From Lerici, you can easily visit the famous Cinque Terre. These are five villages built very close to the cliff. They can be reached only by train or through a foot-path called the Via dell' Amore. The footpath starts in Riomaggiore, and we recommend to use the train from La Spezia to Riomaggiore. The first part of the footpath (from Riomaggiore to Manarola) is easy but nevertheless impressing.

We do not know how these guys got there, but it must be nice down there. This is one of my favorite photos.

Here, cars are replaced by fisher boats. Still, the villages do have a very good touristical infrastructure.

I made this photo using my 17mm Canon lense, which captures a large angle. People usually are not aware that they are part of the composition. However, this lense seems to have a serious problem with the contrast. Almost all the shots carry some kind of "fog", which is emphazied here: the girls are sitting in the shadow between the houses, and the sky is much too bright to show any detail.

The villages are not really suitable for beach holidays as there is no beach, just the ramps for the fisher boats. People do not care and get their tan anyway, here in Manarola.

The houses of Manarola, and the cramped parking lots for the fisher boats.

Manarola again, this time the whole village, seen from a distance.

Two fearless tourists enjoying the refreshing and clear water. In the background you can see Corniglia. Please note that the footpath between Manarola and Corniglia is quite long and not as secure as from Riomaggiore to Manarola!

The church of Vernazza.

This is Portovenere, with the Isola Palmaria in the background. Portovenere is a beautiful town that carries a touch of Jet-Set.

Portovenere again, seen from the Chiesa di San Pietro at the end of the waterfront quay.

View across Lerici and the Poet's Bay. You will find a number of good and affordable restaurants at the yacht harbour. A wonderful place to stay.

The village of Ameglia sits quietly on top of a hill without much tourism.