While records go back a 1000 years, the fishing history is older. This is the public landing where locals can skid their small boats up to store in the village(boats are stored on the street, there are no cars). They fish the small outboard powered boats with hand nets. Valuable catches are carried up by fishermen(we watched them), in small crates. The fishermen do well, the fish do well. Sustainable fishing is so nice to have, and enjoy for dinner.

Tourism is the 'new' game here. It's seems impossible for Vernazza to exist, much less for so long. Except for a goat path, there are no real roads in. The train is it's only transportation link to the world. Built in a deep ravine in the mountainside, too much rainfall can send a flood through this street with the power to sweep the cars and trucks(the few vehicles stop above Vernazza), and 20 feet of mud, into the harbor(note the flood panel in a doorway).

That same funnel is where thousands of tourists have to jam up in season. I'm not sure what would be worse, a flood of cars or a flood of tourists. Come in the off season, the funnel is open and it's perfect then.

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Then you share the quiet with the locals. It's an interesting tiny community of around 1000 residents. Many of the restaurants are open. Everybody in a tourist economy is tired in the off season(same thing here), so if you're low key and polite, they appreciate it, even if you stumble with the language. Food is stupendous, the fish come in from the harbor, the wine and farm goods come in from the cliffs above.

In fact every cleft in the rocks is either growing grape vines for the local wine or vegetables for the massive seasonal demands below. A rare large garden, most are little more than shelves in the rocks. Hiking trails run through it all and some were the only transportation link before the train.

Vernazza is simply impossible. I tried to trace how it all comes in -water- rivers- electrical- communication- fuel-supplies and how it all goes out- sewage- garbage- debris, I kept coming up blank for answers.

One english speaking local said Vernazza is a third world country. I get that.

The train goes through the mountain on the right in this photo, to the next of the 5 villas in the Cingue Terre. That train line followed a previous horse road, cut through the mountains with pick axes.

From this spot, which I thought was the top, there was a bar in the next cleft, and a tiny hotel in the cleft above that. It's impossible and lovely.