An idyllic place
Located near Génova, Ligura in the north of Italy, Manarola is part of the "Cinque Terre" national park, a small group of cliff-side villages built on steep ravines and surrounded by incredible mountains by the sea. Throughout the region, there's an incredible variety of vineyards and olive groves and all the towns are connected by labyrinthine trails. Of all the towns in the area which I was lucky enough to visit, my favorite was Manarola, a place to forget about the daily hustle and hustle.
Also, as is common in Italy, the regional food and wine are fantastic. The famous "lovers trail" begins here and heads towards Riomaggiore...it's a paved trail which skirts the coastal mountains and has amazing views of the colorful villages cascading down the mountainside. Although the five villages are connected by a train which literally wraps around the mountains, you can (and should) do the route by ferry at least once. The views from the ferry are just spectacular.
