4 DAYS IN CINQUE TERRE

From North to South in the Italian Riviera you can find the villages of Cinque Terre, meaning 5 lands (yes, Cinque Terre is NOT one place!):

1. Monterosso Al Mare
2. Vernazza
3. Corniglia
4. Manarola
5. Riomaggiore

Each one of them is a real gem. And yes, in my opinion all of them deserve your time!

Let’s see some details that can help you:

Through which airport? The closest airports in Cinque Terre are Genoa and Pisa. But even from Rome or Milan you can find quick train tickets and arrive in Cinque Terre in less than 4 hours.

Best month to go? May, June and September. Better to avoid July and August as it’s getting too crowded and it’s too hot so hiking is more difficult.

Where to stay? in Monterosso Al Mare in my opinion that I stayed was great. But plan it quite in advance.  If you cannot find an accommodation within your budget there, try the rest of the cities or La Spezia and Levanto for cheaper options. Angel’s tip:The hotel I chose was “Hotel Palme” in new town and I was  very satisified. Good location, clean, nice breakfast, great service and renovated rooms.

Car? No, you don’t need it, it is expensive to rent & park as well. You move around all day by train & on foot. Stations are literally in the center of the villages, you just arrive, walk a bit & explore! And the best? It’s only 4-5 minutes by train from one village to the other while by car you have to drive up to 30-40 minutes for each city! 

How many days? 3-4 days ideally in Cinque Terre to discover it properly. Maybe devote one day in Monterosso (the bigger city of all five) & then 2 towns each day for the rest of your stay! The 4th day go to the beach, relax & have a boat tour. I know that many people choose to explore Cinque Terre as a day trip from other cities(Florence, Pisa, Milan, Genoa etc) but I strongly disagree with it.

What I didn’t like? La Spezia. I visited the port of Cinque Terre but it would be ok if I had not. Nothing special! If you don’t have enough time, you can just skip it.

Must have: Cinque Terre train card for unlimited train travel among Cinque Terre villages & access to the hiking trails, WC and buses. (The bus in Corniglia village as well) 18€ single day, 2 days €33 and 47€ 3 days. Otherwise 5€ per trip.

Must do 1: Hike between the villages. There are many hiking trails available. No entrance fee is required for the Cinque Terre National Park apart from the 2 most famous trails: from Monterosso to Vernazza & from Vernazza to Corniglia. All other trails are free. November to March: all the hiking trails free of charge.

Must do 2: Take a boat 🛥 to have a 2 hours sunset tour & enjoy all the villages from the sea side!

Food?  Eat delicious seafood, try pesto sauce, focaccia, ice cream, and famous local lemon products.

Day trip from Cinque Terre? You can take the train and in less than 1 hour you arrive in beautiful Portofino. Portovenere village is even closer and amazing as well.

So , what will you do during your stay in Cinque Terre? Discover all 5 wonderful villages. Let’s see them below extensively.

MONTEROSSO AL MARE

• The largest of the 5 and ideal, in my opinion, to stay. Many options to eat, easy to stroll around with no stairs or small alleys for the suitcases, perfect to swim as well.
• It is split between the new & the old town, connected by a single tunnel that burrows beneath the San Cristoforo promontory and caters to pedestrians & the few cars allowed to enter the village limits. You must absolutely walk from the new to the old Monterosso and the opposite. 
• Don’t miss walking during afternoon hours in the old town and have dinner, it is really magical! Beautiful alleys, souvenir shops, wonderful shops and many restaurants/bars. Angel’s tip: Kitchen in many restaurants close around 21:30 hrs lt, go earlier!
• Two of my favorite restaurants in Monterosso were “Causapersa” in the old town and “Torre Aurora” with a magnificent sea view between new and old Monterosso.
• Monterosso has the best beach in Cinque Terre! There is space to lie down on your towel for free, otherwise you can rent 2 sunbeds and 1 umbrella for the whole day for 35 euros.

Angel’s tip: As mentioned above, the hotel I chose was “Hotel Palme” and I was  very satisified. Good location, clean, nice breakfast, great service and renovated rooms(not all of them, so ask for one!)

VERNAZZA

Vernazza is so beautiful! Stroll around the little village and don’t forget to walk all the way to the end of the port, opposite the church and take this shot below.

• have a drink next to the sea, I chose Ananasso bar
• enjoy the view from the castle called Castelo A. Doria (2€ entrance)
• have a lunch with spectacular views (reservations needed) in famous Belforte restaurant
• you can lie on your towel & swim in Vernazza beach in the center of the village
• you can start from Vernazza and hike towards Corniglia or Monterosso Al Mare. Hiking is amazing in this area!

CORNIGLIA

The village that is exactly in the middle of Cinque Terre, small and romantic, with wonderful views from above and less tourists. It is the only one NOT accessible by boat!

• Corniglia is situated on the top of a hill. Consequently, you either walk and climb manyyyy steps after you get down the train or you take the small shuttle bus (usually crowded) from the train station  5 minutes towards the village square. (If you have the Cinque terre card with unlimited rides, bus ticket is included otherwise it is 2.5€ per way) Angel’s tip:It is usually too hot to walk from the train station and you have many steps, be prepared if you decide to walk.
• As hiking  in Cinque Terre is a must with absolutely stunning views, you can follow the trail & come to Corniglia from Vernazza village. The duration is around 1:30 hour.
• Have a lemon juice or limoncello (Cinque Terre is famous for its lemons & lemon festival) in the beautiful square.
• Try a focaccia while walking around or grab an ice cream.
• Visit the church San Pietro.
• Visit its small beach/spot (name is Al Mare) & have a swim, a 10 minute walk from the centre though with lots of steep stairs! You can see it while you have your boat tour and you are situated outside Corniglia.
• So many spots to have a great lunch in Corniglia! And I totally recommend it if you want more privacy since it is the quieter of all the villages.

Angel’s tip: Despite that, I don’t recommend to stay here since you need the bus or you have many steps up and down to get to the train station!

MANAROLA

Many insist that this is the most beautiful from all 5 villages in Cinque Terre. While I cannot decide which one is my favorite, I cannot disagree that the view is stunning. The characteristic when you arrive during summer time in the port of Manarola is the sea. And the people jumping off the huge rocks in front of the port.

Manarola is wonderful with colourful houses on the cliff, exceptional views, many souvenir shops around, several boats starting here for their boat tours. Angel’s tip: I chose one company in Manarola for my boat tour called “5 terre experiences” and I was very happy. It was 60 euros per person with drinks and stops for swimming for a small group and 2.5 hours during sunset. Their number :+39 348 464 42 21

• Don’t miss the Church of San Lorenzo and of course the famous Nessun Dorma.

What is this? A must visit restaurant with an incredible view, authentic Italian food & drinks, a MUST experience when in Cinque Terre .

Angel’s tip: No reservations possible but if you go without knowing how it works you will probably wait like 2-3 hours by taking a QR code in the entrance. Before you go(even 1 hour or more before the time you want to visit) download the APP NESSUN DORMA on your mobile and enter the online queue which is updated every minute‼️ You can see how many people are in front of you & you just refresh the application to see your number in the queue! Go to the restaurant before your turn arrives! In the meantime, you can enjoy whatever else you want.