Cinque Terre is an absolutely gorgeous area, and Manarola is one of its jewels. As we looked at photos on the internet when we were planning this trip, I knew I just had to go there.
It did not disappoint! The town is nothing like anything I've been to before. The streets are narrow and the buildings are quite close together, built higher and higher on the steep cliff sides. I overheard a guide say that they build the city this way to hide it from pirates. Their hope was that the narrow valley would make it less visible from the sea. I don't know whether it worked or not but the way it's built is very unique. It's like a small town with very tall buildings, except they're not that tall at all, it only feels that way. Very cool!
There's only one small road leading to Manarola. It runs through the mountains and getting there took us longer than you'd think. It wasn't that far from the city we stayed in after all, but the winding roads meant the travel distance was longer. That didn't deter the tourists though. The place was packed and I hadn't seen so many people at one place in a long time. So, if you're planning on going here, set out early and you'll get a much better parking spot :).
WOW. Stunning shot of a beautiful place. I've seen this postcard scene a few times, but never as vibrant and detailed as this, great work.
ReplyDeleteCinque Terre is on our list and this image proves why. I like how you probably waited for that boat to move to your desired position.
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