8 really good reasons to hike in Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is the five small villages which are beautifully located in canyons and cliff tops in northern Italy. The cities are incomparably beautiful and after a few days it becomes almost a cliche to mention how beautiful something is. Everything is just great. Everything seems well thought out, from the little flower, which is set in a window sill in a small alley, where very few look down, to the small railing where loving couples have for years hung small declarations of love for each other and for life.

Our journey starts in Levanto, which is just outside the Cinque Terre National Park. We live at the Nuovo Garden hotel, which could not be better located a stone's throw from the beach and the center of the small town and only a five minute walk to the train station, which we use to visit the Cinque Terre itself and hike a wealth of exciting walking routes.

Riomaggiore is our next stop and here we stay at Hotel Ca Dei Duxi. The hotel is rushed because it is located in the middle of Riomaggiore and when you first see it, you think this could not be the place. A small door leading into a microscopic entrance with a staircase at the end. In the entrance there is a small counter where we are welcomed and after walking up the small stairs we find our lovely rooms in the very heart of the city. Close to everything.

The hiking trails in the area are all varied and offer great views, steep climbs and descents. The substrate is fairly even, but sometimes there are small rocky stretches where you really appreciate your hiking boots / boots. There are plenty of vantage points where it is perfect to stop and take a tear of water while the beauty pours into the mind. It's something you will never forget.