Impression No. 1 of Cinque Terre by Steff

The Chengs on one of the many hiking trails of Cinque Terre
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Cinque Terre National Park                               Sept. 16-20, 2006

The Cinque Terre National Park is located in north-west Italy in and around the five villages perched on high cliffs. The terrain is rocky and mountainous but has been terraced to provide agricultural land for olive groves and crops of grapes and lemon trees. Some of these terraces with their paths and dry stone walls are over 1000 years old.

Since 1999 the Cinque Terre area has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list

Steff and Barb on a bluff overlooking Vernazza, one of the 5 towns
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Over the years, people deserted lots of land in this area to move to the big cities, letting the terraces of crops and vegetation become ruined. Since 1999 the Cinque Terre area has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list and the importance of this landscape became known. The plan was to remake fallen dry stone walls, re-nourish vineyards and all vegetation growing on the terraces. To remake the walls, restore trails and cultivation, the park organized work camps. Young people like university students who wanted to learn more about geography, local customs and work techniques through direct life experiences with nature participated in this project. That is how most of this park was redone. Also, to raise money for the restoration there are toll booths along the walking paths where hikers have to pay. That money is used for materials to rebuild and also to pay workers.

Another hiking trail that the Chengs tackled
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There are many reasons to visit Cinque Terre. Many people come here to go hiking. There are many kilometers of paths all over the park for all levels of hikers from beginner to expert. Also, you can buy a 3 day pass, which we did, that enables you to take the train, walk the paths, and take the bus all around the scenic Cinque Terre. After your hike, you can relax in the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea, or the sunny beaches to work on your tan. Some of the villages are touristy with shops and lots of views of the ocean and mountains, and some are just quaint where locals live, but all are very interesting to hang out in. Some of the restaurants are expensive, we experienced, but the pizzerias are pretty cheap. We ate at pizzerias a lot and didn’t mind because the pizzas and foccacia bread were delicious. If you like quaint little villages and walking a lot, or beaching, then I would recommend visiting Cinque Terre.