This Unassuming Italian Coastal Town Captures the Magic of Cinque Terre—Without the Crowds

Portovenere is often proclaimed the Cinque Terre’s “sixth town.” But for me, that distinction belongs to the far less heralded Levanto. The first time I visited Cinque Terre, before I moved to Italy, my travel companion insisted we stay in Levanto, the town northwest of Monterosso. I went along with the plan, though part of me worried I wouldn't be getting the full Cinque Terre experience. Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. Not only that, I've returned to Levanto time and again since I’ve lived here—it’s my Ligurian beach getaway of choice when I need an escape from Milan. For starters, it couldn’t be easier to reach Levanto from Milan and the Cinque Terre from Levanto. The Intercity trains serving Monterosso also stop in Levanto, so there’s no need for a regional connection. Monterosso is just one stop (five minutes) away on the Cinque Terre Express, and the seasonal ferry service between the villages also makes select calls in Levanto. Yet despite its proximity to the Cinque Terre, Levanto remains a world apart. Home to around 5,000 residents, which is more than three times the population of Monterosso, it’s a lived-in town first and a tourist destination se