Cinque star quality

THE Italian flag is red, white and green like a margherita pizza. But the colours of the Cinque Terre are much more complex and captivating.

The mustard, sandstone, ruby, cream, tangerine, salmon, beige and terracotta houses weathered by the elements contrast with the deep dark green window and door shutters, the sapphire and emerald waters and boats of all shapes, sizes and paintwork.

The clothing mish-mash of the hundreds and thousands of visitors daily to the five hillside towns - Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore - only adds to the colourful mix meandering up and down main streets, stairs and alleyways and around the steep  rocky tracks linking them.

Having visited all but Corniglia last year, we decided to take a fresh look at the Cinque Terre this time while still showing our two young companions the best of the region we hold dear to our hearts.

We were unable to book two rooms in our favourite Elisabetta Rooms in Vernazza's Via Carratino (No.62) so did the next best thing and stayed next door with her cousin Andrea at Camere La Torre (No.64) and a little further down the stairs and closer to town at No. 25.

This gave us the best of both worlds with 360-degree views of the town with a maze of homes seemingly built on top of each other, the remains of the medieval castle and fort including two towers, hillside vineyards and Monterosso in the distance, while our son and partner could look out their windows to their heart's content for the passing people parade in the main street.

We enjoyed nothing better than to spend a few hours eating nibblies, drinking wine and chatting on our balcony until well after the sun went down after 10pm (!) each night.

Taking a day or more to explore the shops, cafes and restaurants, beaches and marinas as well as the short walks up hill and over dale to churches, monuments and lookouts is a must in each of these towns.

We found so many new delights on our second visit by simply following our nose to the aromas eminating from focaccia and pizza shops, following our feet up interesting little alleys, and following our eyes to new vantage points for some great photographs.

Regular regional trains (beware running the gauntlet of the ticket conductors and pay your fare or have your rail pass validated), ferries and watertaxis between each town will get you there with a minimum of fuss.

But our real treats this time lay in visiting Corniglia, walking the track between Vernazza and Monterosso and kayaking from Vernazza harbour to a rocky waterfall.

Relatively few tourists visit Corniglia. "Too far, too steep, too small," they may tell you.

And those are its charms.

Corniglia township, 193m above sea level, is a fairly steep incline by stairs or along the winding roadway from the train station, past lemon and cumquat trees and rows upon rows of grapevines. But the lush green and blue panoramas from the town's Santa Maria panoramic terrace and other lookouts and restaurants down the hillsides to the sea and over the whole of the Cinque Terre are worth the effort.

Tiny piazzas, quaint shops and bars and uncrowded alleyways allow you to truly enjoy the surrounds and what Mother Nature has provided. We have vowed to take the advice of friends and stay here next time for some real R&R.

Back on the waterfront, 10 euro an hour each for a double kayak saw us paddling past the moored boats in Vernazza and looking at our pretty little town from a new perspective.

We could keep our distance and look up towards the hilltop farms and vineyards or hug the coastline and explore the small bays and caves at an easy pace.

Halfway through the hour, we found the sheltered bay with the waterfall and "beached" our kayaks on to a shallow, rocky shelf only metres from the refreshing shower.

Although stony underfoot and a little crisp in the water, a quick swim and scramble over the bright green moss-covered rocks (that looked more like a furry carpet) was reward enough for our exercise.

But if it's a bit more exercise you want, the walk between Vernazza and Monterosso takes about 90 minutes at a steady pace, with stops along the way for the million-dollar "Kodak Moments" and quick chats with fellow walkers you'll encounter.

Early morning or late afternoon are best in summer to take advantage of the great light and cool of the day.

If you don't mind a steep climb or descent on steps for about 20 minutes each, you'll really get up close and personal with the Cinque Terre's true personality and five-star quality.