Five villages, one shot worth the effort

The five villages of Cinque Terre — Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore — sit on the Ligurian coast facing southwest. Manarola harbor is the most photographed: the village's colorful houses above the rocky cove face southwest, which means golden-hour light from the northwest hits the facades directly in late afternoon. The shot from Punta Bonfiglio, the eastern headland above the harbor, looking back at the village and sea works from about two hours before sunset. Vernazza has a medieval tower above the harbor (free public access) that gives a north-facing view down the Ligurian coast. The Sentiero Azzurro trail connects all five villages along the cliff path, giving elevated southwest-facing sea views throughout. Trains run between villages every 20–30 minutes from the nearest town La Spezia.