Mediterranean Cinque Terre: Natural Paradise Between Mountain and Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is an almost completely enclosed intercontinental sea bordered by the coasts of southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Regarded as one of the most picturesque coastlines on Earth, the Mediterranean shores of Cinque Terre are situated in the northern Italian province of La Spezia. For many visitors, this region is a precious discovery, isolated from the general and mainstream spectacles. One almost feels reluctant to disclose the location of such quiet beauty, lest it be spoiled.

Known for its unforgettably charming coastal villages, Cinque Terre houses clutches of colorful dwellings, separated by narrow winding passageways, and precariously perched upon craggy headlands above the rolling waves of the Mediterranean Sea. In 1997, UNESCO included Cinque Terre in the World Heritage List as a “cultural landscape.” While the casual sightseer may become speechless presented with the picturesque Cinque Terre, the poet with succinct expression absorbs and intensifies each magical encounter.

The town of Vernazza is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful villages in all of Italy, and perhaps the village that best identifies the character of Cinque Terre. The vibrant wash of pastel colors from the brightly painted, tightly packed houses are a mesmerizing sight.

The tiny harbor village of Manarola also has a dazzling collection of adjoined multi-colored houses, perched upon one giant mass of rock approximately 70 meters above the level of the Mediterranean Sea below. Through most of December and January, the surrounding hills are illuminated at night by around 15,000 lamps which make up a nativity scene of over 200 figures, reputedly one of the biggest lighted nativities in the world.

The Ligurian Coast’s collection of five cliff-side settlements, connected by a network of trails, demonstrates the delicate balance of sustainable tourism.