Cinque Terre is a group of five villages dramatically situated in the heart of the Italian Riviera. Until comparatively recent times, the villages were only accessible by water or trails between the villages.
We could have taken the typical tourist route on the ferry and been amazed at the sheer cliffs with the quaint little villages tucked into the mountainside. But this wouldn’t have been Dave’s way of seeing the real Italy!! So, we decided to hike from the little town of Portovenere to Riomaggiore; the first town of Cinque Terre.
We first had to climb over 300 disintegrating man-made steps up to the trail where we began our trek up the mountain. We were immediately enchanted with the view, but soon learned that it was only the first of many spectacular views; each one more magnificent than the last.
As we hiked along ledges, through groves of chestnut trees, and private villas, we remembered Dave. As the ever-present butterflies flitted across our path all along the way, we remembered Dave. And when we reached the most spectacular view of all at the Madonna di Montenero Sanctuary at the top of the mountain with the vista of the clear blue Ligurian Sea, we once again remembered Dave.
After eight hours of hiking, we found our way down the mountain through terraced vineyards to make the last ferry back to Portovenere. As we looked at the sheer cliffs with the Sanctuary high above us and realized the amazing adventure we had just experienced, I said, “Dave, we did it YOUR way!”
Cinque Terre — il posto piu bello di tutti…the most beautiful place of all.