We stayed in Monterosso, which is the largest of the five villages and quite possibly one of the most beautiful places in Italy. The five villages are all set on the coastline and surrounded by rocky cliffs. Monterosso al Mare has the best beach area, as the others have only small sandy areas near the village centers. The hills above the villages are surrounded by terraced stepped vinyards and groves of olive trees. These terraces, that were built over 100 years ago, are still in use today for natural irrigation.

There are hiking trails that lead along the cliffs and up into the mountains between the villages. The main national park trail takes you through the middle of the vineyards on stone stairs, many stairs! There is a small park hiking fee to use the well maitained system. The hiking trail connects all five villages and can be hiked in about 6 hours (with stops along the way). The hike is 9 kilometers from start to finish. Most folks start at Riomaggorie since the trail gains little elavation until Corniglia. From Corniglia to Monterosso, the trail makes it's way up three mountains before decsending to Monterosso. We began the 6 hour hike at Monterosso, in the morning cool air. Good hiking shoes and reasonable physical condition is a must if you hike the entire trail in one day. The path from Riomaggiore to Manarola is called the Via Dell'Amore (roughly, "Lovers Walk"). This winds along the shore, is very picturesque and varies in nature and difficulty from an easy stroll to a rough and physically challanging hike. The stretch from Manarola to Corniglia is also easy to hike, although the main trail into Corniglia finishes with a climb of 368 stairs. The trail from Corniglia to Vernazza is steep at certain places. The trail from Vernazza to Monterosso is by far the steepest. It winds through olive orchards and vineyards and is rough in places, but offers the best view of the bay and the spectacular approaches to both Monterosso and Vernazza. The villages are connected by railway and by commuter boats. After our hike, we sat back aboard a commuter boat and enjoyed the ride back to Monterosso.

Let me not forget the resturants and unbelievable seafood. We enjoyed cusine like no other in Italy, the local fresh seafood was prepared in ways that I have not seen anywhere else.