Beauty Cinque Terre, Italian Riviera

If you are planning to tour Europe, you should consider the Liguria region of northern Italy, known as the Italian Riviera. This thin strip of land located in the Ligurian Sea, near Monaco and the French Riviera. While Liguria no means yet to be discovered, the crowds are much smaller than the front door.

Cinque Terre, five small villages on the east coast of Liguria that form a UNESCO World Heritage site. The most popular trail, Sentiero Azzuro, walk along the water. It's about 8 miles (13 kilometers) long and takes about five hours. Trains link the village, do not be a hero and ruin your trip.

Monterosso al Mare, population about 1500, is the largest village. Stone steps link the port to the village center and beach promenade. Monterosso al Mare is surrounded by hills adorned in vineyards and olive groves. Thursday is market day featuring local arts and crafts, food, and wine. Be sure to see the Twelfth Century Church of St Francis, which was built in the Gothic style of Liguria, which includes black and white marble.

Vernazza is the only natural harbor of the five villages. As the richest village most complicated architecture. View Castle of Doria, a control tower, and a Roman sanctuary of Our Lady of Reggio.

Corniglia, an agricultural village, is the most remote villages and do not have a sea coast. Getting there means 337 steps in 33 flights of stairs. Be sure to look at the Fourteenth Century Gothic Church of St. Peter Liguria.

Manarola is the center of the local wine and olive oil industries. What a feast of colors: pastel-colored houses, turquoise water, and the rock on which the town sits is black. Do not miss the Way Love that joins Manarola to Riomaggiore. You will see some of the world's most breathtaking scenery. This long road is cut out of the rock overlooking the sea.

Riomaggiore is the most interesting of the five villages. Fourteenth century parish church of St John the Baptist view of the village. Be sure to see the ruins of a castle Fifteenth-Sixteenth Century.

Liguria claims that pesto is the best in the world. It is made with basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Do not damage the liver Liguria right, do not make it in the blender. Cinque Terre / Cinque Terre Sciacchetra (DOC) is made from some of the local wines. This wine is much less spectacular than the vineyards carved out of stone thousands of years ago.