By Leora Kahn

Cinque Terre: The Most Beautiful Place In The World!

These 5 cities on Italy's coast will make you wish you were Italian.

Let’s say you only have one day to visit these five beautiful cities. Can it be done? Oh yes it can. These cities are available by a quick train ride that stops at each destination.

Or, if you are feeling adventurous, you can hike! Here is what a few of my friends and I did with our one day in Cinque Terre.

First stop: Levanto.

Now this town is not part of Cinque Terre, but I highly recommend it! Levanto is on the outskirts of Cinque Terre, and we were able to find a quaint bed and breakfast for the duration of our trip. We explore the town a little bit before headed to our first village, Monterroso.

After Levanto, we decided to take a less than five-minute train ride to Monterosso.

We ventured into the first village of Cinque Terre; Monterosso. Determined to find a wine tasting, we searched all over and attempted our best Italian 101 basics. What we found was more than we could have imagined.

We climbed up a muddy pathway to the top of a hill to find an old woman baking and serving wine. We ordered the best white and red wine I’ve ever tasted. Next was the famous Sciacchetra, which they prided themselves on because Obama himself tasted it at their vineyard (they immediately brought us his personal framed thank you once they found out we were from around DC).

And finally, Limoncino which is crazy strong and delicious. Not to mention the never-ending supply of bruschetta and pastries. The view, the wine, the food, and the company, made this without a doubt my favorite part of Europe.

From there, we then hiked to Vernazza!

The five of us 20 something-year-olds couldn't catch our breath after climbing mountains without a finish in sight. But the hike was well worth it once Vernazza came into view. This trail is the longest of the four walks with a distance of 3.6 kilometers.

We obviously stopped numerous times to take pictures and videos and to take in our surroundings as much as possible. There were few times I was nervous over the edges, but people of all ages were embarking on the trail.

It was really interesting to see people from all over the world walking the same path my friends and I were traveling on. Like I said, the hike is long and tiring, but once you round the corner and see your first glimpse of Vernazza...well you really must see it in person to get the full perspective, but it is truly breathtaking.

Once in Vernazza, we were starved!

We found a cute restaurant overlooking the water where we each ordered authentic Italian meals. I can still taste the amazing gnocci and gelato!

After lunch, we decided we had done enough hiking for one day.

We took a train ride through the other cities, Corniglia, Riomaggiore, and then stopped in Manarola for the sunset. We enjoyed walking around the town, exploring shops and getting to know the locals. We then walked to the highest most point of the town for some Sangria and the best view of the village. This was by far, my favorite part of the day.

“Traveling is like flirting with life. It’s like saying, ‘I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station.’ " - Lisa St. Aubin de Teran

If you ever get the chance to visit any one of these beautiful cities, I would say, you absolutely must. One day is definitely just a taste of all there is to see, and I cannot wait to go back again soon!

Have you been to Cinque Terre and have some tips to add? Let us know below!

Leora is the Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator for Travel Italian Style and is a Marketing student at James Madison University. In the spring of 2015, she was accepted to study business in Antwerp, Belgium, which allowed her to explore Europe and open her eyes to new opportunities and experiences. Needless to say, she is now consumed with a passion to travel! Leora loves to document her travel stories through all types of social media in order to share with everyone the happiness that accompanies exploration. Leora spent time travelling through 11 countries during her time abroad, while Italy was hands down her favorite due to the blissful culture, beautiful scenery, and tasty food. She cannot wait to visit again soon!

One Day In Cinque Terre