We had never been to Cinque Terre before our last trip to Italy. Similar to Venice, it’s become so crowded with tourists that the Italian government announced in 2016 that they would impose a limit on the number of visitors per year and many locals have moved out. Cinque Terre is difficult to get to, but millions make the journey every year to these five little towns on the west side of Italy on the Ligurian Coast (or they arrive by cruise ship, similar to Venice).
When our friend Ceri scored an appointment with a local winemaker in Riomaggiore, we were sold! We visited in the Spring, when it was raining, so the tourist situation was very minimal. Alfio of course came for the ride and enjoyed getting a little Mediterranean sea spray while watching the sea gulls.
When you visit these cities, assuming you’re driving, you’ll have to park your car in a garage and walk into the town. Once there, you can actually take a boat or train (or hike), between the towns. The main road is full of mostly not-very-good touristy restaurants and gift shops. As soon as Sarah spotted a cone of seafood, she was on the hunt to find the best one in town, which we learned was at ll Pescato Cucinato, where they will give the seafood a quick second fry when you order. It’s the perfect street food to walk around and explore. Check out the incredible side streets, which are narrow, and steep, and wind down to the coast.
We’d highly recommend making an appointment ahead of time for Possa winery. They are a winery that is focused on natural and historic wines with vineyards clinging to some of the highest elevation cliffs in Cinque Terre. See more from our wine tasting and find out how to set up your visit here.
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