Franzi's wine deck, which is above Trattoria Gianna Franzi. It's a bit of a climb, but you're rewarded by an incredible, unobstructed view of the Ligurian Sea from the deck. It's really spectacular. Drinking wine almost becomes secondary. He has a real passion for wine, and he does tastings in which you try three or four of his favorite wines. The cheese and meat platter was also one of the best we had in Italy. It's a memorable spot for sure. We had another “Severe weather warning” and ultimately as the wind picked up and the rain poured down on us went under cover. We still enjoyed the whole experience and would highly recommend it when in Vernazza. We met a lovely couple from “Down under” Australia and enjoyed our wine tasting and the crazy weather with them.
Next up back to Rome to Civitavecchia to catch our Viking cruise towards Sicily/Malta and Greek Isles