In case you have never thought of adding this amazing place to your trip list, you should definitely reconsider the situation. Before planning a trip to the Cinque Terre, my advice is to take into account the following aspects:

1.Choose to accommodate in La Spezia which is a beautiful and peaceful town situated very close to the National Park of the Cinque Terre, at only a few minutes by train.

La Spezia is blessed with a lot of beautiful tourist attractions and it is also a perfect place to stay in case you want to visit other lovely places situated in the same area. For example, besides the Cinque Terre you can also plan short trips to Pisa, Portofino or Porto Venere, which are very popular places among tourists. Many tourists choose to accommodate in La Spezia because of the good prices they find there.(here is my recommendation)

2.It is really easy to get to the Cinque Terre from La Spezia by train. To get to the first village, you will travel only a few minutes. My advice is to buy a one day ticket. The price of this ticket is 16 euros, but it is really worth it, if you take into account the fact that you can use it as many times as you want throughout the day. This will be a great opportunity to take your time and visit those five lovely villages. You can also walk from one village to another, but this is a waste of time and energy.

3.You should take your time and visit all the five villages because they are very beautiful. Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso have a lot to offer.

Walking down the narrow streets will give you the chance to discover lovely old buildings, fortresses, churches, small bays and beautiful beaches. The architectural style is simple, but it is at the same time blessed with an extraordinary authenticity.

4.Make sure you won’t leave the villages without admiring their most beautiful panoramas! Each village will give you the opportunity to admire spectacular views and to take amazing photos. I must confess that it was a real delight to admire all those spectacular panoramas.

In order to be easy for you to find the right places where you can admire those famous views, you could ask additional info at the info points, take a map or simply follow the crowd which will surely get you there.

5.In case you want to relax under the sun rays or go for a swim, you should choose Monterosso Beach which is situated in the village with the same name. Blessed with fine sand and clear blue water, this beach is simply charming.

Monterosso is the last village of the Cinque Terre and it shelters the most beautiful beach in the entire area. In case you have only one day to spend in the Cinque Terre, my advice is to visit the villages first and then spend a couple of hours on the lovely beach of Monterosso.

All things considered, there is only one thing left to do. Plan your trip and enjoy it to the fullest!

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As far as I’m concerned, things are really simple and clear. I will never promote or recommend something I don’t believe in. This is why I have only recommended the places, the hotels and the restaurants I really liked and the ones I would go back to with great pleasure.

On this note, I would like to talk about a welcoming place to stay in La Spezia. Even if it is not one of those exquisite hotels I usually talk about, Doa Ninine is more than a simple place to stay in La Spezia.

It is a spacious apartment which consists of two bedrooms equipped with two baths, one living room and a kitchen. Doa Ninine is not one of those luxurious options, but it is equipped with all the necessary amenities and it is decorated in a simple and tasteful way.

The apartment is situated in No.6, Proffiano Street, on the first floor of the building. The train station and the town center are situated close to the apartment, and the perfect location of Doa Ninine will allow you to visit the main tourist attractions in the town. If you travel to La Spezia by car, you should know that there is a parking space in front of the building that you can use.

The hospitable family who owns the apartment convinced me to recommend this place. The atmosphere was really warm and gave me the feeling that I was not in a rented apartment. This family was very helpful and they gave us maps, the train schedule, business cards of a few good local cafes and restaurants and a lot of tips and recommendations. They literary seemed to be very well-trained travel guides who told us all we needed to know about La Spezia and the other tourist attractions in the area.

In case you are looking for a welcoming place to stay in La Spezia and a lot of useful tips about the entire area, Doa Ninine is a perfect option.

Book here https://www.booking.com/hotel/it/doa-ninine.en-gb.html

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I just wanted to admire the amazing landscapes created by the perfect union between the sea and the high cliffs and all those famous colorful houses which embellish the entire coastline.

It was a great surprise for me to discover that the lovely territory of the Cinque Terre hides several wonderful small bays and beaches. Monterosso Beach is considered the most beautiful beach in the area and it is also my favorite one.

Situated in the village with the same name, this beach is simply charming thanks to the blend between the fine sand and the clear blue water.

Also known as Fegina Beach, this beach is the only sand-covered beach in the area of the Cinque Terre. The long stretch of sand, embellished with a few stones of various shapes and sizes, together with the picturesque mountain landscape, creates a spectacular scenery.

You should know that Monterosso Beach is pretty crowded especially in summer, because it is the most beautiful and accessible beach in the area.

So, in case you are looking for a quiet beach away from the hustle and bustle of big cities, Monterosso Beach is not a good option. The advantage is that it’s really easy to get to this beach because it is located just in front of the train station.

Monterosso Beach is equipped with deck chairs and umbrellas, which can be rented by the tourists. Whether you choose to try one of the common beach activities or simply rest under the sun rays, both options are perfect in case you want to relax in the middle of a beautiful scenery.

You don’t have to take my words for granted, but you can take a look at the following pictures in order to convince yourself of what I’m talking about.

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This National Park is considered one of the most beautiful coastlines in Italy and for good reason.

The chain of mountains seems to merge with the sea and create an amazing scenery. In the middle of this scenery there are five authentic Italian villages built on five different hills.  Situated very close to each other, these villages shelter beautiful churches, old buildings and impressive fortresses which the tourists can admire while they are going for a walk in their lovely narrow streets.

The first of them is Riomaggiore, a small old village which hides an amazing landscape, created by the blend between the colorful buildings and the turbulent sea. Walking down the narrow cobblestone streets, you will discover the Parish Church of Saint Giovanni Battista, the Oratory of Saint Maria Assunta, the Oratory of Saint Rocco and the Fortress.

No matter how you decide to spend your time there, you shouldn’t leave Riomaggiore without admiring the most beautiful panorama of the entire village which can be seen from the other side of the cliff. I was so impressed that I could have spent hours admiring this fabulous view.

With this image in my mind, I started off for the second village, which I expected to be as beautiful as the first one. It was a great surprise for me to realize that Manarola is simply breathtaking and even more beautiful than Riomaggiore.

Words are not enough to describe the perfect union between the sea and the high cliffs. The colorful houses of the village of Manarola seem to literally fall from the steep cliff which shelters them. I must confess that Manarola is my favorite village and that I could have spent entire days admiring its beauty.

In case you want to venture in the small streets of this village, you will have the opportunity to visit the Parish Church of Saint Lorenzo, the Bell Tower, the Fortress and the Bulwark.

Corniglia, which is another small and picturesque Italian village, is situated very close to Manarola. I must say that I didn’t have the chance to visit this village, but this is a strong reason to return to this place in the future. When I do, I will have the opportunity to also visit Corniglia and its Fortifications, the Oratory of Saint Caterina and the Parish Church of Saint Pietro.

Vernazza is bigger than the other villages, but it is as lovely. The most beautiful view of Vernazza can be admired from the beach. There is an artificial path made of stones where the tourists can go for a walk and admire the image of the village.

In case you want to taste the beauty of this village even more, you should know that Vernazza shelters the Parish Church of Saint Margherita di Antiochia, the Fortress, the Belforte and the Towers.

Last but not least, Monterosso al Mare is another lovely village blessed with an incredibly beautiful beach with fine sand and crystal blue water. This is the perfect place to go for a swim and relax after admiring all these beautiful villages.

The village is built in the same architectural style and a walk in its narrow streets will give you the chance to visit its main tourist attractions.

The Parish Church of Saint Giovanni Battista, the Capuchins Monastery and the Saint Francesco Church, the Fortress, the Aurora Tower, the Giant and the Montale’s Villa are the most important ones.

To conclude, the Cinque Terre is the perfect place to visit in case you want to live an unforgettable experience on the shores of Italy. This coastline is a real treasure which should be visited by all of us at least once in a lifetime.

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