(Italy) – Manarola - Cinque Terre - the best for quiet and relaxation

Manarola is one of the towns of Cinque Terre and it is located between Riomaggiore and Corniglia.

Manarola is a town filled with boats, at least on the lower part of it. Covered boats of all kinds line the main street, but it is hard to say when they had last been out.

(Italy) – Manarola in Cinque Terre is the best for quiet and relaxation

 

There are many lovely places to eat and drink in Manarola. La Cantina Dello Zio Bramante serves acciughe (anchovies) fresh from the sea, with lemon, olive oil, and fresh, crusty bread. Aristide Café had the cheapest espressi macchiatti (70 cents), the first bar encountered if walking from Riomaggiore (a paved, easy, path that goes by the sea, and takes about 15 minutes or so).

La Cantina Dello Zio Bramante - Manarola - Italy

 It turns out that Manarola also has the best gelateria of all the towns: 5 Terre Gelateria e Creperia, on Antonio Discovolo next to the Farmacia which is next to the COOP 5 Terre.

(Italy) – Manarola in Cinque Terre is the best for quiet and relaxation

 Manarola also has a nice little swimming area. It’s a little cement pier next to some big rocks that you can wade out from, into the blue blue waters. It gets deep fast, so it's possible to dive off the end of the pier. Plenty of caves and coastline to explore, and underwater rocks.

(Italy) – Manarola in Cinque Terre is the best for quiet and relaxation

(Italy) – Manarola in Cinque Terre is the best for quiet and relaxation

There are also a few more swimming holes farther on, accessible from the Blue Trail, not far from the gate beyond which the trail pass is required. There are stairs going all the way down to sea level, and a small little terrace about half-way down with picnic tables where you can see locals enjoying a simple lunch. There are lots of sharp mussels and barnacles down by the rocks, but otherwise the swimming is fantastic here too, without many people.

Blue Trail to Manarola - Italy

(Traveldudes)