Cinque Terre is a coastline on the Italian Riviera comprised of five villages. These villages and the surrounding hillsides are a very popular tourist attraction as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We knew that it would be extremely crowded but knew that if we were already in Florence that it should not be missed as it is only 2-3 hours away by car.
We stayed in Riomaggiore and took the train back and forth to the other 4 villages (the villages are only a few minutes apart from one another). There is a beautiful cliffside staircase leading to the ocean right next to the train station. Before heading to the next town we walked down to towards the harbour in riomaggiore and got a seafood cone for lunch (cheap and delicious!). After lunch we headed to Vernazza to look in some of the shops.
The next morning we went to Manarola for brunch at Nessun Dorma. Make sure you go early if you want a table along the cliff with the best view because they don't take reservations. Nessun Dorma's menu consists primarily of Bruschetta, Meat and Cheese Platters, and Sandwiches. I highly recommend the Bruschetta Tricolore: tomatoes, stracciatella cheese, pesto, and basil. (Tip: at Nessun Dorma they only take cash as a form of payment) After lunch we explored the remaining towns and walked along the pathways to that the iconic photos that Cinque Terre is known for.
