Manarola, Volastra, and Corniglia

During the first weekend of April, I went to explore the Cinque Terre with some friends. The Cinque Terre National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site, a well-deserved recognition for this marvellous land.

Early in the morning, a warm sun filled our hearts as we took a stroll around Manarola and then started on the path that ascends the hill, the same one where the wonderful nativity scene lights up at Christmas. I took many beautiful photos; the opportunity was too good to pass up. The landscape is typical of the Cinque Terre: stunning terraced vineyards overlooking the sea, making the view truly unique and unforgettable. Finally, I got to experience what it’s like to go hiking among the vineyards and along the hills’ trails that overlook the sea, amid the blooming yellow euphorbia.

We chatted as we hiked along the paths that wind through the terraces and reached the Corniolo hill. We stopped at the Cinque Terre Cooperative Winery. They told us about Cinque Terre wine, Sciacchetrà, and the effort it takes to maintain the terraces. It’s a fragile territory that requires care and a lot of love to preserve its beauty. We continued our journey and arrived at Groppo di Volastra. What a spectacle it was up there!

Walking and talking, we could see Manarola on one side and Corniglia on the other, both of them looking like colourful, picturesque nativity scenes clinging to the hills, with the blue sea as a backdrop. It was truly a magnificent landscape. I continued my journey toward Corniglia, and all my efforts along the way were rewarded upon reaching Corniglia, the least maritime of the Cinque Terre villages, the most perched but equally beautifully stunning. The Cinque Terre is truly fantastic; now I understand why it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site.