An armchair tour of Italy

Of the five towns in the Cinque Terre (literally “five lands”) located in the Italian Riviera di Levante region, Riomaggiore is the most southern. This quaint hillside village sprawls down to a small beach and an even smaller wharf. Most of Riomaggiore’s social life centers on the local bars after sundown.

The four other Cinque Terre towns — Corniglia, Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza and Manarola — are all linked together by a trail, and are known for their shopping and long beaches.