Apartments in Cinque Terre National Park

Five pastel villages cling to impossible cliffs where the Italian Alps plunge dramatically into the Mediterranean. The famous coastal path between them offers views that make even seasoned travellers stop mid-stride. Monterosso's beach provides the perfect reward after conquering the trail's steps. In Vernazza, fishermen still mend nets beside gelato-eating tourists in the tiny harbour. Manarola's vineyards create terraced masterpieces on near-vertical slopes. Riomaggiore's rainbow-colored houses stack like a child's blocks above crashing waves. Corniglia, the rebel, perches high above the water, requiring 382 steps but repaying the effort with the coast's most spectacular vistas. Arrive by train - the villages ban cars with an enthusiasm that borders on glee.