After leaving Elba, we headed due north to the Ligurian coast and the town of La Grazie near La Spezia.  From this excellent anchorage we planned to visit the Cinque Terre, or Five Lands.  These are five villages on the very steep coast, all of which are now part of a national park and a UNESCO heritage area.

 

Passing the old town of Portovenere at the entrance to the Gulf of La Spezia

 

 

We took a 30 minute bus ride from our anchorage at La Grazie to the railway station at La Spezia where

we bought a combined rail and park ticket.  It was a 9 minute train ride to the first village, Romaggiore, and

7 minutes of the ride was in a tunnel!    Outside the station is a mural dedicated to the people of the

Cinque Terre.

 

Before the railway, the villages were very isolated.  A lot of hard work went into building and maintaining

the terraces where they grew grapes and vegetables.  The terraces are now detiorating and the government

will give land to anyone who will maintain them.  Back breaking work on the very steep slopes.

 

 

Main street, Romaggiore

 

 

The little harbour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking down at the train station.  The platforms extend into the tunnels

 

 

The path to the next village about 3 km to the west so we started our walk.

 

 

Refreshment stop with the next village in sight

 

 

The cliff path is called the Via del'Amore...consequently couples have left THOUSANDS of padlocks

along the way as a memento.

 

 

Main street, Manorola, second village from the east.  The harbour is so small, they keep their boats

in the main street.

 

 

There's a crane here to lift the boats out of the harbour.  Previously they had to winch them up the road.

 

 

 

 

Sunbathers everywhere like walruses on the rocks.

 

 

We voted Manorola the prettiest of all

 

 

Looking west to the next village as we continued the walk, Corniglia, up on the ridge, with the train station down near the water.  There are 365 steps

zig zagging up to the village.  Fortunately, there is also a bus from the station.

 

 

Narrow little streets....

 

 

... and the town square where we had lunch. The local wine was excellent as was the fresh anchovies

and pasta.

 

 

 

Looking back east to Manorola....as we continued our walk.

 

 

and west to the fifth village on the coast in the far distance. From here you can't see the fourth village.

 

 

 

We took the bus back down to the train station and hopped on the train for the five minute ride to the

fourth village, Vernazza.....four minutes of the ride was in a tunnel!

 

 

 

 

At the end of a wonderful but very hot day, we took the train back to La Spezia and the bus home to our anchorage.