Cinque Terre

5 Reasons Why Cinque Terre Is The Worst Place Ever

When I planned my trip to Europe, the Cinque Terre was one of the places I looked forward to visiting most. I would be going in April, during off-season, and really looked forward to encountering this place I had heard so much about.

Cinque Terre-worst place ever

On my travels, nature is what speaks to me the most and I had a vision of submerging myself in the energy of this beautiful place. I envisioned a sleepy Italian fishing village that would be similar to what I had experienced in Trapani. Unfortunately, for me, the Cinque Terre turned out to be the worst place I had ever visited. Here’s why:

Cinque Terre-worst place ever

 

1. Herds of People

Even though, this was supposed to be the off-season, there were herds of people everywhere. To walk the few steps from the train to any village, would take at least twenty minutes. The crowds weren’t just around when getting off the train, though. They were everywhere. Along the back streets, on the beaches, in the restaurants. One day, I was relieved to find a park bench overlooking a gorgeous view, and there was only one other person around. She happened to be a tour guide, and she, too, was lamenting at the number of people around. But, she warned me, it got much busier in high season, and she told me I was lucky to be visiting when I was. I had to stand in line to take almost every photo that I took there, and never felt like I was in an authentic Italian town. Instead, it felt like a cleaned up, Disneyfied version. This was not the Italy I had come to know and love.

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Cinque Terre worst place ever

2. Mediocre Food

Cinque Terre worst place ever

After spending almost a month eating my way through Sicily and Sardinia, I was completely disappointed in the touristy food that was being served in most of the restaurants of the Cinque Terre. I tried to find restaurants in the Cinque Terre that catered more to the locals than the tourists, but when I did, there still seemed to be a complete lack of attention to the preparation of the food.

3.  Everything Was Overpriced

Cinque Terre worst place ever

Compared to other parts of Italy I visited, everything was overpriced. The food was more expensive. (A restaurant meal ranged between $25-45 per person!) The hotel rooms were pricey with budget hotels starting at $85 USD a night. (There were hostels, but even those were more expensive than normal.) I guess your paying for the view, but to me, it wasn’t worth the price.

Cinque Terre

4. Drunk-Ass Buckets And Bucket Lists

Cinque Terre worst place ever

 

The Cinque Terre has become so popular that many people are coming (in droves) to cross it off their bucket list. They have no desire to submerge themselves in the true culture of Italy.

Many of them are there on day trips just to see the pretty views, so they can check it off their list. What’s even more strange, is that many of them spend their days in the bars, drinking the “drunk-ass” buckets and miss the beauty that is surrounding them. One Sunday, the only place open for breakfast at 7am was the wine bar. There were already people inside drinking wine flights that early in the morning! I guess I’ll never understand people who spend thousands of dollars to visit a place, and then dull their senses to it when they arrive.

5. There Are No Secret Trails Left

Cinque Terre worst place ever

 

Before visiting, I had hopes of getting lost in the solitude of nature. Because of the landslide on the Via dell’Amore, most of the trails were closed  to analyze their safety. The worst part was that many tourists were using these trails anyway, possible causing even more damage to these trails, and putting their own safety at risk. There are alternative trails in the high parts of the cliffs, but even these were full of people.There was no secret places to get lost in or to get away from the hordes of other people.

Cinque Terre

While there’s no arguing that the Cinque Terre is still a beautiful area, there are better options for discovering the real Italy and seeing the unknown places that you’ve probably never heard of.

One of my personal favorites is Florence. Florence has amazing art museums, cathedrals, gardens, and street performers. It also has some of the best Italian food in Italy. There are many Florence tours you can take to see wineries, the world of fashion, or the galleries. Don’t miss it!

My advice? Take the Cinque Terre off your bucket list, and travel somewhere new. Go somewhere that you’ve never heard of. There’s something to be said for the path less traveled. Go to that small town just waiting to be discovered by you.