Fortunately American tourists are easy to outwit. Visiting out of season is an obvious strategy. Early spring would be ideal, so now is a good time to begin planning. What’s more, most tourists stick doggedly to the Blue Path. But there are plenty of other options — trails which, unlike the Blue Path, are free to use. They are virtually deserted, but have views that are just as good, or in many cases, even better. Head up into the hills above Vernazza, or out towards the nature reserve south of Riomaggiore, and you’ll find glorious seclusion. Much the same principles apply in the villages. Head up away from the main drag into the tiny alleys, and as soon as you’re out of sight of the trinket shops, it will be just you and the occasional neighbourhood cat. Without the jostling crowds you can enjoy the centuries-old
architecture, the tiny shrines with their fresh flowers, and the odd unexpected glimpse of a medieval castle or an elegant bell tower. Keep a look out for the dozens of little flying buttresses that prevent neighbouring houses from collapsing into each other. Grapes are still grown on the elaborate terraces of the Cinque Terre. In the old days they were lowered in baskets down the cliffs into waiting boats, but today they are collected on cranky little monorails called ‘cog trains’. They end up being turned into a minerally white wine that goes perfectly with the local food, and an expensive raisiny dessert wine called Sciaccetra that has been a sought-after luxury for centuries.
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