City Hopping

It’s not every day that you can train-hop between five villages in less than six hours. Such is the appeal of Cinque Terre, located along Italy’s northeastern coast. Each village has its own colorful charm, either tucked away high on cliffs or down near the beach. Our favorite was the middle one, the secluded and solitary Corniglia, accessible only by car or a long climb of stairs.

The much larger city of La Spezia acted as our base camp, which not only offered cheaper accommodations but was conveniently close to the train station, giving easy access to not only Cinque Terre but the Leaning Tower of Pisa, an hour away and another must-see attraction, especially when climbing to the top.