3. Liguria

Scents of Liguria

The blue of the sea, the yellow of the lemons, the green of the vineyards and the pastel colours of the ancient homes of fishermen: these are the Cinque Terre – fragrant with the scent of herbs, stunning with their winding pathways and rich in ancient history.
The dry stone walls and terracing are an indication of how well these lands have been worked; cobbled paths have also been made, both for the cultivation of the olive and the vine and to connect the villages.
A long trail leads from Monterosso – the land beloved and lauded by Eugenio Montale – to Vernazza, with its picturesque towers for spotting pirates. From Vernazza, the path leads on through fragrant pine and olive trees to Corniglia, the ancient land with the remains of Genoese fortifications and its memories of the Fieschi family. Then the path continues further, dropping away to the sea and leading to Manarola, with its beautiful cathedral, small harbour, and finally, it leads you along the scenic and well known "Path of Love", to Riomaggiore, where you can but lose yourself amongst the ancient houses of the fishermen, the narrow passageways and porticos.
To complete our exploration of the Cinque Terre, we will stop off in a typical trattoria to taste the local cuisine: pesto with trofie or minestrone, ravioli or vegetable bakes, focaccia, panissa (fried chickpeas), stuffed anchovies or mussels, whitebait fritters, chestnut cake, apple fritters ...
We will sample the precious Sciacchetrà, a Dolcetto or a Vermentino – all these wines with their intense bouquets will add to the enjoyment of the food.