Our hotel was one of the best in town (still only 3 star) and located right across from beach. The boys went 'swimming' (actually standing knee deep, encouraging each other one) the first day and found lots of little fish they demanded we bought a net for the next day. Not suprisingly, they didn't catch anything, but at least had a good swim.

The third day we were there turned a little cold and wet, so touring (and eating) was the call for the day.

Over the three days we were there, we must have walked for over 15 hours, so are starting to get pretty good.

The area is very hilly, nestled into a number of ravines joined by a train line running through tunnels, and a 'walk' along tracks on the sea facing rockface.

 

Cinque Terre, or 'Five lands' lies on the west cost of Italy, near the French Border. It is close to the large towns of Portofino and Santa Marharetia, but is more traditonal, and less developed. Accomodation is primarily small hotels and houses (or rooms) that are rented out on an ad-hoc basis. The lack of over development, along with difficulties in getting there (the road is very tight and narrow, the parking area at one end of towm, or train and a long walk) ensures a lack of 'noisy American' tourists, and those there are interested in getting to know the area. Only trouble is, the northern Italian is not really warm and freindly, and any good staff we came across invariably came from somewhere else!

One thing that marks the area, is that the food is fatastic - the area is responsible for foccacia and pesto, as well as their own treatment of sardines/anchovies. That along with 'fish soup', which turns out to be an earthenware crock stuffed with seafood and baked ensured we didn't go hungry.