A train runs from La Spezia along the rugged and picturesque Ligurian Coast to Genoa and provides tantalizing glimpses of idyllic beaches and pretty pastel coloured villages as it swooshes through tunnels along the mountainous coast of the Italian Riviera di Levante.

Part of this coast is the Cinque Terre - five villages perched high along the rocky and winding coast and accessed either by the train or the popular walking route linking each village. Brilliant scenes, stunning views, swathes of wildflowers of many varieties, olive groves and vine terraces...

"Arguably the most drop dead gorgeous coastal hike in the country, the route follows an ancient network of walking paths that has linked the Cinque Terre villages for over a millenium. Studded with panoramic vistas, it traverses windswept olive groves and seemingly impregnable vineyards, dipping serendipitiously into each of the flavourful maritime villages with a bundle of historic distractions......" Guidebook

A base at any of the nearby towns is perfectly suitable for doing the Cinque Terre walk as it is just a train ride to the village at either end. We stayed firstly at Bonassola and then in the old harbour town of Camogli.