Sun, Sea, and Italy: Cinque Terre, Italy, the Hidden Gem

Cinque Terre, the hidden gem of Italy. Well maybe not so hidden anymore! Cinque Terre is a huge tourist destination in Italy. Easily accessible by train from Florence, it is made up of five (cinque) towns that were painted bright colors so fisherman could return home safe and sound.

I took a tour group to Cinque Terre but it easily reachable on your own as well. Take the train to the towns and get off and explore! Take a hike in between towns to see some gorgeous views. See the brightly colored houses cliffside next to sparkling blue water. One word of note, bring tennis shoes! I saw a lot of girls in flip flops really struggling on the hike. While I wouldn’t call it strenuous there was rocks and uneven terrain with uphill climbs. I loved doing the hike because it made finally reaching the next town feel like you earned it! And earned those margaritas!

Once you reach town, you end up on a gorgeous, yet crowded beach. European beaches are very crowded and much smaller than what I was used to on the Pacific Ocean. I was not expecting every little space possible to be filled with towels and tourists. That being said, I found a nice beach chair to post up in for the day and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Another odd thing about this beach is it is most famous for this margarita bar! Margaritas in Italy? I know what your thinking but they were some of the best margarita (buckets) I have had in my life with fresh strawberries to boot! They were not that strong though so after one I switched over to another bar on the beach! Needless to say I slept the whole train ride back after a day of sunshine and tropical drinks.

If I had to do it again, I would have loved to spend the night here. I think this gem deserves a little more time. It has culture, color, and the beach! I don’t know about you but I love the beach so yes even a European trip in Italy required a little time with sun and sand. It is such a picturesque place that you will not be disappointed! Make sure to make time for Cinque Terre, one of my favorite spots in all of Italy!