cinque terra - what happened to you?

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Cinque Terra – 5 grounds


Vernazza
A beautiful place of the world but the effects of Tourism are so obvious in this region.
Our time was so short in this beautiful region so we did a guided day trip to visit Cinque Terra.
Just to give us a taste of the region I had heard so much about and that gets, from reports in 2015, 2.5 millions visitors a year!


The tour was great in that it arranged all transport with a comfortable bus trip to the coast from Florence, and a guide that helped us navigate though the various train stations and crowds.
It’s an easy place to visit and a tour is not required if you have the time, but the crowds! OMG
We were there in an off season time (May) and still the trains, streets and shops were all busy.




I really felt the effects of overcrowding! The entire place was spoilt to the point that to see 'cinque terra’ was really impossible – and the vibe of the pretty fishing village was totally lost. I really do feel sorry for the local people living here.
There are not many places I would say ‘don’t go’ but this is one of them.
And please don’t feel you would be missing something by not seeing these pretty villages because the Italian coast line has many other pretty villages perched along the coastal hill sides – and no crowds. It’s your call – but not my idea of fun.



If you really want to see Cinque Terra, try to get a boat ride from a neighbouring town and see it from the water! That's my tip!


Monterosso



On a positive note- the area did have pockets of pleasure but you will really need to plan the timing of your trip:
Had a nice meal at a restaurant in Monterosso - local speciality include seafood, and pasta with pesto. This Village  is slightly larger with pretty boulevard and at least a some local culture still visible.
Local ice cream at "il Porticciolo' in Vernazza - is a must try!

Local handicrafts include beautiful pottery in Monterosso - Fabbrica d'arte - beautiful



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