Cinque Terre and Portofino: Paradise on Earth

Manarola and the Cinque Terre: paradise on earth

The landscape of the Cinque Terre, the magnificent coastal area of Liguria, is simply breathtaking, with its green hills lined with terraced olive groves, lemon groves and vineyards. They form a fantastic backdrop to the pastel-coloured houses of the charming villages and to the cliffs that drop into the deep blue sea. Lord Byron called this part of the coast "Paradise on Earth", and the Cinque Terre were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. The area is a protected National Park, and many people come to walk its beautiful trails.

The trails of the Cinque Terre were once the only way to travel between the five villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, which lie on an inaccessible but incredibly beautiful coastline. Today a local train and, in the warmer months, local boats link the villages.

Street food: enjoy!

If you are a fan of street food, you have come to the right place: Liguria offers a wide choice, starting with focaccia, which comes in several varieties: focaccia genovese, brushed with olive oil, water and salt, or focaccia with olives, onions, sage or rosemary. The most famous is the focaccia di Recco, filled with cheese. Another great Ligurian classic is farinata, made with chickpea flour, enjoyed in winter as an appetiser or snack, or the cartoccio di fritto misto, a tasty cone of fried fish with squid, anchovies, shrimps and red mullet.

Portofino, loved by the international jet set

A trip to the famous little town of Portofino, on the edge of the beautiful Portofino peninsula, is a must. In the Gulf of Tigullio lies the wonderful abbey of San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte, in a small bay near Portofino surrounded by a protected land and marine area. The abbey was built in the mid 900s by Greek monks and later taken over by Benedictine monks, before finally being donated to the State. On the seabed of the small bay, at a depth of 17 metres, lies the famous Christ of the Abyss, the protector of divers. Nearby Camogli is also well worth a visit.

Plan your next programme with us: discover Genoa and Cinque Terre and Incentive travels.