I have talked to many people who have loved visiting Italy. It fills them on so many levels, (not just gastronimically) but on a deep soul level--the beauty is breathtaking because you are surrounded by gorgeous natural landscape, in addition to a people that are very welcoming.
These are some of the reasons I am teaching my 3rd annual workshop in Cinque Terre, Italy. We can all reconnect with ourselves by spending time in the natural beauty of an ancient land. It is a place where we can find deep contentment and freedom.
As written in the wonderful New York Times article in August 2007, "It's almost unfair how much intense beauty, great cuisine and amazing aromas are jampacked into such a compact space."
In fact, the only way to truly experience the sensory overload that this small area has to offer is by getting off those well-trodden paths.
There are benches where you can sit and admire the view or just watch all the people wandering by. There is a small restaurant on the Via dell' Amore where you can get something to eat and drink. Picnic tables with a spectacular view are located above the restaurant. You do have to walk up a number of steps to get to the picnic area.
Details about each of the paths that connect the 5 villages of the Cinque Terre is from the Discover Walking Blog.
It would take at least 5-6 hours to hike through all five of the Cinque Terre villages.
Monterosso al Mare to Vernazza: This is a difficult trail that is 2.5 miles (4km) with many up's and down's. It will take most people between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on how many stops you make to admire the view.
Vernazza to Corniglia: This is the most difficult of the four trails and has the least number of ocean views. It will take most people about 2 hours to hike this 2.5 mile (4 km) trail. The terrain is uneven in places and you will have to be able to hike up and down hills.
Corniglia to Manarola: This is an easy 45 minutes walk and you have an ocean view for the entire walk. The trail is less than 2 miles (3km).
Manarola to Riomaggiore: This .5 mile trail (.6 km) is an easy stroll on a paved walkway. It will take about 30 minutes to walk the path.
If you'd like to see more photos of the Cinque Terre and find out more about the September 10-18, 2011 workshop and travel experience that I'll be teaching, check out my website at ChangeLimitingBeliefs.com.
Photo #1: I climbed down to the rocks off the hiking trails. You can see some of the trails in the distance.
Photo #2: I'm walking on the path from Corniglia to Manarola (two Cinque Terre towns)
