They are linked by 18 km of coastline which represent the spirit of Ligurian culture; that combination of sea and steep sun drenched terraces.
The 5 fishing villages or Cinque Terre as it is known makes for a memorable days hike - approx 6 hours with lots of italian sustinence on route and plenty of photo stops.

Olive groves and vineyards clinging to hillsides, proud villages perched above the sea, hidden coves nestled at the foot of dramatic cliffs -- the Cinque Terre is about as beautiful a coastline as you're likely to find in Europe. What's best about the Cinque Terre is what's not here -- automobiles, large-scale development, or much else by way of 20th- and 21st-century interference. The pastimes in the Cinque Terre don't get much more elaborate than walking from one lovely village to another along trails that afford spectacular vistas; plunging into the Mediterranean or basking in the sun on your own waterside boulder; and indulging in the tasty local food and wine.

Of the five, Corniglia is the one built the furthest up the hillsides and offers fine views of the 'Mar Ligure'. It also leaves room for a large beach below the town which is suitably protected by the cliffs behind. Certainly spectacular, yet a punishing place to live.The legacy left by the original inhabitants of steep terraces, paths cut out of the rocks, drystone walls, are so beautiful that it is easy to forget what hardship it must have been. Try the walk which links Saviore to Reggio, San Bernardino, Volastra and Montenero.

If you contact the the Cinque Terre Tourist Board, do not forget to ask for a guide and map of the routes and paths which connect Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. They normally recommend one route in and around each of the 5 hamlets, and one for the whole area.

This is what they say:

Path 1. - This is the route from Portovenere along the ridge which divides the coastal side from the internal zone as far as Levanto over the 'punta del mesco'. It is considered the path of the Cinque Terre 'par excellence'. It is smooth but long (over 40km) half of which is the stretch which includes the Cinque Terre. It is recommended only for groups of prepared mountain bikers. Nevertheless, it's possible to to cover only a stretch by taking the handful of routes which lead to one of the Cinque Terre villages themselves. The Cinque Terre stretch takes around 7 hours and is 20km long and reaches 516m above sea level.

Path 2. - This connects all the villages of the Cinque Terre and is the most popular. In fact, the stretch Riomaggiore - Manarola is known as the Via dell'Amore.It takes 5 hours to do but the fatique is repaid by fabulous views of the sea, all set against classic Mediterranean hills which drop sheer to the water. You'll be amazed at the scent of herbs and plants as well as small coves and isolated inlets. Of course, pauses for food and wine are essential along the way.

 > Cinque Terre - What to see:

Monterosso--The Cinque Terre's largest village seems incredibly busy compared to its sleepier neighbors, but it's not without its charms. Monterosso is actually two towns -- a bustling, character-filled Old Town built behind the harbor as well as a relaxed resort that stretches along the Cinque Terre's only sand beach and is home to the train station and the tiny regional tourist office (upon exiting the station, turn left and head through the tunnel for the Old Town; turn right for the newer town and Il Gigante restaurant; see below).

The region's most famous art treasure is here: housed in the Convento dei Cappuccini, perched on a hillock in the center of the Old Town, is a Crucifixion by Anthony Van Dyck, the Flemish master who worked for a time in nearby Genoa (you can visit the convent daily 9am-noon and 4-7pm). While you will find the most conveniences in citified Monterosso, you'll have a more rustic experience if you stay in one of the other four villages.

Vernazza--It's hard not to fall in love with this pretty village. Tall houses cluster around a natural harbor (where you can swim among the fishing boats) and beneath a castle built high atop a rocky promontory that juts into the sea. The center of town is waterside Piazza Marconi, itself a sea of cafe tables. The only Vernazza drawback is that too much good press has turned it into the Cinque Terre's ghetto of American tourists, in summer especially.

Corniglia--The quietest village in the Cinque Terre is isolated by its position midway down the coast, its hilltop location high above the open sea, and its little harbor. Whether you arrive by boat, train, or the trail from the south, you'll have to climb more than 300 steps to reach the village proper (if you arrive by trail from the north, you'll avoid these stairs unless you want to leave town to the south, when you'll have to descend them), which is an enticing maze of little walkways overshadowed by tall houses.

Once there, though, the views over the surrounding vineyards and up and down the coastline are stupendous -- for the best outlook, walk to the end of the narrow main street to a belvedere that is perched between the sea and sky. More than these vistas, Corniglia is also the village most likely to offer you a glimpse into life in the Cinque Terre the way it was until a couple of decades ago.

Manorola--Not as busy as nearby Riomaggiore or as quaint as its neighbor Corniglia, Manarola is a near-vertical cluster of tall houses that seems to rise piggyback up the hills on either side of the harbor. In fact, in a region with no shortage of heart-stopping views, one of the most amazing sights is the descent into the town of Manarola on the path from Corniglia: From this perspective, the hill-climbing houses seem to merge into one another to form a row of skyscrapers. Despite these urban associations, Manarola is a delightfully rural village where fishing and winemaking are big business. The region's major wine cooperative, Cooperativa Agricoltura di Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza e Monterosso, made up of 300 local producers, is here; call ph. 0187-920-435 for information about tours of its modern (est. 1982) facilities.

Riomaggiore--Riomaggiore clings onto the vestiges of the Cinque Terre's rustic ways while making some concessions to the modern world. The old fishing quarter has expanded in recent years and Riomaggiore now has some sections of new houses and apartment blocks. This blend of the old and new works well -- Riomaggiore is bustling and prosperous and makes the most of a lovely setting, with houses that cling to the hills that drop into the sea on either side of town. Many of the lanes end in seaside belvederes.

 > Useful Tourist Information:
The tourist office for the Cinque Terre is underneath the train station of Monterosso, Via Fegina 38 (tel. 0187-817-506; fax 0187-817-825). It's open Easter to early November and again at Christmas daily 9:30 to 11:30am and 3:30 to 7:30pm.

 > Getting There

By Train -- You often cannot coast directly into the Cinque Terre towns, as they are served only by the most local of train runs. You'll often find you must change trains in nearby La Spezia (one or two per hour; 8 min.) at the coast's south tip, or in Pisa (about six daily; 75 min.). This is true of the one or two trains per hour from Rome (total 4 1/2-5 hr.) or the hourly ones from Florence (2 1/2 hr.). There are one or two direct trains per hour from Genoa to La Spezia (1 hr. 40 min.); many more from Genoa require a change in Levanto or Sestri Levanto, both a bit farther north up the coast from Monterosso.

By Car -- The fastest route is via A12 autostrada from Genoa, exiting at the Corrodano exit for Monterosso. The trip from Genoa to Corrodano takes less than an hour, while the much shorter 9.3km (15-mile) trip from Corrodano to Monterosso (via Levanto) is made along a narrow road and can take about half that amount of time. Coming from the south or Florence, get off the A12 autostrada at La Spezia and follow CINQUE TERRE signs.

By Boat -- Navagazione Golfo dei Poeti (www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it) runs erratic service from the Riviera Levante towns, as well as from Genoa, mid-June to mid-September, though these tend to be day cruises stopping for anywhere from 1 to 3 hours in Vernazza (see below description) before returning (though you can usually talk them into not picking you up again for a day or three).

 > Getting Around

By Foot -- The best way to link the Cinque Terre is to devote a whole day and hoof it along the trails. See "Exploring the Cinque Terre," below, for details.

By Train -- Local trains make frequent runs (2-3 per hour) between the five towns; some stop only in Monterosso and Riomaggiore, so check the posted "Partenze" schedule at the station first to be sure you're catching a local. One-way tickets between any two towns are available, including one version that is good for 6 hours of travel in one direction, meaning you can use it to town-hop -- or you can buy a day ticket good for unlimited trips.

By Car -- A narrow, one-lane coast road hugs the mountainside above the towns, but all the centers are closed to cars; parking is difficult, and where possible, expensive.

There are public parking facilities as follows: Riomaggiore and Manarola both have small parking facilities just above their towns and minibuses to carry you and your luggage down. The cheapest option is the big open dirt lot right on the seafront in Monterosso.