“We’re Swimming in the Sea in Italy”
Location: Monterosso
…and so began my first trip of my fall 2025 abroad experience at 6:00 am in Genoa, Italy.
Two friends and I caught the Trenord train from Genoa to Monterosso, Cinque Terre, to meet two others. Before this trip, my only knowledge of Cinque Terre was the connection to the well-known and admired Disney movie Luca. To me, Monterosso was synonymous with beach clubs distinguished by their striped umbrellas and movie-ticket-priced cocktails. Each beach along Monterosso’s coast had distinct umbrellas, defining one club from the next. We chose Stella Marina, identifiable by burnt orange and pastel green umbrellas, while neighboring clubs stretched down the beach creating this seemingly seaside rainbow.
Waiting for our friends to arrive, we wandered down the beach to find the famous ‘il Gigante’ – a towering carved stone statue of a man holding up the cliff to which he is embedded on the coast of Villa Pàstine. It was one of those sights you look at and have to say “Wow.” Trailing back to our beach chairs, we found a café serving “American” caramel iced coffee with almond milk – a rarity to find in Italy.
Blame it on the liter of Hugo spritz – or pure spontaneity that Italy evoked – but we trustingly left our bags on the beach while swimming in the sea as warm as bathwater. The sea floor disappeared not even twenty feet from shore, creating an unimaginable illusion of being in the middle of the ocean. Our long hours in the ocean seemed like blissful minutes with one singular phrase repeated again and again: “we’re swimming in the sea in Italy”.
Three… Two… One…
Locals: Vernazza
Cinque Terre, directly translating to ‘Five Lands’, is strung together by train rides taking you to each town that seems to defy gravity by clinging onto the cliff sides, carved out for the buildings to be placed onto and next to each other.
Our group of five had thus far explored Monterosso’s beach club, Riomaggiore’s alleys filled with souvenirs and gelato, and then we found ourselves in Vernazza where the dark sky was blending into the sea and the wind gave a touch of resistance to our steps.
We found the cliff photographed above and the ledge next to it where six teenage boys, wrapped in towels, began undressing. After taking their shoes off and unwrapping the towels under a storming sky, they each dove into the rough water from the ledge one by one. I remember looking at my friends and with no words being exchanged, there was a unanimous decision made. It was that kind of decision you knew might be reckless and regrettable, but one that would be a story to share with others for the rest of our lives.
Hidden to the left of a chapel, underneath packed restaurants, was a small cave where we took turns holding towels and changing back into our bikinis that were still dripping wet from the Monterosso beach club earlier that day. We walked back to the ledge and, following in the boys’ footsteps – literally – began removing our towels and flip-flops, getting stares and questionable glances from the locals and fellow tourists. Each of us held the hand of the person next to us and three… two… one… the current of the sea engulfed us.
Breaking the surface of the water to breathe, I smiled and laughed.
DU Abroad 