The Fall Landscape of Cinque Terre, Italy
Impression No. 1 of Cinque Terre… by The Cheng Family
Interested in traveling through Europe with your family this fall or beyond? The Cheng Family continues to be good travelers to follow, providing great tips and stories from both well traveled cities, to off the beaten path destinations. This fall, they have traveled to one of my favorite places, the Cinque Terre region of Italy. And while they share the usual photos of the spectacular cliffsides and quaint towns, they also provide a bit of history on the landscape:
“Over the years, people deserted lots of land in this area to move to the big cities, letting the terraces of crops and vegetation become ruined. Since 1999 the Cinque Terre area has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list and the importance of this landscape became known. The plan was to remake fallen dry stone walls, re-nourish vineyards and all vegetation growing on the terraces. To remake the walls, restore trails and cultivation, the park organized work camps. Young people like university students who wanted to learn more about geography, local customs and work techniques through direct life experiences with nature participated in this project. That is how most of this park was redone. Also, to raise money for the restoration there are toll booths along the walking paths where hikers have to pay. That money is used for materials to rebuild and also to pay workers.” (more…)
Other reasons this area should be preserved? The abundance of natural beauty, delicious resturants and friendly people -the Cheng Family sums it up for you:
“There are many reasons to visit Cinque Terre. Many people come here to go hiking. There are many kilometers of paths all over the park for all levels of hikers from beginner to expert. Also, you can buy a 3 day pass, which we did, that enables you to take the train, walk the paths, and take the bus all around the scenic Cinque Terre. After your hike, you can relax in the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea, or the sunny beaches to work on your tan. Some of the villages are touristy with shops and lots of views of the ocean and mountains, and some are just quaint where locals live, but all are very interesting to hang out in. Some of the restaurants are expensive, we experienced, but the pizzerias are pretty cheap. We ate at pizzerias a lot and didn’t mind because the pizzas and foccacia bread were delicious. If you like quaint little villages and walking a lot, or beaching, then I would recommend visiting Cinque Terre.” (more…)
Create your own trip plan for Europe and get more great ideas for travel this fall by visiting:
Cinque Terre Travel Guide
Europe Travel Blogs
Travel with Kids
MSN’s Fall Travel Guide
