Cinque Terre is made up of five towns that are seaside villages, each one centuries old and perfectly perched on a mountain side. The colorful buildings and vineyards give these cities along the Italian Riviera a charm like you would have never experienced before. One moment you’ll be sweaty and hiking along the magnificent Sentiero Azzuro cliffside that links the villages, and suddenly you are dining in some of Italy’s top seafood restaurants and shopping in designer stores. The diversity in things to do makes it so all kinds of people can find ways to enjoy the stunning vistas and dreamy towns.
One recurring trend I noticed in Cinque Terre existed with the clothing. The clothing the people were wearing differed in the actual outfits, but the vast majority of it was dressed up and fancier. It was clear that people were looking their best for the amazing photo opportunities the cities provided.
Normally, people typically dress for comfort when going on a hike. Hiking is one of the inexpensive ways of getting from one village to the next in Cinque Terre. Other than that, you would have to pay for a train ticket. To get from one city to another by train takes only five minutes and costs about four euros each way unless a train pass for the day is purchased, which costs around 12 euros. The tickets can be easily purchased at the train station ticket office in each town. However, some of the best photographs are taken from the hiking trails with the cities and ocean as the backdrop. Not to mention, the hiking trails are stunning themselves, providing moments of walking through wildflower fields and vineyards along the ocean’s edge.
As a result, there is a fashion to Cinque Terre and its hiking trails. Strangely, many people are dressed as though they are going to a five-star restaurant while actually going on a hike that entails going up and down dirt roads on sides of cliffs and hiking a significant amount of stairs. A person that is not in good physical condition would have trouble completing most of the hikes.
Considering the difficulty of the hikes, it seems almost laughable when you see women in designer jeans and skirts doing it in the hot summer sun. Crop tops and jean shorts is one of the most popular combinations. Today, people are so focused on getting that perfect photograph for their social medias, and a nice outfit seems to be a necessity to go with that in order to garner the most "likes."
Harrison Blount, a student that was hiking the trails, said that you often experience moments where you have to stop and wait for people to take their photographs in order for the flow of hikers to continue forward.
"People trying to get the perfect shot is without a doubt the main reason for most of the backups along the trails," Blount said.
Sections of the trails are narrow, so you just have to wait it out and accept that many of the people are there for the photography and are going to take their time to get the shot that they have had their mind set on.
Among the men, button down shirts are common. They wear them unbuttoned while hiking and button them back up when taking their photos, a smart way to stay cool. There are also many guys wearing their board shorts on the trails, which makes sense as many of the towns offer opportunities for swimming in the turquoise waters. Board shorts are also airy and perfect for handling sweat. However, they looked uncomfortable when wet. Walking with salt water rubbing against your legs does not seem pleasant.
The two biggest trends among the women are sun dresses and bucket/floppy hats. At least one in five women seen will be wearing a sundress and every other woman will be sporting a hat of some sort. Most of the hats are similar to those that are being sold in stands on the main streets in the cities of Cinque Terre. It could be easily assumed that many people buy the hats there as well as many of the sun dresses, which are widely sold in the cities. Entire families walk by in matching hats, and even babies are involved. It will be a surprise to visitors on how many people take their babies on the Cinque Terre hikes.
The hats in the stands are typically between 20 to 30 euros and the sun dresses ranged from 30 to 60 euros at most places, such as those in the photos below.
Walking sticks were common on the trails as well. It was a trend that seemed most sensible. The trails include a seemingly endless number of steps and steep stairs. Anyone who is not in the best shape or has issues with their knees could seriously benefit from a walking stick. They were most commonly used among the older people as they walked down steep flights of stairs. However, much of the younger crowd was taking advantage of them too.
On a hiking trail in the United States you would expect to see a majority of the younger women wearing tights and the men wearing gym shorts, but Cinque Terre truly does break all norms. The scenery and fashion make it a feast for the eyes.
If you are interested in hiking Cinque Terre, it is easy to arrange. It is possible to see all of the cities in one day. All could technically be hiked in one day, but it would be challenging. It would be more comfortable to hike and train, switching off. However, if you do Cinque Terre for more than one day, all trails can easily be done, but be sure to book accommodation at least two months in advance if you are going at a peak tourist time, such as holidays or summer. It is possible to find Airbnb’s and hotels for less than 120 euros a night but they quickly sell out. If you do the Cinque Terre hike any time from April to October, you will have to pay around seven euros for every day you would want to hike the trails. It is free during other times of the year. In the winter, it is quite cold along the coast at an average of 43 degrees Fahrenheit in December. The hiking fashion would be bound to change from sun dresses and shorts to more long-sleeve trendy outfits. It is important to dress for the weather, but remember that many people will be wearing inappropriate outfits for the conditions, so truly anything goes if it works for you.
For more information on how to go about hiking Cinque Terre, visit http://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/footpaths-cinqueterre.