We took the train from La Spezia where our hotel is to Manarola. The train was clean and the…read moreeasiest way to get from La Spezia to Cinque Terre. It was raining when we were there so the ferry wasn't an option with the choppy water. Manarola is beautiful. The buildings are so colorful. The main street from the train station down to the harbor was a short walk with lots of touristy shops, restaurants, and gelato shops. Lots of little boats out in front of the shops along the path too. Walk down to the harbor to look back at Manarola to see all the colorful buildings lined up next to each other. Then take the path to the left and hike up to the top of that hill to take a look back at Manarola. It's not as colorful as Vernazza but just as beautiful.

This was the fourth coastal town on our hike of The Blue Trail coming from Monterosso. The hike…read morepart was not ideal since we weren't aware until we couldn't turn back that we were actually on a detour from the trail due to the main trail being closed for damages. This new one was exhausting, extremely long, and not great for a hot day and definitely not what we'd planned for. Due to this, I don't feel we gave Manarola justice. We walked through it quickly and found it to not have the views or the coastline of either Vernazza or Monterosso, so we hurried through to the station to finish our journey. In retrospect I wish we'd taken the train from Cornigila to Manarola so we could have had more time to enjoy walking down to the water, eating at the many great restaurants this town boasts, and exploring the town itself. I suppose it's only motivation to return in the future!

Portovenere also has the distinctive Torre Capitolare (Capital tower) that graces this City's…read moreskyline. It's located left of the entrance to Via Capellini, the main street otherwise known as il Carugio.

You can reach the Castle of Riomaggiore by climbing the steep road from the railway station or up…read morethrough the Town from the boat dock. Next door is the pretty Oratory of San Rocco and both are worth the walk for the views and yet another history lesson. Work on this fortification began in 1260 and it was then passed on the City of Genoa in 1276. The castle has a square base with the longest sides overlooking the sea. The outer wall has two circular towers with the entrance located between them. A narrow external staircase leads up to the tower where there is a large clock. Over time the castle has been renovated and until few years ago it housed the town cemetery. The castle on a hill divides the two little valleys of Rio Maggire and Rio Finale and from here you get a stunning panoramic experience.

We climbed everything we physically could during our two days at Cinque Terre. The views are…read moreamazing. All are wonderful!

Via Capellini is the the main street of Portovenere. It's also known as Carugio and cuts through a…read morewide swath of the old town. It starts from the arched gateway by the harbour and runs uphill to la Chiesa San Pietro. The buildings on both sides of the narrow Via Capellini likely have not changed since medieval times and contain the town's main shops and businesses. Gayle and I also had the pleasure of wandering some of the parallel and vertical streets off the Via Capellini. You really can't get lost doing that, but we tried!

We took the train from La Spezia where our hotel is to Vernazza. The train was clean and the…read moreeasiest way to get from La Spezia to Cinque Terre. It was raining when we were there so the ferry wasn't an option with the choppy water. Vernazza is beautiful. I think it's my favorite of Cinque Terre. From the train station down to the harbor was a short walk with lots of touristy shops, restaurants, and gelato shops. The buildings are so colorful. Walk down to the harbor to look back at Vernazza to see all the colorful buildings lined up next to each other. It's a gorgeous sight.

Coming from Monterosso on the Blue Trail, this was the first town you come to. Vernazza had the…read moremost breathtaking aerial view with the small harbor and quintessential Italian seaside community feeling to it. We descended down into Vernazza, and I immediately adored its vibe. I loved the tiny stone streets packed with stores and restaurants on either side. There are plenty of places to eat and shop and lots to explore here. We were in for a long day hiking, so we just went and sat by the water in the harbor and watched the kids play and swim. It was picturesque. If we were to return to Cinque Terre, this would definitely be one of the towns to spend more time in.

The Piazza dei Miracoli, formally known as Piazza del Duomo, is located in central Pisa. It's…read morerecognized as an important center of medieval art and probably one of the finest architectural complexes. I'd say you won't miss this plaza if you're visiting Pisa.

A trip to Italy would not be complete without a stop in Pisa for the "Square of Miracles"!…read more We visited Pisa as a stopover on our Trenitalia trip back to Rome from Cinque Terre's Manarola. We only had about 4 hours in Pisa before we had to head back to our train, so we made our way directly toward the Piazza dei Miracoli - and it was awe inspiring! Such beauty and history to explore, in the Tower, Cathedral, the Baptistery, etc. Do not stick only to the Tower (and don't do the touristy photo op of "holding the tower up") I highly recommend going into the Cathedral and taking a walk around the inside. Beautiful artwork and architecture inside there. If you aren't able to climb the Campanile (leaning tower) - physically unable to, fear of heights, not enough time, etc - I still recommend this stop in Pisa. The Tower is beautiful from the outside too, if you aren't able to go inside/up, and the other buildings of the Piazza are worth the trip by themselves! One tip: you cannot see the Leaning Tower or any other of the Piazza dei Miracoli buildings by driving by or standing outside on the street. You have to go through a small marketplace of vendors to get to the archway entry. Once inside the entryway, that is where you will see the buildings you are looking for. Have fun!

An amazing piazza right near the tourist piazza that everyone goes to. Well worth the 5 minute…read morewalk to see such an iconic location.

The Puazza dei Cavalieri or Knights' Square' is a landmark and the 2nd main square of Pisa. This…read moresquare was the political center in medieval ages. In the 16th century the square became the headquarters of the Order of the Knights of St. Stephen. Now it is the main house of the Scuola Normale di Pisa, part of the University founded by Napoleon. The main building on the square is Palazzo della Carovana, the palace of the Knights of St. Stephen; formerly the Palace of the Elders. It was modernised in Renaissance style & decorated with graffiti. In front of the palace is the large statue of Cosimo I de Medici, who also designed the Palace of the Priors in 1603. The Palazzo dell'Orologio, which is referred to in Dante's Inferno is in another corner.

Monterosso has a medieval historical center which lies on the summit of the hill of San Cristoforo…read more You find the old town through the tunnel from the Train Station. The old town is made up of mainly pedestrian cobblestone streets with narrow crooked lanes lined with shops and restaurants and the brightly colored tower houses that you find in the other towns of the Cinque Terre. The other part of Monterosso is the residential district which spreads along the beach of Fegina. During the 12th and 13th centuries there was an increase in population and families began to move down the hill to be closer to a water supply which was a stream that is no longer there. The part of the village, known as Monterosso Vecchio or Old Monterosso has remained practically intact. In Medieval times, many fortifications were built in this village to protect it from pirate attacks. The remains of these can be found today in the old part of Monterosso, with 3 of the original 13 defense towers are still standing. Torre Aurora (Dawn Tower) separates the old part of the town from the new part and is found on a headland. The remains of the castle of Monterosso is found on the hill of San Cristoforo. Today you can see the remains of the walls, three circular towers and a square tower and these are part of the cemetery of the Church of St Francis. Gayle and I enjoyed the hike up here from Town to see for ourselves.