The Ultimate Guide To Visiting Cinque Terre (Plus Sample Itinerary!)

The 5 coastal towns that make up Italy’s Cinque Terre, or “Five Lands”, are one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations, and its not hard to see why. With 5 stunning and colorful cliffside towns, unforgettable views of the Mediterranean, and excellent hiking trails, there is something irresistible about this seaside destination. In my time living and working in Italy, I had the pleasure of visiting this picturesque location over 15 times, and picked up quite a few tips and tricks along the way! To make planning your visit there a snap, be sure to read these helpful my tips and check out my sample itinerary at the end of this article!

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Getting There

Cinque Terre is easy to reach by train, simply purchase a ticket to La Spezia train station. From Florence, the entire journey takes around 2 hours and costs around €20.

Due to the fact that the towns of Cinque Terre are located on steep cliffs, the towns themselves are impossible to reach by car (with the exception of the second town, Manarola).

The Towns

• Riomaggiore
• Manarola
• Corniglia
• Venazza
• Monterosso

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Getting Around

As vehicles cannot travel between the 5 towns, there are 4 options for getting around:

• Hiking
• Taking the train
• A mix of hiking and train travel
• Boat

If you are only staying for a day, I recommend a mixture of both hiking and train travel, so that you can optimize your time while also having the opportunity to experience stunning views from the trail.

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Tips for the Train

Train tickets cost €4.00  for every stop you make. Therefore, if you are attempting to stop at all 5 towns via train, the trip will cost you 24 Euro, including a return ticket to La Spezia.

I DO NOT recommend trying to see all of the towns in one day. Three towns is a much more manageable number.

Suggested Towns: Manarola, Vernazza, and Monterosso have the most picturesque views, and Monterosso is the beach town. By cutting out 2 towns, you will have more time to enjoy the day, explore, hike, or even hit the beach.

During the high season, trains are generally extremely crowded and can even run around 20 minutes late in the afternoon. Be sure to watch your bags, as the trains are notorious for pickpockets.

For a train timetable, click here. 

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Tips For Hikers

Cinque Terre is an incredibly popular destination for hiking. Hikers are rewarded with some of the best views of the towns as well as seaside trails winding through the terraced cliffs of the Ligurian Coastline. Each trail leads to the next village, making it possible to hike from village to village throughout the day.

Cost

The trail costs €4.50 for students and €7 for regular admission.

Serious Hikers

For more serious hikers, you could spend a day or more working your way through the trails connecting the seaside towns. For up to date information on which trails are open, click here.

Day Trippers

If you are just staying for one day, I recommend choosing one of the trails to hop from one town to the next.

Suggested trail: Venazza-Monterosso. Takes approx. 1.5 hours to hike, with a challenging first 20 minutes. If you have knee problems or aren’t good with uneven, rocky stairs I would not recommend this hike.

I love this trail because it ends at Monterosso, the final town, which also has the best beach. A quick dip in the Mediterranean is the perfect reward for an afternoon hike.

What to bring

If you plan on hiking, be sure to wear comfortable gym or hiking shoes and bring a water bottle. Also, there are no bathrooms along the trail, so be sure to go while you are in town.

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What To Eat

Seafood

Seafood lovers, you are in luck! Before it became a UNESCO World Heritage site and its waters protected, Cinque Terre was a fishing region. Today, visitors can enjoy fresh and delicious fish.

For a quick snack, grab a to go cup of mixed fried fish. They are yummy and let you sample a few different types of seafood-calamari, shrimp, anchovies, and more!

I generally order spaghetti ai frutta di mare or spaghetti with mixed seafood.

Pesto

Pesto was invented in Liguria, and the pesto in Cinque Terre is particularly delicious and fresh, as the basil used to create this green sauce is locally grown. A must try!

White Wine

Cinque Terre is also known for its local Cinque Terre white wine. The grapes are grown on the famous rocky terraces, and are said to have a special flavor due to their exposure to the salty water of the Mediterranean. Bonus: it pairs fantastically with both seafood and pesto!

Limoncino

Similar to limoncello, limoncino is the Ligurian take on this lemony digestive alcohol. Order a shot after your meal and enjoy as the Italians do!

Where to eat

If you are dining in Monterosso, Cantina di Micky is not to be missed! The menu has great local specialties and the food is cooked to perfection!

Looking for the best margarita in Italy? Hit up the beach bar in Monterosso (just next to the train station) for this frozen treat.

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Sample Day Trip Itineray

• 9:30: Arrive La Spezia
• 9:55: Purchase Tickets and board train to Manarola
• 10:06-Explore Manarola, get breakfast
• 11:06-Board train to Vernazza
• 11:06-12:00-Explore Vernazza
• 12:00-Begin hike from Vernazza-Monterosso
• 1:30: Arrive in Monterosso
• 1:30-2:30-Eat lunch
• 2:30-6:00-Explore Monterosso, swim, relax on beach
• 6:10-board train either to La Spezia and return home, or take train to Corniglia/Riomaggiore for sunset

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Buon viaggio! Let me know if you have a favorite town or any great tips for visiting-I’d love to hear in the comments! Is Cinque Terre on your bucket list?

For more tips for traveling in Italy, check out:

• 50 Travel Tips For Visiting Italy
• 7 Fantastic Day Trips To Take From Florence
• Bucket List Italy: 20 Unforgettable Adventures To Add To Your List

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