Cinque Terre and the Riviera de Levante

Walking guide to Cinque Terre and Riviera di Levante - the steeply terraced vineyards, ancient mule trails and colourful villages. This was the birthplace of modern tourism in the early 1800s, but over the last 30 years it has become a much-loved hiking destination. The colourful houses of the five villages, nestled against steep terraced slopes above the blue sea and still connected by old cobbled mule trails, take the visitor back to the days when the Italian coast was still unspoilt by modern civilisation. That's why this small area has been designated as an Italian national park and a UNESCO world heritage site. Further inland, the sparsely inhabited Apennines present a totally different landscape - a remote area of high pastures, mixed forests and barren ridges. This area has plenty of hiking trails too, but it does not satisfy the expectations of visitors seeking the charm of the Mediterranean.