Travel :: Riomaggiore, Italy

Last week I showed you photos of Manarola, the town we stayed in during our five days in the Cinque Terre.  One of the aspects I liked best about the area was the fact that it was super easy to visit each of the five famous towns in the region {by foot, train, or ferry}.  Each town was unique in it's own special way, but Riomaggiore was especially special for us.  It was just about a kilometer from Manarola so we visited the town twice, once to explore and swim and the other to hike.  Besides being absolutely gorgeous it was also quite lively, especially considering how tiny it was.

I loved just wandering around the colorful little town, stopping for gelato and foccacia, picking up a few local goodies to bring home for friends and family, and snapping away on my camera.  Most of the towns in the Cinque Terre do not have any classical beaches, so locals and travelers alike intermix on the rocks where many spend an afternoon swimming, laying in the sun, picnicking, and cliff jumping.  It was perfect weather, so we decided to join in on the fun {Ryan braved the icy water and swam, I laid on a rock and read a book}.  

We also spent a morning hiking high above the town to see the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Monterono.  It was a grueling 90 minute hike straight up the side of the slope, but we were graced with gorgeous views of grapevines, hills, the sea, and the towns.  Surrounded by fog, it felt a little eerie but totally ethereal.

The end of our first day in Riomaggiore we were treated to a postcard sunset over the sea.  We watched as the sky turned vibrant orange and red to soft pink and purple with a smattering of tiny clouds, all reflected in the crystal clear water.  It was truly the perfect end to a perfect day.    

More from our trip here: Genoa, Lucca, Manarola; Follow Dreams in HD on bloglovin' here