Atlantica - 01.05.2002, Side 27

A T L A N T I C A 25
PARADISE REGAINED
The five villages known as Cinque Terre
are definitely off the beaten track.
Perched on the cliffs on the tree-clad
hills of the Mediterranean, these sleepy
villages are a far cry from the glamour
and riches of the Italian Riviera. You
can’t even drive a car into these quaint
communities. Those who want to pay
them a visit must park their cars some-
where along the outskirts and rely on
their own two feet, or take the train.
The drive along the winding mountain
roads connecting Cinque Terre, and the
scenic walk, however, are well worth it.
These quiet fishing villages were spared
the tacky constructions found on the
Ligurian coast stretching west from the
French border to Tuscany in the east.
Unlike so many other coastal towns,
there simply wasn’t enough space to
raise gigantic hotels or fast-food restau-
rants in Cinque Terre. These villages
have seemingly been frozen in time.
The most beautiful of the five towns is
Vernazza (pictured). The view from the
Ristorante La Torre, situated right above
it, is hard to beat. A perfect way to visit
Monterozzo, Vernazza, Corniglia,
Manarola and Riomaggiore is by hitch-
ing a ride on the country train which
runs between the cities La Spezia and
Genoa. Another option is sailing there
from the neighbouring coastal towns.
The best option of all, if you have the
time and energy, is to spend the entire
day sailing between Levanto and
Monterozzo, the westernmost village.
Once there, take out your hiking boots
and walk along the astonishingly pretty
pathway connecting all five villages.
The trail is appropriately named Via
dell’Amore, or ‘Lover’s Lane’.
Cinque Terre
024-030 ATL302 Italy 22.4.2002 10:25 Page 25