Photo: Picturesque Cinque Terre Village

An aerial shot of the picturesque village of Vernazza along the Cinque Terre coastline in Liguria, Italy in Europe.

Above the picturesque village of Vernazza in Liguria, Italy the medieval castle seems to be sheltering the colourful buildings from the outside world. In the middle of the 16th century the castle was built for protection against the marauding pirates who evidently enjoyed attacking the five villages along the Cinque Terre coastline. As Verranza is the only one of the villages with a natural harbour the pirates chose to sail there more often.Looking down on Verranza in Italy, the blue of the Ligurian Sea and the many different colours of the buildings makes the dark shadow of the castle seem even more forbidding.The five little villages of the Cinque Terre are only a few minutes apart if travelling by boat or train, but to get the full benefit of the area, hiking the trails is the way to go. The distance is only 7 miles and will take four to five hours, depending how many times one stops to admire the views and take photographs. ... continue below the picture...

... Cinque Terre is now a national park, an UNESCO World Heritage Site, so there is a park entrance fee of a few Euros, but do not let the fee deter you, as the picturesque views and quaint villages are priceless.Aerial of Vernazza, Liguria, Ligure, Riviera di Levante, Italy, Europe.