Our final European adventure was an opportunity to challenge our legs and see another bucket list destination. The 'five lands' of the northern Italian coast are five cliffside villages linked with a series of hiking trails (and for the tender footed, a train that tunnels from one village to the other). We spent four nights in the middle village of Corniglia, perched above the Gulf of Genoa. Our apartment had a balcony and a view of the coast and the neighboring village. From this central starting point, we were able to hike to all of the other four villages. The hikes were generally quite strenuous, filled with many serious trekkers from around the world. The terraced hillsides are covered with vineyards. We did take one easy seawall trail, carved into the side of a cliff, from Manarola to Riomaggiore Three of the villages have tiny harbors that facilitate fishers and tour boats. At each village we checked out the churches, fortresses and shopping. In our opinion, the most picturesque village is Vernazza; the most populated, Monterossa; and the smallest and least visited, Corniglia. We had great weather and a wonderful time with just the two of us. Our only glitch was when the key broke off in the apartment door and we were locked out. Fortunately, another tenant was able to let us in. As we say goodbye to an exciting five week trip, we are anxious to go home, and are extremely grateful for the resources and health to enjoy this adventure.
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