Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre, which means five places in Italian, is the collective name for the five tiny little fishing villages off the coast in the north-west of Italy. The unique landscape and architecture earn it a place in the UNESCO list of world heritage sites.

July, August and September are the peak season to visit Cinque Terre. However, peak season obviously has a different definition and scale in different places. The peak season here is nowhere close to the 'peak season' in China, such as during the National day golden week.

On our way there, the train was a bit crowded by European standard, the beaches had more people, accommodation may be a bit tight, otherwise everything else was still very enjoyable.

From Milan, you can take the train to Riomaggiore, the furthest village and then back track; or you can alight at Monterosso and then go forward. The journey from Milan is about 4 hours. The train may be a bit crowded with holiday makers, and you may not get a seat.