Cinque TerreTravel Guide
Five pastel fishing villages stitched into the cliffs of the Ligurian coast, linked by hiking trails, a local railway and some of the most photographed sunsets in Italy.
Is Cinque Terre right for you?
April–June, September–October
Mid-range. Comfortable without planning around money, expensive if you stop counting.
We have a full day here planned hour by hour. Longer stays are covered by subject rather than by route.
Our editors pick it for a trip with one other person.
April–June, September–October
Mid-range
Typical cost profile for visitors
- Pisa74 km
an easy day trip · both good in April, May, June · a different price level (budget)
- Florence130 km
a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in April, May, June
- Bologna140 km
a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in April, May, June
- Milan150 km
a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in April, May, June · a different price level (mixed)
PisaFinding Cinque Terre
Reading Cinque Terre
The Italian Coast, Taken Slowly: Cinque Terre to Amalfi
Two of Italy's most famous coastlines sit a full day's travel apart — how to choose one, where to base yourself, which trails are actually open, and why the evening is the whole point.
The Sweet Side of the Cinque Terre: Gelato, Sciacchetrà and Seaside Cafés
Liguria's famous five villages are known for pesto and anchovies — but stay for dessert. Lemon groves, a legendary sweet wine and gelato eaten above the harbour make the case.
Where to stay in the Cinque Terre: village by village, plus the smart bases
Five villages, five personalities, and almost no conventional hotels — choosing your base in the Cinque Terre matters more than anywhere else in Italy. Here is how to decide.
Cinque Terre, place by place
Everything below is named in one of our own stories about Cinque Terre. The line under each is the sentence that recommended it, and the link goes to the piece it came from.
Where to stay
The areas and addresses our writers put first
Sara Canonici
Monterosso al Mare
The largest and flattest village, and the only one with a genuine sandy beach and a promenade.
nella n.
Vernazza and Manarola
These are the two postcard villages, and waking inside one is the Cinque Terre at its best: shutters open onto the harbour, the day-trippers gone by dinner, and an hour after sunset when the place is nearly empty.
Debbie Grap
Riomaggiore and Corniglia
Riomaggiore, nearest to La Spezia, is busier after dark than its neighbours, with a steep main lane running down to a tiny marina and a younger crowd than Monterosso's.
La Spezia and Levanto
Cinque TerreHere is the choice that surprises first-timers and that many repeat visitors have quietly adopted.
Where to eat
Tables worth crossing the city for
Trattoria dal Billy
Cinque TerreTrattoria dal Billy, up in Manarola's upper village, is the one to book a few days out in high season.
What to see
The things that justify the trip
Christina Ambalavanar
Vernazza from the trail above
Climb a short way up the coastal path toward Monterosso and look back.
Things to do
Walks, tours and days out we would book again
Sentiero Azzurro
Cinque TerreThe Sentiero Azzurro, the low coastal path, is what most people come to walk, and it has not been whole for years.
Volastra
Cinque TerreThe alternative is the high path via Volastra, which climbs through the terraced vineyards and is markedly harder than the coastal route — budget closer to three hours, and carry water.
Via dell'Amore
Cinque TerreThe Via dell'Amore, between Riomaggiore and Manarola, reopened in 2024 after twelve years shut, and it now works on timed entry: a half-hour slot, a capped number of walkers, entry from the Riomaggiore end, one-way, o…
Sights & experiences
Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail)
experienceThe coastal hiking trail linking the five villages; sections require the Cinque Terre Card.
Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria
What we'd do in Cinque Terre
See and do
- The walk that justifies the trip
The Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei) is the reason to bring boots.
Read: The Italian Coast, Taken Slowly: Cinque Terre to Amalfi - Manarola from Punta Bonfiglio
The classic, and it earns the ranking.
Read: The Most Photogenic Corners of the Cinque Terre, Ranked - If you insist on doing both
The two coasts sit about five to seven hours apart by rail.
Read: The Italian Coast, Taken Slowly: Cinque Terre to Amalfi - Vernazza from the trail above
Climb a short way up the coastal path toward Monterosso and look back.
Read: The Most Photogenic Corners of the Cinque Terre, Ranked - The slow rule
one coast per trip, two nights minimum in each base. The coast rewards the traveller who is still there after the last tour bus leaves.
Read: The Italian Coast, Taken Slowly: Cinque Terre to Amalfi
Eat and drink
- Gelato with a harbour view
Every village has its gelato counters, and the local flavours are the reason to queue: lemon made from Ligurian fruit, honey, and — this being the homeland of pesto — basil gelato, which sounds like a dare and tastes like summer.
Read: The Sweet Side of the Cinque Terre: Gelato, Sciacchetrà and Seaside Cafés - Everything lemon
Lemon trees cling to the terraces all along this coast, and the villages — Monterosso above all — put the fruit to constant use: lemon cakes and tarts in the bakeries, granita on hot afternoons, marmalades to carry home, and limoncino, Liguria's answer to the better-known limoncello of the south.
Read: The Sweet Side of the Cinque Terre: Gelato, Sciacchetrà and Seaside Cafés - Cafés and markets worth the pause
The finest cafés here are the ones with a view attached: terraces above Vernazza's harbour, perches over Manarola's cove.
Read: The Sweet Side of the Cinque Terre: Gelato, Sciacchetrà and Seaside Cafés
Where to stay
- A working order for a first visit
Arrive in the afternoon, reach your room before the evening train crush, and spend the first evening in whichever village you are sleeping in without going anywhere.
Read: Choosing Your First Cinque Terre Base: A Practical GuideCheck ratesad · Booking.com - The smart bases outside
If everything is full — common — stay just outside.
Read: Where to stay in the Cinque Terre: village by village, plus the smart bases - Luggage
expect stairs, narrow lanes and almost no lifts; pack light or suffer
Read: Choosing Your First Cinque Terre Base: A Practical Guide - Trains
the Cinque Terre Express links La Spezia, all five villages and Levanto roughly every twenty minutes through the main season
Read: Choosing Your First Cinque Terre Base: A Practical Guide
Practical essentials for Italy
Euro (EUR)
Italian; English is spoken in hotels and tourist businesses but thins out quickly in smaller towns
Type C/F/L, 230V 50Hz (Type L is the Italian three-pin)
Frecciarossa and Italo high-speed trains link the major cities in a few hours; in town you buy a local paper ticket such as Rome's €1.50 BIT and validate it as you board.
Service is included and tipping is uncommon — a few euros for genuinely good service is plenty, and the coperto on the bill is a cover charge, not a tip.
Tap water is safe to drink everywhere, although restaurants will normally bring bottled.
Right-hand side; a UK or EU photocard licence is accepted, though hire companies commonly require an International Driving Permit as well.
112 (single European number; the old 113, 115 and 118 route to it)
Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.
