The day after I got back from Venice, my roommates and I decided it would be a great idea to plan a day trip to explore Cinque Terre. Still tired and restless from our weekend trip, the ten of us rolled out of bed and made our way to the train station at 6:30 am sharp on a dark Sunday morning. We did our trip through Bus2alps; They’re very organized and my experiences on their trips have been nothing but amazing. I’ve already done 2 others with them. Composed of 5 different small towns hence referred to as “cinque,” is located on the North coast of the Italian Riviera. The locals boast on their specialties and among them is a spice called Pesto. Pesto is an organic sauce originated from the Genoa and Liguria regions of Italy; The sauce consist of garlic, basil, olive oil and pine nuts. Pesto is most commonly used in pasta and this past weekend I got the chance to try some. It wasn’t my favorite dish but I can now say I’ve had the experience.
Later that evening we ventured to the Cinque Terre national park and began our 15 mile hike up the mountain. 2 hours of climbing hilltops, narrow cliffs in the rain and on top of stairs became a major challenge; I honestly didn’t think I could go on and finish. Established in 1999, this national park remains isolated with many locals traveling by foot, boat or train. While most visitors focus on the charming villages and breathtaking views found on terra firma, Cinque Terre is a seaside park and its bays, coves, and offshore waters are part of a protected marine area.Towards the end, the magnificent views made it all worth while. Staring into the Ligurian coastline and knowing you made it to the very end is a great feeling and not to mention a major accomplishment. I really enjoyed the hike, the views and the food; This trip is one for the books.
"Cinque Terre National Park, Italy." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/parks/cinque-terre-italy/>.
Later that evening we ventured to the Cinque Terre national park and began our 15 mile hike up the mountain. 2 hours of climbing hilltops, narrow cliffs in the rain and on top of stairs became a major challenge; I honestly didn’t think I could go on and finish. Established in 1999, this national park remains isolated with many locals traveling by foot, boat or train. While most visitors focus on the charming villages and breathtaking views found on terra firma, Cinque Terre is a seaside park and its bays, coves, and offshore waters are part of a protected marine area.Towards the end, the magnificent views made it all worth while. Staring into the Ligurian coastline and knowing you made it to the very end is a great feeling and not to mention a major accomplishment. I really enjoyed the hike, the views and the food; This trip is one for the books.
"Cinque Terre National Park, Italy." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/parks/cinque-terre-italy/>.
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