Best place in the world....Cinque Terre

Tonight I am writing to you from one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been.  It’s a tropical area with little villages built on mountainous rocks towering over the bright blue Mediterranean ocean below…..a little place called Cinque Terre.

It was a place I wanted to visit before I started this trip, however back in October 2 of the 5 villages were hit pretty bad with a big storm and flooding causing water and 9 ft of mud to pour over their amazing little towns.   So with that in mind I didn’t think it was a place I was going to get see this time around.  After meeting a few people along the way that still went,  Chelsea and I decided we were up to trying.  We left Florence first thing this morning and bought the first train ticket to La Spezia in the direction of Cinque Terre.  It’s a little over a 2 hour train ride and from there it was only an 8 minute train to get to the village we were hoping to stay in.  We came with no reservation and only a few names of places to try.  After all it’s off season how hard can it be?!

The game of finding a place to stay for current day you are on is a lot more fun with a partner in crime.  So far it hasn’t been a feeling I’ve enjoyed on my own, but with company I have a slightly higher sense of adventure to live a little more on the edge ha-ha.

It really was no problem….3 minutes walk from the train station we hit the first hostel which the door was open but they appeared closed.  After asking a local about it he sent us a few more meters up the hill where he said there was a place.  Well BINGO….a woman was there to show me the room.   Chelsea spotted another once across the street so she went there to check it out and I followed the woman up 3 flights of stairs and walked into a room I knew we would call home.  It’s like a higher end hotel room back home….huge bed, TV, closet, two doors that open up onto balconies, bathroom with shower and towels….we were heaven.  For $50 euros a night which we could split between us we were sold!

We wasted no time sprucing up before jetting out to catch the sunset in this colorful little place.

We walked the seaside between Riomaggiore and Manorla which is about 100 ft up from the water and takes only 25 minutes on a beautiful rock pathway.  During peak season they charge you 7 euro but this time of year it was free.  It was lined with lovers catching the days last light, countless locks were hung from ever railing and overhead tree they could find to signify their love and that they were there <3  soooo cute!

We took numerous pictures and wandered around Manorola for a bit before dark and then headed home.  We were on a missing to find dinner and have a “do nothing” kind of evening.  We both could use the extra sleep time.

We ate at a quaint little restaurant we luckily found still open as most were closed and no wifi to be found in sight.

I had my first taste of real Italian spaghetti and pesto and it was divine!

Sitting here writing this while Chelsea is sleeping, I’m fresh and clean out of the shower sitting here looking at the room we are in.  Pure bliss.  I couldn’t be happier in this moment.  Funny though…you can tell we are backpackers as soon as our stuff hit the floor and the room was ours it was like our bags exploded from end to end.  After living in hostels for the last month and a half and always having to put things away so they don’t get stolen, it’s a GREAT feeling to sprawl out, organize things and just let er fly!

I now know why people have said that Cinque Terre is one of their most favorite places on earth….pretty sure it’s going to be mine too!

We have decided to stay here for 2 nights and lose a night in Rome, that way we have all day tomorrow to explore some of the other villages.

Don’t worry we are taking pictures galore!!!

Ciao Bella!