Planning a trip to the Cinque Terre region in Northern Italy? Then, this ultimate guide is a comprehensive starter pack – including when to go, where to stay, things to do, and how to get around in the Cinque Terre.
The Italian Riveria is already known for its dramatic scenery and laid-back lifestyle, but the five exciting fishing communities of Cinque Terre have made it look notable, and special in every sense. Its rugged coastline, romantic towns & villages, market areas have gone through a few changes over a period of time, but it still looks every bit as gorgeous as you’d picture Cinque Terre.
Cinque Terre in the Northern Italy region has been deemed a ‘National Park’ and a ‘UNESCO World Heritage Site’. It’s truly an impressive feat for a community, that still grows in number to be known for its global tourism. Over 2.5 million tourists visit the Cinque Terre to either hike, walk, boat, or train their way up to these gorgeous cliffs and coastal villages.
The five beautiful villages of Cinque Terre (often referred to as the “Five Lands“) are home to 4,000 inhabitants. These villages are no longer an isolated hamlet they once used to be, with tourism bustling in and out every year. The local culture, its agricultural terraced lands, and their traditional day-to-day practices still feel very authentic and true to the Italian culture we know. And with perfectly preserved architecture and excellent mountain trails, you wouldn’t be disappointed with what Cinque Terre has to offer.
But there’s a good amount of things you need to know before you tick off Cinque Terre from your bucket list. This guide has everything you need to know about Cinque Terre’s villages, attractions & experiences, and how to spend an ideal vacation on your first visit.
GET TO KNOW CINQUE TERRE’S FIVE VILLAGES
RIOMAGGIORE
Cinque Terre’s popular village, Riomaggiore is the largest of all five in the region. Its pastel-hued buildings run down the steep mountains to a tiny harbor – known for its sweeping coastline view. Riomaggiore is famous for its romantic sunsets, best appreciated by spending some time via boat trip. You also have a botanical garden and a bird-watching observatory nestled on a rocky promontory.
MANAROLA
Being the most photographed town of all, Manarola is truly one of Cinque Terre’s picturesque villages. It’s well-known for its delicious Sciacchetrà wine – often found in any restaurants or pubs in Cinque Terre. The village still carries out old traditional activities for their day-to-day chores, and often takes you back to the medieval era. The main street in Manarola has got some incredible food scenes to check out, with amazing Italian food being served. You can also explore Punta Bonfiglio, leisure uphill hikes, to enjoy panoramic views of the bright blue Ligurian Sea.
CORNIGLIA
Nestled on a high rocky promontory, is the quaintest village of Corniglia. It sits right in the middle of all five villages, making it accessible to hike or explore other surroundings. Corniglia is the only settlement with no direct access to the seafront. But you can reach down the harbor via rock steps leading through the trails. Being the smallest village of Cinque Terre, with a population of only 200 full-time residents – Corniglia is often less crowded. Thus making it a perfect base to stay.
VERNAZZA
Vernazza is the smallest and quaintest of all villages in Cinque Terre. The hill paths have been beautifully lined up with little cafes, restaurants, and small pubs. You won’t find many visitors staying in this village, however, depending on the season – you can find flocks of travelers stopping by near Genoa-style caruggi (narrow streets).
MONTEROSSO
Monterosso town is the largest and busiest of the Cinque Terre region. It’s divided into separate areas – one known for its ‘old town’ and the other popular for ‘resort-style beachfront’. This is the only village in Cinque Terre, having a proper seafront promenade. Accommodations are in plenty at Monterosso, however, they can be the most expensive.
Find more about – Cinque Terre’s villages and attractions
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE VISITING CINQUE TERRE
Before you plan your trip to Cinque Terre in Northern Italy, there’s some important info & a planning checklist to consider. This will help you to know the region more closely, in addition to crucial travel tips. Moreover, if you want to get layouts of Cinque Terre maps, then check their official website.
WHERE IS CINQUE TERRE LOCATED?
Cinque Terre is situated in the north-western region of Italy, just south of Genoa. It’s well connected to Italy’s major attractions & destinations, and the proximity to the main airports of Pisa, Florence, and Genoa is excellent. The villages of Cinque Terre are also well-connected from each other, with a local train running frequently between La Spezia and Levanto.
WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT CINQUE TERRE?
Cinque Terre is one of the gorgeous, most beautiful places in Italy (if not the world). It’s been designated as the oldest and the smallest National Park in the country. But, don’t consider its small size – Cinque Terre packs prepossessing landscape and striking scenery. With a mix of colorful villages, turquoise waters and terraced vineyards – a scenic drive-through experience in Cinque Terre is all you need.
HOW MANY DAYS TO SPEND IN CINQUE TERRE?
Cinque Terre is a place, that requires time to really appreciate and admire its stunning set. It’s impossible to do justice by exploring the Cinque Terre on a day trip. Having said that, if you’re short on time you could “do” the region in just a single day by starting early and walking from one end of the village to the other. There are plenty of full-day excursions available from famous Italian cities like Florence, Milan, and Pisa which include to & fro travel. Alternatively, you could take a train or boat to traverse across Cinque Terre’s villages quickly.
But again, this is something I won’t recommend – especially if you’re traveling to Cinque Terre for the first time. You would miss out on many experiences, plus you’d have to rush through places to cover everything in a single day. The ideal duration to visit Cinque Terre is three to four days. This allows you to maximize your travel by visiting all five Cinque Terre villages, without hurrying or squeezing your schedule.
Additionally, three to four days is more than enough to know the region’s raveled twists and turns in a most interesting way. Embark on a couple of day-hikes, visit the ancient sanctuary and explore the area’s colorful villages leisurely. And if you’ve got more time, then there are plenty of other excursions to take part in or visit nearby towns of Portovenere, Levanto or La Spezia.
WHEN’S THE BEST TIME TO VISIT THE CINQUE TERRE?
Cinque Terre is a vibrant year-round destination. It’s exactly never quiet – with visitors traveling to this region from Easter until October. However, if you want to avoid the worst of the crowds – try not to plan your trip between July and August. The villages are rammed with day-trippers, and most of the attractions across Cinque Terre are heavily crowded. Moreover, the accommodation gets booked up real fast in the summer. So, it’s hard to find an ideal stay as per your preference.
Having said that, the best time to visit Cinque Terre is in May and September. The climate is warm, and fewer people visit the region. Spring season is even an ideal time to experience good weather for hiking and swimming. Temperatures in spring range from an average of 18–21ºC/63–70ºF. Try to steer clear of October and November, as they relatively are the wettest months to travel with occasional thunderstorms and landslips.
Or you could travel during the off-season period (December and January) to get a good bargain on attractions and accommodation. The only downside is that most hotels close down their operation in winter, and you also find activities being temporarily suspended.
WHERE TO STAY IN THE CINQUE TERRE?
Firstly, staying in one of the five villages makes absolutely convenient for you to travel daily. You can walk across these villages and soak up the lively atmosphere of the regions as and when you please. But at the same time, because of its popularity – accommodation is pricey and rooms tend to sell out fast. Large villages like Monterosso and Riomaggiore do have abundant options for hotels, but it’s mostly apartments and guesthouses.
Secondly, it’s preferable to book only a single for the entire duration of your travel. It does make sense, especially if you’re only visiting the villages of the Cinque Terre. It’s not worth it, to move around booking different stays for different regions.
Out of all the villages, Monterosso is the easiest to get to – with good options for hotels and apartments. It does get busy on weekends, and the tourists are known to flock to this area during the peak season. But nothing that should worry you – if you were to book accommodation in Monterosso. It’s the most accessible region, but also an expensive one.
Alternatively, you can check out stays in Riomaggiore. It’s nicely settled atop on the hills, amongst vividly colored houses – making it an excellent place to spend your holiday. The village has even got good restaurants, and incredible nightlife to enjoy.
Cinque Terre’s best accommodation for all budgets
HOW TO HIKE AROUND CINQUE TERRE?
What if I told you that there was no transportation to traverse across these villages centuries ago? It’s a fact that locals used to travel between towns on foot, and was considered the best way to get around. Even today, hiking is the soul of Cinque Terre’s region. Visitors love walking around the trails, which ultimately rewards them with a constant stream of splendid sea views.
There are a mix of both – coastal and hilly trails to hike around. You don’t need to be fully fit to take on these trails, but need to be comfortable enough to walk uphill and downhill along the coast. Ensure that you get your hiking gear setup, in addition to sturdy shoes. Some paths on the hillside trails are strenuous and will require extra effort to reach.
I would recommend you to start early if hiking is your plan to get across Cinque Terre’s villages. The distances aren’t long, but based on certain viewpoints – you’d surely stop to admire coastal views.
Some of the best hikes in the Cinque Terre –
If you’re wondering which trails or hiking paths to consider while traveling this beautiful region, then here’s a shortlist of a few of my favorites –
The Sanctuary walks
All five villages of Cinque Terre consist of a sanctuary perched atop the cliffs overlooking the sea. The trails leading to these ancient religious sites are relatively easy (but steep) and can take anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours one way. However, it’s worth mentioning that the sanctuary walks run through terraced vineyards with sweeping coastline views.
Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail)
Known as the Blue Trail, this 7.5-mile narrow stretch of Sentiero Azzurro is the highlight of Cinque Terre’s region. It starts from Monterosso village and takes about two to three hours to reach Vernazza. The second portion of the trail starts from Vernazza itself, up to Corniglia. Owing to heavy landscapes & bad storms in the past few years, currently only these two sections of the path remain open; with low-level difficulty and medium uphill throughout.
Alta Via delle Cinque Terre
Alta Via delle Trail or Red Trail is only recommended to pro-hikers and experienced walkers. It takes anywhere between nine to twelve hours of journey to complete the 22-mile route. The trail is mainly flat and runs through deeply forested areas, with plenty of trendy bars and cafes along the way, but its uphill and various terrain challenges mean it’s far less crowded than other popular hikes.
Find out more – Cinque Terre’s incredible hikes and challenging trails.
HOW TO GET AROUND THE CINQUE TERRE?
The easiest and the most accessible way to get to and around Cinque Terre is by train. However, there are other modes of travel too
Cinque Terre by train
The easiest and the most accessible way to get to and around Cinque Terre is by train. All of the five villages are well-connected via trains that run regularly between La Spezia and Levanto. Additionally, there are frequent trains between 6.30 am and 10 pm, which connects villages with Rome, Pisa, and Genoa. The distance to reach any one of the villages is less than five minutes. A single train journey can cost you €5, whereas Cinque Terre Card offers free travel between each of these stops.
Cinque Terre by car
Generally, it’s best not to travel via private vehicles when traveling the Cinque Terre region. The roads are literally scary, with narrow twisting cliffs and sheer drops. Moreover, private cars do not have permits to travel beyond village entrances. If you are driving around, it’s best to park your vehicle either at La Spezia or Levanto. Parking fees can vary anywhere between €12 to €25 per day.
Cinque Terre by boat
Cinque Terre can also be reached via ferries connecting main villages with La Spezia and Levanto. You can buy a single ticket for €35 adults/€20 children, offering unlimited journeys. Alternatively, you can hire a boat or rent a yacht to travel across villages.
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ACTIVITIES TO DO IN CINQUE TERRE
As far as exploration is concerned – you can visit the historical churches and monuments around the town. They are mostly located on the outskirts – but make a worthwhile visit. Apart from the hiking trails, you can try water-based activities like kayaking, diving, or snorkeling in the blue crystal waters.
The five villages of Cinque Terre are popularly known for their delicious food – such as relishing the local seafood, fried fish, calamari, and shrimps. The terraced vineyards produce some of the excellent Italian wines – so you can always charm your meal with local white wine. You can even take guided tours to these vineyards to experience Cinque Terre’s wineries.
