Our day in the Cinque Terre began with a short train ride from La Spezia to Vernazza, the fourth of the five famous fishing villages that cling to the rugged Ligurian coastline. Vernazza, often called the “jewel” of the Cinque Terre, has been a safe harbor for centuries—first mentioned in 1080 as a maritime base for the Republic of Genoa. Its colorful homes cascade down to a small port, where fishing boats bob against a backdrop of medieval fortifications.

From Vernazza, we set out on the Blue Trail to Corniglia, the only Cinque Terre village without direct sea access. Perched high on a cliff, Corniglia is quieter and less tourist-heavy than its neighbors, its origins rooted in Roman times when it served as a small agricultural outpost. The hike offered sweeping sea views and olive groves before culminating in the 377 steps up the Lardarina staircase—a leg burner with a view as the reward.

From Corniglia, we made our way toward the famous Via dell’Amore (Walk of Love), the romantic cliffside path connecting Manarola and Riomaggiore. Built in the 1920s as part of a railway expansion, the trail became a meeting point for young lovers from the two villages—its walls filling with graffiti hearts, names, and padlocks over the decades. While much of the path has been closed in recent years due to landslides, the sections that remain accessible still carry that same romantic air.

We ended the day at the Manarola viewpoint, one of the most photographed scenes in Italy. The pastel houses stacked against the cliffs look almost unreal—so much so that they inspired the fictional seaside town of Portorosso in Disney Pixar’s Luca. The film’s depiction of community spirit, cliff diving, and sun-soaked piazzas was a love letter to the Cinque Terre way of life, complete with nods to the area’s fishing traditions. For American audiences, Luca not only introduced the beauty of the Ligurian coast but also sparked a new wave of travelers eager to experience the “real” version of that animated charm.

As the sun dipped low, Manarola’s lights began to twinkle, turning the village into a glowing patchwork of color against the darkening sea. With our legs pleasantly tired from the day’s hikes and our minds full of history, romance, and cinematic magic, we boarded the train back to La Spezia—already planning our return.