Picture Perfect

PL: The views in Italy never cease to amaze me, but the best view by far was the one I experienced this past weekend. A few of my friends and I took a trip to Levanto, a little town just outside Monterosso (one of the five lands in Cinque Terre). As soon as we got settled into our apartment - which was amazing- we hit the beach. The water was freezing and the undertow was strong but that didn't keep us from playing in the ocean.

Levanto Beach

The next day we woke up early to hike the trails that lead from village to village. We took a train to Corniglia and from there began our trek to Vernazza. The sun wasn’t out just yet, which provided for a nice shady hike. Along the way we passed lemon trees, cherry trees, bamboo, and a few vineyards. I was surprised to see such diverse vegetation as we hiked along the trails. Once we reached Vernazza, we found a beach that we reached by entering through a cave. There were cliffs everywhere, so naturally, we climbed them and ate our lunch up there. 

Emily & I embracing our inner mermaid

After lunch, we grabbed gelato and continued our journey to Monterosso. The first thirty minutes of the hike were uphill and the sun had just broken through the clouds. This was probably the toughest part of our adventure, but the view from the top made it all worth it. As we hiked we would reach a clearing in the brush and were rewarded with amazing views of the colorful Cinque Terre towns; each one better than the previous. Once we reached Monterosso, we laid on the beach for a solid five hours - we deserved it!

Vernazza

Cinque Terre has easily been one of my favorite places thus far. The hike proved to be treacherous and exhausting but completely worth it. I can’t wait to hike the Dolomites next weekend!

Ciao for now!