The Cinque Terre are getting back to their former splendour!

The Cinque Terre, one of the most popular tourist areas in Italy, are getting back to their former splendour after the terrible flood that hit them on 25 October 2011. Ariver of mud flooded homes and shops, washed away cars, cut off roads and blocked railways and motorways. The Vara and Magra rivers overflowed and seven towns were cut off by landslides and mudslides between Levanto, Monterosso and Vernazza, leaving more than a metre of water in homes. Since then, much has been done and now the villages of the Cinque Terre are getting back on their feet but, as often happens, now the emergency has passed, the spotlights have moved elsewhere and media interest has waned.

Little has been said of the fact that not only is the tourist area, with the villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola and Corniglia and the other towns along the Riviera, safe, practicable and reachable, but the commercial activities and services offered have never stopped being operational. The beautiful towns in the area are in danger of being forgotten because normality does not make the headlines. Even the villages of Vernazza and Monterosso, the worst affected, will be fully open to visitors within a month. On Monday 16 January, in fact, the train station in Vernazza reopened and train stops returned to normal.

Much work is taking place to restore the trails, in particular the Sentiero Azzurro: the best known and most popular hiking trail, offering breathtaking views and connecting the five villages of the Cinque Terre. As for thevillage ofMonterosso, Via Roma, the main street, will open before Easter, while the narrow streets and the old town in general are already accessible. The villages of the Cinque Terre are fighting  to get back to being the most beautiful treasures inItaly, envied worldwide.

The Cinque Terre are one of the most unspoilt natural Mediterranean areas in Liguria and the Tyrrhenian coast. A place where sea and land merge to form a unique, wonderful area. Eighteen kilometres of rocky coast full of beaches, bays and deep waters, dominated by a mountain chain. Terraces growing vines and olive trees, enclosed by ancient dry stone walls, characteristic of the hills overhanging the crystal clear sea. A natural and human landscape of extraordinary beauty, protected as both a Marine Protected Area and a National Park.

Five villages: Monterosso al Mare, the largest village, Vernazza, considered by many to be the most charming, Corniglia, set on a rocky promontory, Manarola, an urban jewel, full of typical Genoese style tower houses, and Riomaggiore, which were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997.

Agriturismo.it, always careful to promote and enhance Italian natural and urban beauty, invites everyone who cares about the Cinque Terre to visit them. By choosing an agriturismo in the Cinque Terre, in fact, not only are you visiting one of the most beautiful tourist areas in the country, but also contributing to getting the whole area back up and running, bringing real help to the reconstruction.

Agriturismos, in particular, are a type of accommodation that is sensitive to landscape conservation and environmental issues. Agriturismos also enhance the culture, traditions, habits, costumes and high quality agro-food produce from Italy.

What you can do for the Cinque Terre

Choose an agriturismo close to the Cinque Terre

Get information about the daily progress of the restoration work by visiting the blog: Buongiorno Monterosso

Contribute to the reconstruction by buying a pixel, Agriturismo.it already has!