CINQUE TERRE

William A. Kennedy is the President and CEO of Kennedy Technical Consulting

Services, LLC. His consulting business is located in Arlington, VA. Bill Kennedy’s

company provides the full gamut of business development services to his clients.

These services include: marketing, opportunity identification and development,

capture, strategy, proposal management and technical writing, and orals

coaching. Bill Kennedy applies his over 30 years of experience with Federal

government contracting to successfully position, capture and win work for his

clients.

William Kennedy is also a avid traveler and over the years he has traveled to over

35 countries to include China, India, Tibet, and Russia to name a few. Recently he

had the opportunity to travel to Italy where he hiked the trails in Italy’s Cinque

Terre National Park along the Italian Riviera*.

* Photos by Bill Kennedy; Information source: Cinque Terre Card Guide.

CINQUE TERRE

• The Cinque Terre, “the five lands,” is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian

Riviera. It is in the Liguria region of Italy and to the west of the city and port of

La Spezia. There are five villages in Cinque Terre; these villages from north to

south are: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Cinque

Terre, consisting of the coastline, villages and surrounding hillsides, is a

national park and an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• The villages are connected by well maintained paths, trains and boats. Cars

cannot reach them from the outside.

• The Cinque Terre area is a very popular tourist destination.

MONTEROSSO

Monterosso consists of two parts: old town and new town. These parts are connected by a tunnel that is used by pedestrians and the few vehicles in town.

The beach is the only extensive sand beach in the Cinque Terre and visitors can rent a beach chair for a few Euros. The water is clear and comfortable for swimming most of the year.

The hike along the main path between Monterosso and Vernazza takes approximately 2 hours to complete.

VERNAZZA

Vernazza was once a fortified town as evidenced by the towers in the picture and remains one of the “truest” fishing villages on the Italian Rivera.

The hiking path between Vernazzaand Corniglia takes approximately 90 minutes to complete.

If you are looking for a place to swim, the harbor area is a favorite place to do this.

CORNIGLIA

Corniglia sits on top of a promontory about 300 feet above the sea and is surrounded by vineyards and terraces.

To reach Corniglia, one must climb the Lardarina, a long brick staircase that has 33 flights with 382 steps or follow the road in.

The coastal or main hiking path is closed between Corniglia and Manarola due to a landslide. But there are other paths one can take to reach Manarola.

MANAROLA

Manarola may be the oldest of the towns in the Cinque Terre, with the cornerstone of the church, San Lorenzo, dating from 1338. Its primary industries have traditionally been fishing and wine-making.

The harbor area offers an excellent place to swim.

The coastal hiking path from Manarola and Riomaggiore is closed due to a landslide. But there are other paths to hike between these towns.

RIOMAGGIORE

Riomaggiore is the southern most town in Cinque Terre and the first town when training into the park from La Spenzia. Its main street, Via Colombo, has numerous restaurants, bars and shops.

The village dates back to the early 13th century and is know for its character and its wine, produced by the town's vineyards.

Riomaggiore has a small beach and a wharf framed by tower houses.