Cinque Terre Reflections – Copyright Andrew Hayes

As previously reported on Europe A La Carte, the picturesque fishing villages of the Cinque Terre are on the up.  However, things have gotten a little out of hand – with tourism in the area skyrocketing, things can feel distinctively crowded here in Cinque Terre.  You do not have to feel smothered, though – here are some suggestions for finding some breathing room:

• Instead of staying in one of the fishing villages themselves, try setting up base camp in Levanto.  Here you can find number of wonderful shops and restaurants (including more pesto that you could ever imagine) and there are plenty of B&Bs here.  Levanto also has costal walks in both directions which are a bit more rugged but nearly empty.
• Keep heading north to the wonderful towns of Portofino and Santa Margherita.  You can walk from the train station in Santa Margherita to the coast in Portofino via a well-marked trail.  Portofino is the best place to watch the sunset, and you will be guaranteed a good meal in Santa Margherita.

• Take the train to Corniglia but instead of climbing all those steps to the city centre, head down to the quiet, clothing optional beach.   As you exit the train platform, to the right look for a narrow flight of stairs and head down.  Keep going alongside a brick wall until you reach a metal gate with a bell on the left side. Walk through the tunnel and pay five euros for a little piece of paradise.

For more information, check out the region’s tourist bureau website.