Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Cinque Terre (CHINK-weh TAY-reh), a remote chunk of the Italian Riviera, is the
traffic-free, lowbrow, underappreciated alternative to the French Riviera. There's not a mu-
seuminsight—just sun,sea,sand(well, pebbles), wine,andpure,unadulterated Italy.Enjoy
the villages, swimming, hiking, and evening romance of one of God's great gifts to tourism.
For a home base, choose among five
(cinque)
villages, each of which fills a ravine with a
lazy hive of human activity—calloused locals, sunburned travelers, and no Vespas. While
the Cinque Terre is now discovered (and can be quite crowded midday, when tourist boats
and cruise-ship excursions drop by), I've never seen happier, more relaxed tourists.
Thechunkofcoastwasfirstdescribedinmedievaltimesas“thefivelands.”Inthefeudal
era, this land was watched over by castles. Tiny communities grew up in their protective
shadows, ready to run inside at the first hint of a Turkish Saracen pirate raid. Marauding
piratesfromNorthAfricawereapersistentproblemuntilabout1400.Manylocalswerekid-
napped and ransomed or sold into slavery, and those who remained built fires on flat-roofed
watchtowerstorelaywarnings—alerting theentirecoasttoimminentattacks.Thelastmajor
raid was in 1545.
Asthethreatofpiratesfaded,thevillagesprospered,catchingfishandcultivatinggrapes.
Churches were enlarged with a growing population. But until the advent of tourism in this
generation, the towns remained isolated. Even today, traditions survive, and each of the five
villages comes with a distinct dialect and its own proud heritage.
Sadly, a few ugly, noisy Americans give tourism a bad name here. Even hip, young res-
idents are put off by loud, drunken tourists. They say—and I agree—that the Cinque Terre
is an exceptional place. It deserves a special dignity. Party in Viareggio or Portofino, but be
mellowintheCinqueTerre.Talksoftly.Helpkeepitclean.Inspiteofthetouristcrowds,it's
still a real community, and we are its guests.
