Bucket List gem: Hiking in the Cinque Terre, off the coast on the Italian Riviera

LA SPEZIA, Italy - We’ve asked you to share your delights and adventures and you’ve answered! This Bucket List Gem comes from Kelly Lee Shearman of Tampa, Fla.

1: Bucket List gem?
Hiking the Cinque Terre in Italy.

2: What is it?
It is five small villages that are only reachable by train or boat. There are trails that connect all five Villages. These are the same trails that were used by the villagers many, many years ago.

The whole walk takes approximately five hours (including a 368 step staircase to the last town). It’s a difficult but AMAZING walk. For those less apt for the hike, the train does connect all the towns.

3: Where is it?
The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It is in the Liguria region of Italy, to the west of the city of La Spezia. "The Five Lands" is composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park.

4: How can you participate?
We found our tour through Viator.com . It includes bus and train from departing city (in our case, Florence). A light breakfast is provided on the bus (fruit, juice, croissant and water.) They also provide a rain poncho, just in case.

5: Why is it so great?
Why isn’t it? It’s historically rich, the views are beyond amazing at every turn. Each town offers something different for the eye. The old buildings, the terraces, the fishing boats, the gelato!

I am not a active person, HATE exercising, I even started to cry a little on this walk, because my legs were killing me.

There is a lot of walking uphill!!! But I would do it again in a heartbeat. It was just incredible.

For more information on the Viator tours, visit  www.viator.com .

To learn more about the Cinque Terre, click cinqueterreonline.com/.