The Cherry Trek: Cinque Terre

Though the entire trip was something we’ll never forget, when someone asks us what our favorite place was, Cinque Terre is always at the top of the list.

It’s really a place we were able to slow down and simply “be” and enjoy all of our favorite things. We hiked four out of five days (and these hikes were no joke! You haven’t seen stairs/hills until you’ve seen these hikes!), had amazing pesto and gelato all week, and spent each day between mountains and ocean. Then you throw in the architecture, the lack of cars, the simple life and slow pace, it was breathtaking.

My favorite memory from the entire trip was during our time in Cinque Terre. After long hikes and sitting by the dock, we’d climb up one of the cliffs in Vernazza with a bottle of wine and take-away focaccia pizza. Jeremy and I would watch the sun set every evening dreaming about the chapter that just closed, the trip itself, and the chapter that was just about to begin. They were evenings of such anticipation, hope, joy and pure relaxation.

Though we stayed in Vernazza (which was obviously our favorite!), we hiked to each different town. We took the train to most towns as well, as it was so easy to hop on and hop off! We took a couple naps after hiking in Manarola, and those were some unforgettable memories as well. We simply took our shoes off, found a spot along the wharf area and fell asleep to the waves crashing against the rocks and cliffs. The sun beat down on our faces, yet the breeze came through so perfectly, that you never were too chilly or too warm. Riomaggiore had the best seafood cones by far, and we also ate some trofie (their local pasta) with pesto along the main wharf area as well. If their was a cliff near the ocean, we always found a seat for a meal, gelato or glass of wine.

The view were endless, and I could never tire of hearing the ocean as we woke each morning. If you’re more of a mountain person, this is the place for you. If you’re more of an ocean person, this place is for you. If you like great food and wine, this is the place for you. Really, this is the place for anyone and everyone.

Have you been keeping up with #TheCherryTrek? Missed a post? See all parts of our trip here:

Athens // Santorini // Rome  // Lauterbrunnen  // Paris

Pentax 645N // Canon AE-1 // Kodak Ektar & Fuji 400 // The FIND Lab

Where we stayed: AirBNB (dying to go back!)

Favorite Eats: The Lunch Box (awesome take-away sandwiches), Panifacio Focacceria (best foccacia bread!), Il Pirata delle Cinque Terre (awesome dinner and breakfast/coffee!), Il Pescato Cucinato (best seafood cone!)