Cinque Reasons To Visit Cinque Terre

Nine years ago I first stepped foot in the magical Italian land stuck in time known as the Cinque Terre. Nestled on the coast with its pirate defending castles, it feels like the Disneyland of Italia - the Limoncello is at its most yellow, the mommas yell their loudest across narrow alleyways, the houses are as pastel as Easter eggs, and the smells in the air feel as if they're purposefully being pumped out of vents to lure you inside its Gelaterias and Focaccerias. If this hasn't yet caught your imagination, I offer my top five reasons to visit these five intoxicating lands by the sea.



1.) The Focaccia bread with its lovely green olives lined in neat rows is the best in Italy.
2.) Pesto - yup, still on the food kick - was invented in this region and is worth being bought by the pound.
3.) Manarola. One of the five cities I once passed over is now my and Hannes' favorite seaside gem. Just take a look at the picture at the top of the blog, taken from a lemon tree lined vineyard path, and tell me you don't want to book your flight immediately.
4.) There is no place I've found where life and travel is more easy going.
5.) Save Vernazza. After the decimating storm that passed through last October, Vernazza - one of the most charming towns in all of Italy - lost lives and a million Euros in property damage. It was sad to walk its hollowed out streets with my memories of it haunting me, but the laughter and smiles of its villagers remain as robust as ever. It's a city that wants to come to life again... And tourism dollars will help make that happen. Below, a few of the murals painted by local artists on the flooded storefronts - a sure sign hope is alive and well in Vernazza.















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Location:Volterra, Italy