Very hard to peel ourselves away from such a beautiful property. Lorella has maintained a beautiful property in an amazing location. We were delighted to have this as our home base as we explored the region.
We were greeted in Manarola by Lorella's friend, Rita. A very warm and gracious lady, who was extremely helpful in adding to the tips and guidance we had already been gathering. We would have been glad to have spent more time with Rita!
We found the highlight of Cinque Terre to be the great hikes we took, followed by fun in the water, whether kayaking or a boat rental. We got lucky having chosen Manarola as a home base. This is a great town, somewhat lesser traveled by the larger crowds which can be found in Montorosso or Vernazza. In all cases, the largest crowds tend to be day visitors, making mornings and evenings much more relaxing.
Our morning routine quickly settled in by picking up fresh produce and provisions for breakfast, and bringing them back to enjoy on one of the terraces of Belvedere 226. We planned our adventures for the day while looking over a beautiful harbor. In hindsight, the swimmers among us should have been going for open water swims each morning - the crystal clear waters were so calm.
We hiked, kayaked, rented a boat in Vernazza, rode bikes from Levanto to Framura, snorkeled, relaxed on beaches, and more during the daytime. Evenings ranged from lovely dining experience (Miky) to take out. Wine tasting at various locations, with the wine tasting experience in Vernazza a particular highlight.
All the while, the beautiful home base in Manarola. Lorella's property is beautiful, clean, extremely well equipped. I consider myself a decent photographer, and can comfortably say neither my photos, nor the ones on this website due justice to the beauty of this location.