We started at Portovenere where we spend t 3 days and then took the boat to Monterrosso which became our base for the next 4 days. From here we hiked to Vernazza - this is a must hike even though a little strenuous. the 5 towns are closely connected by the train but hiking a great way to see the scenic beauty. We visited each town on different days by the train and spent time relaxing in the warm waters  and also needed to cool since August is quite hot there. Each town is very pretty and has good food - Rio Maggiore has calamari in a cone - picture shown here to make you drool. at Vernazza we had nice lunch overlooking the water. In Cornelia it was a steep hike up the steps but when you reach there the view is amazing. It was nice to sample the gelatin in each town as well as the freshly baked focaccia.

After 4 days here, we took the train to Santa Margherita where we stayed on a beachfront resort. this a short boat ride to Portofino - another very quaint town and a must-see.