Italy
Vernazza & Manarola
Discover Vernazza and Manarola on foot and through local food
A breakfast with a view
Enjoy some local delicacies, all while enjoying the most picturesque view in entire Cinque Terre. One of the most beautiful view points can be found in Vernazza and while it may too hot during the day in the early morning this spots makes for the perfect place to enjoy your breakfast! All you need to do is grab some food and drinks at the local super market in Riomaggiore the day before. Bring an extra bag and a blanket with you and take the train to Vernazza. Start walking towards Monterosso al Mare along the official hiking trail. You will have to buy a day pass (€7) but you’ll need it afterwards anyway. After walking upwards for a few minutes you’ll see a little platform that overlooks entire Vernazza.
Explore the town of Vernazza
You can find another beautiful viewpoint when you hike up the trail towards Corniglia. See, I told you that day ticket was going to come in handy! After hiking back to Vernazza is time to relax a little and enjoy a lunch by the sea. Take a seat underneath one of the many colourful umbrellas and enjoy an amazing lunch at Taverna del Capitano. Indulge in an Aperol Spritz and afterwards walk towards the water to watch the waves splash up against the rocks. There is also a small beach here but it tends to get very crowded.
Dinner at Nessun Dorma
Nessun Dorma is one of the most visited restaurants in the area and my guess is that the stunning view has something to do with it. Making a reservation from before isn’t possible but in the evening it’s way less busy than during the day for lunch. Make sure you arrive between 7pm and 8 pm to enjoy some delicious Italian food while watching the already stunning Manarola turn into a true sunset spectacle. The waiting time is around 20 minutes but this was for an outer table, if you are fine with a table more inwards you can get seated even faster. The price range for a full dinner including wine is around 20 up to 40 Euro per person (depending on how much wine you will drink :p)
