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TRAVEL MEMOIRS
Cinque Terre: Hiking on Trail 531
A difficult but rewarding trail
Stretching like a vein alongside the northwest coast of Italy, the Blue Trail connects the five villages of Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare, but is just one part of a network of walking trails. Colourful houses sit atop rugged cliffs overlooking the blue-green sea as mountains sprawl in the distance. Cinque Terre is as beautiful as its pictures, but don’t let its pretty exterior fool you about its hardiness. In July 2024, I climbed Trail 531 along the Blue Path in Cinque Terre with my sister and her partner.
Although it’s only two kilometres from Riomaggiore to Manarola, the terrain is steep. First, it’s a trek up Riomaggiore’s steep roads past houses in muted yellows and pinks, offset by green-canopied windows and palm trees. We reach a bridge and almost miss the trail sign; it’s so small. I look up at the stone path, curving like a snake up the mountainside with hikers trekking up like ants.
“That’s the trail?” I exclaim.
“It’s only the beginning,” my sister informs me.
A sense of dread as big as the mountain looms. But I do love a challenge. I’m a walking contradiction — but aren’t we all?
The sign leads us down a set of man-made steps that take us to another path, made of natural stones and teetering over a small stream below. The trail is too much for my mother, so she and my father agree to meet us in Manarola once we’re done hiking. If you prefer a gentler approach, you can also see the villages in Cinque Terre by train or boat.
After we say our temporary goodbyes, I tighten the straps of my backpack and tuck my water bottle away. I tell myself that I’m evenly redistributing the weight so that my hands are free. But really I’m just steeling myself. Telling myself I can do hard things. I had before. I‘ve faced challenges in my life and dealt with them all. So what made an arduous hike any different?
We continue along the path, getting closer to the intimidating stone steps that crawl up the mountain. Climbing the steps is like playing a game on hard mode. They’re big, clunky and uneven — steps suited more for giants than mere mortals…
