ITALIA: Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It stands for “Five Lands” because there are five little towns within the city. The small neighborhoods are wedged in between massive cliffs and are tucked right up along the Mediterranean. The scenery of the beautiful blue water splashing on the rocks along with the cute colorful Italian buildings, was the best thing I’ve ever seen. 

 First European train experience

 Reading the Hunger Games...obviously couldn't stop

 Beauty

The best part of Cinque Terre was the tranquility. No crazy tourists and crowded metros, no city pollution, just peace and quiet. There was one bar in the entire town and it closed at midnight, which was great, we actually got some rest. 

Our hostel came with a kitchen and a full set of dishes, so we decided to cook our own dinner the first night. We went to one of the few markets along the main road and bought noodles, wine and fresh pesto. Pesto and seafood are the signature dishes in Cinque Terre, so what better to buy it freshly made from the market!

We enjoyed our authentic home-cooked meal overlooking the water at sunset and couldn’t believe what we were doing was actually happening. None of us talked, we just sat there and enjoyed the view, the food and the entire experience of the beautiful Cinque Terre.

Unfortunately, it was raining on our first full day there, the day we planned to hike. As Sevillians, we have barely seen clouds this entire semester, so we were a little bummed. But we didn’t let it stop us so we bought some oversized ponchos and hit the trails. 

My favorite meal. Pasta with fresh fish

People say that when you travel you experience something greater than yourself, greater than something you’ve ever witnessed. That moment came for me when we were watching the sunset and having dinner. It’s impossible to explain because I was so speechless, but it truly was an incredible moment. Everything was right in the world and every part of me was so happy. You don’t get moments like that in the hectic lifestyle of college, or in the real world. A moment of complete happiness that you can’t even pinpoint, a moment when you look around and feel like you’re in a dream, or a movie and you’re almost jealous of your own life. This moment made me so grateful to have had the opportunity to study abroad. It made me understand that traveling is my passion and I want to continue to see the world and other beautiful places like Cinque Terre.