When we climbed off the train in Riomaggiore, the destination of my 30th Birthday Surprise, Dennis announced that we’d arrived. To which I replied, “Where are we?” I didn’t know what Cinque Terre was, but tell me it’s the Italian Riviera and I’ll stick around to find out.
We spent two days hiking the ridge that skirts the coast between the five villages. It was hot, steep, and sweaty.
And it was breathtaking.
Word has gotten out about this beautiful little corner of the earth, so we certainly weren’t charting new territory. But my thighs thought we were. Thanks to my conniving husband, I hated every last lunge and blasted squat I did leading up to the trip, but I was grateful for every last lunge and blasted squat I did once we were on the mountain.
(Reading this in an email? Click the link to see the embedded video.)
It definitely made it worth it that each leg of the hike rewarded us with another amazing old Italian village.
It does seem that Melissa beat us to it.
But that’s okay because I bet Melissa didn’t have this delicious lunch of salami, focaccia bread, hunk of unidentified cheese, and olives. (I know it looks like it’s all gnawed on, but I swear it’s not. My food styling skills could use some improvement.)
Or get this exact same picture of the bell tower in Vernazza.
Or see this bike.
She may have rented a chair and umbrella on the beach at Monterosso. I’m not sure… we don’t believe in renting beach plots, so we didn’t stop to look for Melissa. I bet she was there.
But anyway, it’s not a race. So you may have made it there first, Melissa, but I had the world’s best company.
(And yes, people, I am wearing a top. A tube top. Get your mind out of the gutter.)
Breaktaking! Cinque Terre has been on my bucket list for about a decade now.
Alissa-You’ve done so well with your bucket list, you need to carve out some time to check some things off your European list!
My jealousy is outweighed by living vicariously through you guys! Wow, what an adventure you are having! Congrats!!!
Mary-I’m sorry to say I did not make you proud at the beach…that water was too cold! You would have loved it.:)
Well I have to say your food styling was just perfect. It made me want to sit right down and enjoy that amazing view while picniking with two cool hipsters like yourselves. Miss you. K
K-I thought of you the whole trip! The land of limoncello! I wanted to bring you along so you could could lead the way in culinary adventures.:)
Am I ever envious. I always wanted to see that area but now to old and unhealthy. I’ll do my best to read about all your doings.
Well, Paw-Paw, I might have to put more pictures up just for you!!
We were planning to go to Cinque Terre on our European roadtrip last year, but we only made it as far as the French Riviera (started in Barcelona). Obviously, we will have to go back, because this looks amazing! Hope you carved your names into some cactus.
Haha..We should’ve. Give some other snarky blogger a chance at us. European roadtrip… that’s adventurous! I won’t get behind the wheel on this side of the pond.