Manarola at Dusk

This is one of my favorite towns of the Cinque Terre's villages called Manarola. I hadn't explore this town much until a recent trip this past year with my husband for our 10 year anniversary. We stayed at a little hilltop house overlooking the town & ocean.. a family owned place with a restaurant attached. We were rewarded with some of the best seafood pasta and local wine and bread we've ever had.  After stuffing ourselves we needed to walk it off with a steep climb all the way up the mountain through the windy path with incredible views around every corner. A visual feast for the eyes. This photo I took for a reference of this painting I took just after dusk, where the greens of the water met the pinks of the sun settling down for the night. Magical.    Cinque Terra is one of my most favorite places in Italy (perhaps in the entire world), and for me it encompasses what Italy truly is, a place of distinct history, beauty, incredible people, food, and amazing landscapes. The charm of Little Italy mirrors that same warm feeling with its people walking about the unique shops, restaurants, and colorful buildings. So alive…so full of life…so perfect.