Cinque Terre: A Hiker's Paradise

(From the hiking trail looking down at Corniglia,
one of the five towns)

I recently had the opportunity to travel to and hike the trails of Cinque Terre.  Being an avid lover of anything and everything outdoors, Cinque Terre was a wonderful change of pace from Rome.  I love Rome and everything the city has to offer, but being on the breathtaking cliffs of Cinque Terre and hiking through the area was amazing. 

The trails of Cinque Terre have varying degrees of difficulty as well as varying degrees of trail conditions. Some trails are completely flat, paved, and short while others are extremely hilly, rugged, and required substantial footwear. The trails link the five towns together, but do not panic- there is also a regional train system that runs throughout each town as well.  Each town has its own unique charm, some being more touristy and faster paced while others are still quaint and well preserved. If you are an avid lover of the outdoors or if you are traveling to Italy,  I highly recommend you spend at least a day or two in Cinque Terre.  The hillsides are magnificent, the sunsets are stupendous, and being able to swim the crystal clear blue water isn't too shabby either. 

(Sunset From Via Dell'Amore)

Article contributed by Anne Kerchberger begin_of_the_skype_highlightingend_of_the_skype_highlighting. Anne is a university student living Italy, experiencing the trials and tribulations of truly living as a Roman as well traveling Italy to explore Italian regional differences of Il Bel Paese. Stay tuned for more of Anne's blog contributions to follow!