Food, walks and grand vistas in the Cinque Terre

An impulsive decision to head to the Cinque Terre was a fortuitous one. Faded, colourful buildings ended abruptly in sheer cliffs dropping down to blue, endless sea. The west coast of Italy was stunning, the fishing villages of the Cinque Terre tucked into little hills, the sea disappearing into the sky.

Monterosso, the oldest town, was formed almost a thousand years ago in 1056, although the sites of most of the villages were settled from Roman times. Today, clusters of centuries-old, colourful buildings are dotted along the coastline, terraced vineyards etched into the rock above them.

We stayed outside of the national park, in the sleepy village of Deiva Marina, home to two emus – gifts from an Australian visitor. Clearly built for more tourists than had come, some of the coastal development had ceased during the recession and never quite restarted, leaving the marina half completed, the shops still empty shells.

We revelled in the quiet, having drinks in a bar with limited English but generous snacks and lying on the warm, pebbled sand. In between, we visited a different seaside town each day, exploring the tiny villages and the extraordinary trails between them.

The towns are home to rocky bays, natural harbours still used for fishing, and amenities capable of servicing thousands of visitors each day. When we visited, the villages were awash with visitors, all hiking, eating, drinking and laughing, but early in the season, this added to the festive vibe.

Filled with wildflowers and hidden paths through the trees, the Cinque Terre National Park was spectacular in June. Due to the recent rains and mud slips, we took Trail 6b between Monterosso and Corniglia, stopping in Volastra (not one of the five) along the way. An unplanned detour (we got lost) took us high into the hills, where we found ourselves looking down at Volastra and wandering past old, abandoned huts and terraced vineyards.

Off the main trail, we made an unexpected discovery - a small cemetery high in the hills, with niches stacked into marble walls, each with a vase and portrait. I later found out that this is typical of Ligurian towns. Coffins are not buried, but put in a lucolo, a burial compartment or niche. Cemeteries in the region have been located outside of towns since the early 19th Century, due to health considerations, and many cemeteries in Liguria also have stunning sea views.

It was a longer walk than we had planned, but we took in the views of the villages from high above and lost ourselves in colourful blossoms, hillside vineyards and bubbling streams. It was the highlight of our visit, but there are more direct trails if you want to see to all of the Cinque Terre villages in one day.

Getting to Corniglia later than expected, we took in the last two towns by train, ending with local wine and a beautiful seafood risotto in Monterosso al Mare. It was a heady night fuelled by exhaustion, limoncello and dramatic clouds.

Perhaps inevitably, we missed the early train back to Deiva Marina. Instead we helped an older American couple, struggling with credit cards and Italian, to buy their train tickets. We wiled away the time until our train came, chatting to them about travel, language and the joys of retirement (for them, not us), while they sipped Chianti from a broken coke bottle.

Thinking of visiting the Cinque Terre yourself? Read guides on the Cinque Terre National Park and where to stay in the Cinque Terre.