Cinque Terre itinerary

1. 1

   Vernazza

   Vernazza is widely considered the most photogenic of the five villages, and once you step out of the train tunnel onto Via Roma you understand why. The single main street runs 300 metres downhill to a small natural…

   Address

   Vernazza, 19018 SP, Liguria, Italy

   Nearest transit

   Vernazza train station (Cinque Terre Express line, La Spezia - Levanto)

2. 2

   Manarola

   Manarola is the second smallest of the five villages and arguably the best for evening light, when the cliffside houses turn deep orange. The village has no proper beach, but locals and travellers alike swim from the…

   Address

   Manarola, 19017 Riomaggiore SP, Liguria, Italy

   Nearest transit

   Manarola train station (Cinque Terre Express line)

3. 3

   Monterosso al Mare

   Monterosso al Mare is the largest of the five villages and the only one with a proper sandy beach - a 1.5-kilometre strip split into a free public section and paid sun-lounger zones (roughly 20 to 30 EUR per day for two…

   Address

   Monterosso al Mare, 19016 SP, Liguria, Italy

   Nearest transit

   Monterosso train station (Cinque Terre Express line)

4. 4

   Riomaggiore

   Riomaggiore is the easternmost village and the first stop out of La Spezia, which makes it the most common starting point for a Cinque Terre visit. The main street, Via Colombo, runs uphill from the tiny harbour past…

   Address

   Riomaggiore, 19017 SP, Liguria, Italy

   Nearest transit

   Riomaggiore train station (Cinque Terre Express line, first stop from La Spezia)

5. 5

   Corniglia

   Corniglia is the only village of the five that does not touch the sea. It sits on a promontory 100 metres above the water, and reaching it from the train station means either climbing the Lardarina, a brick stairway of…

   Address

   Corniglia, 19018 Vernazza SP, Liguria, Italy

   Nearest transit

   Corniglia train station (Cinque Terre Express line)

6. 6

   Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail)

   The Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail), officially trail number 592, is the main coastal footpath connecting the five villages. It runs roughly 12 kilometres from Monterosso al Mare to Riomaggiore and is the reason many…

   Address

   Trailheads at Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore

   Nearest transit

   Any Cinque Terre Express train station (each village has a trailhead)

7. 7

   Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Montenero

   The Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Montenero is a small hilltop church above Riomaggiore, sitting 341 metres above sea level. Records mention a chapel on this spot as early as 1335, and the current pale-yellow building…

   Address

   Localita Santuario di Montenero, 19017 Riomaggiore SP

   Nearest transit

   Riomaggiore train station, then trail 593 or the shuttle from Piazza Vignaiolo

8. 8

   Cinque Terre Wine and Pesto Tasting (Sciacchetrà)

   Two products carry the region's DOC and PDO protections: Cinque Terre white wine (a blend of Bosco, Albarola, and Vermentino grapes) and Sciacchetrà, an amber-coloured sweet passito wine made from the same grapes dried…

   Address

   Cooperativa Agricoltura di Cinque Terre, Localita Groppo, 19017 Manarola

   Nearest transit

   Manarola train station, then the shuttle bus to Groppo (about 10 minutes)

9. 9

   Boat Trip Between the Villages

   Seeing Cinque Terre from the water is genuinely a different trip. The pastel villages that look interesting from the train look extraordinary from 200 metres offshore, because you finally see how vertically they are…

   Address

   Ferry piers at Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, and Riomaggiore

   Nearest transit

   Any coastal village pier - Corniglia is not served by boats

10. 10

    Punta Bonfiglio Viewpoint

    Punta Bonfiglio is the small promontory just west of Manarola, and it holds what most photographers consider the definitive shot of the village. To reach it, walk from Manarola's harbour up Via Renato Birolli, past the…

    Address

    Via Punta Bonfiglio, 19017 Manarola SP

    Nearest transit

    Manarola train station, then a 10-minute walk uphill past the cemetery

From the trip1 travel guide “10 Best Things to Do in Cinque Terre” · trip1.com