(D) The stupendous Cinque Terre, the Five Lands,..... aahhh what to say???!!! First off, SO many people were full of dire warnings in regards to coming here at this time of year - it'll be cold, and windy and horrible they said, to which we replied maybe, maybe not and if it is so be it but at least there won't be too many crowds. Regardless of any concerns, and maybe we were just incredibly lucky with the weather as indeed we have been our entire trip so far, it was just glorious with the sun shining and the water shimmering. We honestly couldn't have ordered a more perfectly beautiful day. There were actually a few more people out and about than we would have liked but that's because somehow we accidentally organised our one full day here to fall on a Public Holiday here - the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, but no matter.

We bought a Cinque Terre Card each which gives unlimited train trips until midnight on the day of validation, so we validated them straight away and started off by travelling to the furthermost town - Riomaggiore. When we got there, only 20 mins on the train, we wandered around admiring the view and walking and walking and walking.... oh my goodness this was just the beginning.....the steps we climbed up and down today were countless!!!! To be perfectly honest I'm hard pressed to remember one town from the other and what we did and where we went in each one so suffice to say we spent the day making our way back from Riomaggiore, getting off the train at each stop, walking more stairs, admiring more stunning and amazing views and then back on the train to the next stop etc etc until we finished exploring all five towns on arrival back here at Monterosso by walking over to the old town which we hadn't yet been to. By the end of the day when one of us would point out a set of stairs possibly leading to a fabulous view the other would oh so generously offer to "wait right here for you, I'll just look at your photos when you get back" - lol!

We left "home" at 8.30am and got back at 5.00pm so it was a full on day but not at all stressful or exhausting..... well except for the poor legs, hips and knees! A fabulous way to spend the day though.

(L) We had no problem buying the card for train travel between the Cinque Terre towns, this also includes the bus in Cornelia as the town is not right down at sea level as is the railway station and cost us €13 each. The lady in the ticket office gave us timetables and a map and explained to us that we must write our First and Last names on the back of the tickets and get them validated in a machine before our first trip. I know from reading Tripadvisor that people have been caught out with not having their name on the ticket or not validating them and received big fines..... we were never asked on the train for our tickets but I'm sure there would be inspectors doing random checks, especially in the busy summer period. 

One thing we thought was rather disconcerting was the security signs all over the train station warning against pickpockets. They also have an announcement telling careless travellers to "watch your bags as there are pickpockets on the platform"!! In summer it would be horrible being squished up with everyone and then worrying about pickpockets. I think they should make an announcement to the pickpockets "attention pickpockets... we're watching you... there are polizia on the platform"!!!! Do you think that would stop them? 

A couple of times we'd be waiting on the platform and someone would come and stand right in front of or beside us... I mean, in my bubble type close, when there was an entire platform they could have gone to! I just don't get that - it kind of freaked me out cos why would someone just come and cosy on up to me when there's a perfectly empty few feet of standing room further away? That's probably not an Italian thing but more a big city thing perhaps? I live in a very small town so don't have to deal with the population enmasse! 

As Deb said we went down to Riomaggiore first then worked our way back through Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and lastly, of course, Monterosso Al Mare. Whilst the towns are similar they are all just different in their own way.... I think my favourite was Riomaggiore as it has so many gorgeous little stairs and paths running around the cliffs in the town itself. We didn't do any of the actual Cinque Terre Trails - hiking around town was more than enough for us! 

We did find, of course, when we went looking for lunch that the restaurants had menus laden with seafood! Pity neither of us like seafood!

After a thoroughly exhausting but equally satisfying and enjoyable day we were home by 5 and cooked up the last of our potato, tomato and eggs for dinner. There was a "nativity scene - turning on the lights" thing happening in Manarola from 3 (lights on at 5) that we had originally thought we'd go to but we could barely put one foot in front of the other by then and well - there's the crowds!!! 

Tomorrow it's off to Florence to return the car - only 4 more days in Italy!