Is the Cinque Terre worth visiting?

It can be awfully crowded at peak times during normal times, but it is absolutely a place worth visiting, particularly in shoulder season. Here’s how to make that visit to the Cinque Terre a breeze.

How do you enjoy Cinque Terre?

There are three ways to visit Cinque Terre: by boat, by train, or a combination of boat and/or train and hiking. The train is the fastest way to get around with lots of trains connecting the five villages at regular intervals throughout the day. The boat takes much longer, but gives you a different perspective.

Why is Cinque Terre important?

The Cinque Terre is the birthplace of pesto Aside from pesto, seafood reigns on the menus of the Cinque Terre. These five towns were originally fishing villages, and that tradition remains strong in the area’s cuisine.

Why is it called Cinque Terre?

It consists of five villages located in a harsh environment, on the steep slopes of stone cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The area gets its name from the number of villages it contains. Indeed, Cinque Terre translates to Five Lands, and as a whole the area dates back to the 11th century.

Why is Cinque Terre a world heritage site?

In 1997 UNESCO included the Cinque Terre in the World Heritage List as a “cultural landscape”. The eastern Italian Riviera of the Cinque Terre is a cultural landscape of extraordinary value, and it represents the harmonious interaction between man and nature established to realize a place of outstanding quality.

Do people live in Cinque Terre Italy?

The resident population of the five towns (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore) is just 4,000 — but it’s estimated that some 2.5 million travelers visit annually. And it’s not just foreign tourists who flock here: Italians love Cinque Terre too.

When did Cinque Terre become popular?

In the 12th century, the region became part of the Republic of Genoa. Back then, it took two days to sail from the villages to Genoa. By this time, the coast was famous for its excellent wine. In the 15th century, locals started to use the name “Cinque Terre”.