The Via dell'Amore trail in the Cinque Terre will reopen to the public in 2023
The region of Cinque Terre in Italy hardly any view. These five little towns are the food of Instagram with their colorful stacked houses next to the 'Ligurian ocean'. Whether you've been there or not, you're probably familiar with those sights.
For visitors, the Cinque Terre trail (a network of paths that connects each of the villages with the next) has always been one of the best ways to explore the area . Now, one of the most beloved trails –and the most popular lookout point– is planning reopen to the public after 11 years have elapsed since its closure.
The decision to reopen the Via dell'Amore , the small but iconic kilometer of path that connects the villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola , was announced on Sunday, October 6 by the Cinque Terre National Park . The governor of Liguria, Giovanni Toti, told an Italian outlet that it was "unacceptable" that one of the most famous sites in the area had been closed for so long.
The way initially closed in 2012 after four tourists were injured in a collapse, signaling the need for renovations and new safety implementations.
Lover's Lane connects the towns of Riomaggiore and Manarola
BUT... DON'T BOOK YOUR FLIGHT YET
Renovations to improve the place have yet to start, and the local government estimates that it will take a few years -at least until 2023 – finish the extensive work. Since the closure of the road, the authorities have been spending time collecting the 12 million needed to finish the works.
Maria Gabriella Landers, founder of 'Concierge' in umbria , a travel agency specializing in the region for more than two decades, remembers Via dell'Amore fondly. "Like most trails, it has spectacular views" , Maria tells Condé Nast Traveler USA, "there was also a sculpture of two lovers and everyone took a picture with them."
A very appropriate sculpture, since this stretch was supposedly **a meeting point for love dates**, which has inspired the name.
This section was supposedly a meeting point for love dates
Some of the paths that cross Cinque Terre they can be steep and even challenging; thus, Lover's Lane was also popular for being relatively easy and accessible to walk.
Until it reopens, Landers suggests exploring another of the 120 kilometers of trails that abound in the area: "You can follow the blue path close to the sea and through the villages, or follow the red path, which starts in Portovenere and runs along the mountain to Levanto" she says.
And of course, be patient with the dates . "He considers all the date announcements in Italy, especially in the last three years, to be a moving target."
- Article originally published in Condé Nast Traveler USA
One more place to enjoy the great Italian views