Our first stop was beautiful Portofino. We had heard great things about this luxurious yacht resort town, but were pleasantly surprised at how simple it seemed. This was one of our favorite days. Sunny skies, great food, bright colors and friendly people.
I had been to the Italian riviera twice before (spoiled, I know), both times to visit the quaint towns of Cinque Terre. These five fishing villages are well worth visiting, nestled in the rocky coastline and connected by train and a beautiful hiking path. The first time I came with my best high school friends, Carmen and Erika. We rented an apartment from Mar Mar and went to the lone Bar Centrale in Riomaggiore every night with our friends we made along the way. Not many people seemed to know about this spot at the time. In fact, I give full credit to Carmen for this discovery. I loved our experience so much, I wanted to take everyone I knew back here and tell them about this hidden gem. Apparently, no one needed my help. I came back just 2 years later with my friend Mel and had a rude awakening. The trains were packed with summer tourists...we literally couldn't move. I found myself cursing Rick Steves and his big mouth and awesome travel advice. But, even with its growing popularity, Cinque Terre is still able to maintain its small town charm. I debated whether or not to visit Cinque Terre on this trip because of the devastating floods that hit the towns in the fall. Vernazza and Monterosso were heavily hit and part of the trail between the five towns is closed off. I wasn't sure what shape the area would be in, but I knew these towns were worth seeing. They have a special place in my heart and I wanted to support the villages that desperately need visitors like us for their livelihood right now. I'm so glad we went. In April, these towns were peaceful and relaxed, yet still very vibrant. You could see some of the aftermath from the floods (particularly in Vernazza), but the charm and beauty is still there.
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