If you’ve ever read Rick Steves’ travel books, you’ll know he is a big fan of Italy’s Cinque-Terre. Translated as “Five Lands”, the Cinque-Terre region consists of five fishing villages along the Ligurian coast in northwest Italy. Located about halfway between Genoa and Florence, it’s an easy day trip by car or train. Trains also depart from Milan, located 130 miles north of the region.

The problem may be in deciding which of the five villages to visit: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterossa al Mare. Connected by 11 kilometers of hiking trails, each of these has its own distinctive personality and vibe. Fortunately we were able to visit all five villages in a 24-hour period.

Accommodations are available in each of the towns. However, we found the rooms pricey and limited for what we wanted. Hotel rooms are few. Most accommodations are rental units through sites such as Airbnb.com or VRBO.com. I encourage you to read reviews. Since, cars aren’t allowed in the villages, I read of travelers lugging suitcases up hills, down stairs and long distances. It just didn’t work for us so we based ourselves out of Genoa about 108 kilometers away.

On the way to Genoa from our afternoon in Lucca, we were near Riomaggiore. We decided to stop and walk around. Normally, I wouldn’t advise driving to the region as parking is often difficult and expensive. However, we were in a car and it was late afternoon when tourists would be returning to cruise ships and nearby areas. We decided to chance it. DH dropped us off where traffic was limited to local vehicles. He then drove back up the mountain to search for a parking place.

We walked down the hill. Colorful four and five-story buildings dotted the street. We felt that if we kept walking downhill, we’d get to the center of town. Sure enough after a while, we reached the Mediterranean which glistened from the late afternoon sun. About this time Thing 2 announced she didn’t feel well. Uh-Oh. I looked back at the hill we’d just descended. There was no way I’d be able to get her back to the car if she collapsed or got ill.

It was time for refreshments! I felt food and caffeine would hopefully do the trick. We walked towards the Via del Amore in search of a quiet cafe. We found an outdoor wine bar – A Pie’ de Ma’ with outstanding views. We ordered bruschetta and watched as villagers tied up their boats for the evening.

Now refreshed, everyone was feeling better and we decided to see about walking the Via del Amore to the next village, Manarola. Information was hard to come by, but heavy rains back in 2011 wiped out parts of the 11 km hiking trails, also called the Cinque Terre National Park. Some websites said the trails were fixed, but others said that the easiest trail – the 1 km trail from Riomaggiore to Manarola (also known as Via del Amore) was still closed. A locked iron gate confirmed the news.

I felt that we couldn’t see more than 2 or 3 villages on our day trip from Genoa. If we were going to see Manarola, it would be this evening and by car. On the 6 km drive, vineyards surrounded us on the windy roads through the mountains.

Parking was easier and there was a small lot that was halfway empty. We paid the fee and began our walk down into the village. The first thing that struck me was a series of residential buildings where you had to cross a small bridge to enter.

The town had a much more mellow feel to it. It seemed less busy; less bustling with people. I thought it may have been due our timing as it was nearing dinnertime. Later, I found out that Manarola is the 2nd smallest of the five villages. We entered a piazza with a bell tower, passing the Church of St. Lorenzo and the Oratorio dei Disciplinati.

We walked through the main street and found a restaurant for dinner. Afterwards, we walked around the water where the Via del Amore connected with the town for iconic photos of the Cinque-Terre.

It had been a busy day. We had completed our 7-day cruise in Venice that morning, toured Lucca at lunch and two towns in the Cinque-Terre in the evening. But the day wasn’t over until our next stop – Genoa!

Click here to read about the second day in the Cinque-Terre exploring the other villages.