The famous villages of Cinque Terre were established earlier in history than most people even dream to imagine! What once buzzed with pirates from near and far, the villages have now become a popular tourist destination in Italy for hiking and relaxing alike.
There are five sea-side villages that make up Cinque Terre: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Cinque Terre is located on Italy's northeastern coastline, very close to the south of France. To get to Cinque Terre from anywhere in Italy, you're going to have to take a series of regional trains. Although these trains are not the most reliable, the journey is definitely worth it to take in the incredible views of Cinque Terre.
If you ever get to experience the majesty of Cinque Terre, you might have a few questions. Most importantly: how did they build these amazing structures on the side of a cliff so many
years ago? Buildings like this seem like a near impossible feat even with today’s technology. The first buildings in Cinque Terre date back to the 11th century. Residents at the time, mostly fishermen and wandering pirates, would use the stone from the cliffside to build their homes.
The villages haven't looked exactly the same since their creation, either. Monterosso and Vernazza in particular have undergone much damage from pirate attacks in the 15th century. Also, they were heavily impacted by storm in 2014. Many building facades and windows had to be replaced. Locals kept the tradition alive and recreated the buildings to look as similar to the old ways as they could.
When visiting any of the five villages, you can sometimes see nets thrown against rock formations around the city. This is to ensure no loose pieces are able to fall off and hit guests. While the buildings are incredibly sturdy for their age, living cliff-side can be quite unpredictable, especially in inclement weather!
In 1997, Cinque Terre was accredited as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This title was given in part because of the amazing architecture and history of Cinque Terre. It is truly incredible that the beautiful buildings of this area have survived until today! Cinque Terre also founded a national park in the 1990s, to ensure the conservation of the villages and surrounding areas.
No matter if you go to all five villages or just one, you will be able to experience incredibly unique architecture in Cinque Terre. The buildings are picturesque, centuries old, and strong enough to stand on steep cliffs. Cinque Terre is a marvel in countless ways.