Postcard from Riomaggiore. A Walk to Porto Venere.

From Riomaggiore the almost vertical track
Rises step after step up through the terraces.
At resting points there are superb views
Along the steep and rugged coastline
And glimpses of the brightly coloured
Ancient villages of the Cinque Terre.
Then, at over three hundred metres,
We begin to walk along the terraces,
Still climbing, but less steeply,
Up the west sloping mountain-side.
Suddenly, we are on a narrow ridge.
The lightly wooded land drops quickly away.
To the left, way below in the far distance,
La Spezia clings to a beautiful bay
And beyond that, on the horizon,
Are the marble, snow-covered Alps.
To the right, through the light woodland,
Is the glittering blue of the sea,
At some indistinct point
Merging with the blue of the sky.
The day is mild and still. A single bird sings.
Our footsteps are muted on the pine-needled path.
In dappled shade, we walk in hushed quiet
And silently gaze in awe and wonder.

Riomaggiore

The Cinque Terre coastline with Monterossa in the far distance

On the lightly wooded ridge line

The view to the left.

On the right...

Porto Venere, journey's end, 14 kms and a lot of climbing.