In September we Always try to go somewhere in Europe where the weather is great and the area beautiful for photographs.
This year we fly from Eindhoven Netherlands to Pisa Italy to visit Cinque Terre, Pisa and Florence .
Some note about Ryanair if you don't need to use it. don't , the tickets are cheap but after everything will cost you money, now they don't let you bring your hand luggage on the airplane and they let people pay for checking it in. So I think there are a lot better options.
I really love the months September and October the weather is still great and you don't have to wake up at 5 to watch a sunrise or stay until 11 to watch a sunset.
So we travel from the airport of Pisa to Cinque Terre with a rental car and our trip begins.
Every evening we spend in another village to watching the sun goes down, we watch the most dramatic sunsets at Waterfront and see so many colors.
From Pisa to Cinque Terre is a 1-hour drive there are also good options with the train it will take 1,5 2 hours to reach the first train station of Cinque Terre Levanto , here we stay in a beautiful hotel just outside the village up on a mountain with a beautiful view over the area.
You only can reach the other villages of Cinque Terre with train , they sale Cinque Terre cards on the train station for 16 euro and you can use the trains all day and it gives you access to the walking trails and as extra you get Wi-Fi and entrance to public toilets.
A one way ticket to another station will cost you about 4 euro so the Cinque Terre card is a good option.
The first day we took the train to Manarola, Vernazza and Riomaggiore you can easy visit 4 of the 5 towns in one day if you skip Corniglia its up to the mountain a walk with 377 steps so better visit this one if you have more time. The trains leave every 15/30 min and after 20:30 every hour.
the five towns that are called Cinque Terre together been designated as World Heritage by UNESCO since 1997 because of their 'exceptionally scenic landscape'. The charm of the towns is irresistible - that masses of tourists come here to do nothing about their appearance. The Cinque Terre are as picturesque as can be.
In particular, Instagram has been good for tourism to the Cinque Terre because the five colorful villages are incredibly photogenic. You've probably seen a picture of one of the villages pass by. Villages with colored houses that seem to be stuck to a cliff. They have been there for at least years; Manarola would already be from the twelfth century.
National Park Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre is located in the Cinque Terre National Park, a beautiful area with citrus and olive groves and a magnificent view of the Italian coast with its steep cliffs and wild rocks. There are a few places along the Italian coast where you can make such a nice walks as here. The villages are tiny;
Monterosso is the largest of the five, but it also has only 1,560 inhabitants. Monterosso is also the most popular of the villages because there is a sandy beach. In the summer, fighting a place for your towel, but in the spring and autumn, it is here to enjoy. If you can not visit all five Cinque Terre, then go to Vernazza or Manarola, because that is the most picturesque of them all.
Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore is the most southern of the Cinque Terre. This village has a small harbor and can reached with boat and train.
Monterosso al Mare
Monterosso al Mare is the most north of the Cinque Terre. The colored houses are somewhat lower here and there is a sandy pebble beach.
Corniglia
To get to Corniglia you have to climb a bit 377 steps, whether you come by train or on foot. The location of this village is phenomenal: high on a cliff and with a great view over the sea. It is certainly worth the climb to the village!
Vernazza
Vernazza is wonderful to see; the houses seem to have more color here than in the other villages. In every street in Vernazza, you imagine yourself in a romantic film. This was once the richest of the five and you can see that well in architecture with beautiful details.
Manarola
Manarola is small and - presumably - the oldest. Around Manarola there are vineyards so this is the perfect place to drink a glass of wine at ease and to enjoy the wonderful surroundings.
Tip: follow the footpath up in the mountain fromt the harbor and you will see a resaurant in the mountain its great for luch and enjoy the great view form here.
Via dell'Amore
Between the Cinque Terre is a footpath - the Cinque Terre Trail - and that is also the best way to discover all five villages. With the car t is impossible along the steep coast. If you go on foot then that is a challenging route with steep slopes and descents. It is a road of only eleven kilometers and it is possible to do that in one day. Do take the time for it, because there is a lot to see. And of course you also want to be able to stop at your leisure in all villages. That is why it is perhaps even better to stay in one of the villages, because then you can really take the time for it. Its not cheap, however, because you understand that in such a popular place the prices have already been shot up.
The piece between Riomaggiore and Manarola is also called Via dell'Amore, a walk of fifteen minutes that you naturally have to do with your loved one. When you have traveled this road together you will forever stay together ... Back you can take the train, because there is also a railway between the villages. But also for those who are not such a walker, the train is a very good way to see the Cinque Terre and you are able to visit 4 of the 5 villages in one day
Cinque Terre by boat
The centuries-old seaside village settlements of Cinque Terre offer the tourists an ample number of seaside stretches and beaches. But an expedition to this site is incomplete without a Boat Tour headed by a local guide. There are a number of private agencies which offer waterway tour of the magnificent locations. What more? The captain entertains his passengers with the interesting history of the key sites and also takes them to the best spots for snorkeling and swimming. The sunset view of all the five towns from a different perspective from the sea makes it a memorable experience. You can also take the ferry to visit the harbors they stop everywhere its a little bit more expensive then the train.
During the summer months, it is not advisable to visit Cinque Terre the paths are very crowded.
Because the villages are very small it can be very full with people my tip is to visit this place in the Spring or Autumn and if you have time you can visit Pisa and/or the city of Florence also during a day trip.
Pisa is a 1,5-hour drive or 2 hours with train from Cinque Terre if you go early in the morning it's not that busy with tourist, if you come after 10 it will be crowded but still a beautiful place to visit one time in your life. We walked around the Pisa tower and drink some coffee in the Streets and travel farther to Florence to visit the beautiful Basilica of Florence
Florence we visited an afternoon but its better for a full day or a weekend trip, the city is great and it's like you walking in a museum. Hopefully, I will visit again when I have more time to discover the beautiful Toscane area.
Tuscany is known for its fabulous landscapes, amazing artwork and architecture, and its incredible charm. Yet there is only one place in Tuscany where all three of these elements combine effortlessly together and give life to a magical, romantic and absolutely one of a kind city: Florence.
Famous for the immense political and economic power it wielded during the rule of the Medici Dynasty, Florence offered the world a stage for great artistic masters such as Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Leonardo da Vinci, and Galileo. However, Florence has its roots long before, when it rose and fell several times in the hands of the Romans, the Lombardic tribe and others. Each successive age brought new architecture, art, and creativity which are still evident in the streets, the many museums, churches, monuments and even the everyday life of this marvelous city.
We had a great trip and we really enjoy the views at the colorful towns, the sunsets, the hiking, the food, so if you want an escape in Spring or Autumn I really recommend
Hiking in the Cinque Terre is one of the best things to do in Italy. Its hiking trails are among the most beautiful in Europe and if you are an outdoor lover or just someone who wants some exercise in between decadent Italian meals, it is one of the most rewarding ways to enjoy Italy’s spectacular coastline.