The Fabulous Five…

Made up of five Iconic Italian villages perfectly nestled along the Italian Riviera, Cinque Terre has quickly become one of the most loved and charming sites to see and explore in all of Italy, and all for good reason. The colorful and vibrant village views ,the structure of the cities and the extreme ocean side nature make for it to be one of the most unique cities in the entire world. I was absolutely blown away exploring entire villages and communities built cliff side into sea side mountains along the beautiful coast of the Italian Riviera. The winding pathways and isolated communities is what makes these five fishing villages truly something special.

Cinque Terre was another stop on our incredible and memorable engagement trip ltraveling throughout the coast of the Italian and French Riviera. Nic, once again, managed to surprise me with a beautiful stay in Manarola, and being the great planner Nic is, managed to book us at a super chic Italian lodge with some of the most incredible views Cinque Terre has to offer. We spent two beautiful nights at La Torretta, and it was not your average luxury stay. La Toretta is a sense of luxury meets contemperary with a cozy and personal boutique feel. Nic and I felt like family from the second we arrived to the property. We were immediately greeted with a glass of prosecco, graciously shown around the property, and finally escorted to our room, where we absolutely fell in love. The contemporary Italian designs of the rooms make for a cozy yet posh stay, and the Iconic Manarolo views from the room are just an additional and unforgettable bonus. What I loved most about LA Toretta, all interior details aside, was how truly personal the whole experience of our stay was. A beautiful rustic Italian spread was was offered every morning with a few small private bistro tables situated on a small terrace overlooking the sea with views of Manarola that were to die for. Because La Toretta is made up of only a few rooms within the lodge, it’s made for a truly luxurious, magical, and private stay. The staff would consist of only a couple of people daily and created such a warm and personal environment, you couldn’t help but to feel like family the second you arrived. I loved every minute of our stay at this gorgeous Lodge and most definitely could not recommend it enough whenever visitng Cinque Terre.

Nic and I spent our days roaming the coastal trails of Manarola and taking in the breathtaking views of this picturesque fishing village. Because we only had two short days, we decided to spend our time exploring Manarola after hearing such great things about this particular village and it’s incredible natural sites. Our afternoons consisted of sun bathing, partaking in some incredible gelato eats and local shopping, and refreshing ocean swims followed by dinner and lunch bookings at some of the most iconic places Cinque Terre had to offer. The local and popular seafood restaurant Il Porticciolo down by the port was our favorite for taking in the sunset views and indulging in a bottle of white and some of the freshest seafood we had ever had. Nessun Dorma by day is an absolute MUST for Brunch. Not only is it one of the most famous places in all of Cinque Terre all thanks to the gram, but indulging in the local fruit and eats while sipping on their famous Italian wines and taking in the Iconic views of an Insta Worthy Cinque Terre make for one of the most unforgettable brunches you could ever dream of. I discovered these are two of my favorite spots in Cinque Terre and you most definitely do not want to miss out. Keep in mind, due to their popularity, it could be rather hard getting a booking if not booked in advance.

When it comes to Italy, I think we can all agree, the beauty is undeniable and endless. Although the list of places in Italy can become quite extensive, I couldn’t recommend adding one, if not all, of these unique villages that make up this incredibly beautiful seas side city high up on your priority travel list. Cinque Terre is unlike any other place I have traveled or seen before. It’s uniqueness and warm Italian hospitality is something you will surely never forget.