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10 Cinque Terre Insider Tips

Are you looking to spend some time in colorful Italian seaside towns eating and drinking the best Italian foods and wine? Cinque Terre is the place to go! 5 beautiful towns with astounding views. You’ve got to go!


Italy provides so many wonderful outdoor activities as you travel to some of the smaller towns, mountains, and even along the coast. We’ve taken a gondola lesson and road-tripped and hiked in the Dolomites. Next, we’d love to do the path of the gods hike in Amalfi.

Cinque Terre is one of the most striking, vibrant, and romantic places I’ve ever been to. For years, I had been hearing people tout all of its greatness, and with the weekend quickly approaching, Jim and I desperately wanted to get out of town and hit the road.

We decided to drive south, and looking at the map, the beautiful towns of the Italian Riviera, and then more pointedly those of Cinque Terre were practically calling to us, so we went. After leaving the highway and driving down the windy, steep road to our hotel, “oohs” and “ahs” kept erupting from us and by the time we parked, we were smitten.

Riomaggiore view from the Cinque Terre water taxi.
Riomaggiore view from the water

We know from the many movies set in Italy, especially Luca from Disney, we’d be enchanted by the quaint and colorful hilltop villages and the fresh taste of the seafood and pasta. We were sure to have some amazing experiences in Cinque Terre.

We hiked; we drank wine, and even though there were plenty of tourists, the atmosphere was relaxed and we had a wonderful time. In some ways, though, maybe in part due to its popularity, it’s helpful to be prepared before you go to this stunning region.

Here are our top ten tips on visiting Cinque Terre and having the absolute best and most memorable time.

The Ligurian coast between Cinque Terre and Portovenere is a cultural landscape of great scenic and cultural value ~ UNESCO World Heritage List Inscription

Vernazza, a small coastal town on the Ligurian coast, is my favorite of the Cinque Terre.

Tips for Cinque Terre

I told a friend that we were driving to Cinque Terre and she told me, “We tried one weekend, but we couldn’t find it.” True story.

The problem is, you see, Cinque Terre is not on the map. You have to know that it is actually a region made up of five coastal towns in the province of Liguria.

The five villages from north to south are Monterosso del Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. So you might need to type one of those into your GPS in order to get there by car.

One – How to Get to Cinque Terre

If you are coming from anywhere in Europe, you will fly into the bigger cities and have to take a train the rest of the way. You can also drive to the region, but keep in mind the entire time you are in Cinque Terre, you will be walking, and parking, where you can drive a car at all, is always at a premium.

What is the Nearest Airport?

The two closest airports are Pisa or Florence, and then you will still have to take a train to get all the way to one of the Cinque Terre towns. Shuttle buses run frequently between the airport and the major train stations in those cities.

Getting to Cinque Terre by Train

If you are going by rail, you should book your train ticket to La Spezia Centrale, which is the largest city near Cinque Terre. From there you will change to a smaller, local train for the town or village that your hotel is in. The rail journey La Spezia to Monterosso al Mare, the furthest Cinque Terre village, is at most a half-hour ride.

Check out the ItaliaRail website for prices and timetables. You can book ahead of time, however, there are plenty of departure times each day. It might be better to wait until you are there.

Train times to Cinque Terre:

  • from Rome = 3-4 hours
  • from Pisa = 45 minutes to 1.5 hours
  • from Florence = around 2 hours
  • from Genoa = about 1 hour
  • from Milan = 3 – 3.5 hours

Driving to Cinque Terre

Most of the villages in the Cinque Terre are not accessible by car. So if you are arriving with your own auto, plan on driving to Bonassola where you can get a comfortable hotel right near the local train station. Park your car and use the train to get around.

Small boat harbor with terrace farms rising the slopes behind in the Cinque Terre.

Two – When is the best time to visit Cinque Terre?

September and October, and here’s why: Thanks to big travel shows and guidebooks, hiking in Cinque Terre is on everyone’s Italy “to-do” list, so the summer months of June – August are very crowded. We went in late October and still couldn’t believe how many people were in the streets and on the hiking trails.

As you can see, July and August are very hot and sweaty, and there are so many people on the trails that you hardly feel like you are hiking, more like crossing a street in New York City.

The fall is the best time to go, from mid-September to early November. The major crowds have died down, and the temperatures are much more temperate and suitable for hiking.

Swimming is an option through October as well. When we went to the beach, there were not many people there, but all of them had been swimming. The water was still warm.

It had been a little rainy and windy, so getting out of the water was a little chilly, but no one seemed to mind too much. They were just ready with their towels.

The train station at Moneterosso.
Monterosso del Mare train station is a good place to start when exploring Cinque Terre.

Three – Where do you stay in Cinque Terre?

The big question for most people is where to stay when visiting Cinque Terre. It’s a difficult one, that’s for sure. Seasonality makes a huge difference.

Even with the summer season and the majority of visitors long gone, the prices in Cinque Terre hotels had still not dropped very much. The best budget travel tip is to stay outside of the five towns that make up Cinque Terre.  

We stayed in the Hotel Pensione Moderne in Bonassola which is a mere eight minutes on the train to Monterosso and only 20 minutes all the way to Riomaggiore.

Every town within the national park was packed full of tourists from all over, America, the UK, Japan, Korea, you name it, but just going that extra stop on the train, the crowds not only thinned out. They were also non-existent.

In our hotel, there were only three other parties, a total of maybe 10 people, and that’s all we saw in the entire town.

We had no trouble getting into a restaurant for dinner, and even better since it was low season the waiters were relaxed and took their time to tell us stories and give us some recipes.

Our hotel provided free, secure parking (a rarity in the region) and was well-situated by the train station.

The local train stops at a Cinque Terre station.

Additional Reading:
Italian Riviera towns: the prettiest spots on Italy’s Ligurian coast
Italy 1 and 2 Week Itinerary – A Solo Backpacker in Italy

Four – Getting Around Cinque Terre

At this point in the post, you probably could have predicted that this was one of the tips. The five towns of Cinque Terre do not allow cars in their centers, and even businesses had to use metal carts to haul their goods from the edge of town on in. 

You wouldn’t want to drive there anyway; there are people everywhere! Another theme of this post…Cinque Terre is a very popular destination!

Even in the late evening, after dinner, there were hundreds of people walking to and from the train stations, along the beach, and in the center of the towns. They were busy. 

Not only that, but here’s a hint. The wine is pretty good. You wouldn’t want to miss out on trying any of the local wines. That would be a pure shame!

The solution? Well, there is the coastal trail linking the towns, but for a more immediate solution take the train. A regional train runs serving all the towns on the Ligurian coast including the Cinque Terre. It is cheap and comfortable.

For instance, the train ride from our hotel in Bonassola to Vernazza takes 16 minutes and cost about 5 euro. These trains run hourly from early morning through about 11:00 P.M.

One other way to get around is the water taxi that runs between Monterosso and Riomaggiore. This is more expensive than the train but definitely worth doing at least once for the views.

Jim climbs stairs on the Cinque Terre trail.
On one of the many steps that are part of the Cinque Terre hiking paths through the national park.

Five – Cinque Terre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and national park – hike it!

You definitely will want to do some or all of the hikes between the towns and enjoy the spectacular views of the towns from the coast. Even people who don’t like to hike should go on the trails between the towns.

There are many different trails, but the one that is by far the most popular is the coastal trail. It is only 11 kilometers in length from start to finish but takes about six hours of walking because of the steepness of the cliffs.

There is also no water once you get on the trail, so bring some with you. It is hot, hot, hot in the summer, so if you are hiking in June, July, or August, start walking very early!

For some reason, I expected the trail to be paved the entire way, which is not the case, so sturdy walking shoes are a must as well.

There is a fee to hike in Cinque Terre. When we were there it was 7.50 Euros per person per day.

The stunning beach at Bonassola.
Monterosso del Mare

Six – The beaches of Cinque Terre are stunning!

It’s very hard to go to an area known for its rugged coastal beauty and not want to go swimming. Somehow, we stayed in a town with one of the most beautiful and accessible beaches, Bonassola.

Other great places to swim would be in Manarola and Riomaggiore. Even if you don’t want to immerse your entire body, it’s pretty difficult to resist the temptation not to take off your shoes and soak your feet for a while.

Check this out for other things to do in Cinque Terre.

Seven – What to eat in Cinque Terre

Before we went, we had heard of the famous Genoese pesto and salted sardines, not to mention the amazing wines made primarily from Vermentino grapes. We couldn’t wait to try them. First, we felt that we should learn how to order food in an Italian restaurant, so we did learn a couple of phrases. 

Even though I’d never before been a pesto fan, the Ligurian variety made me change my tune. It was amazing. I ordered it twice during the weekend because it was so delicious.

According to our waiter in the quiet little town of Bonassola, the basil grown in the Ligurian region has been recognized with the distinction of having European protection of DOP (Protected Denomination of Origin). This is due to the soil, climate, and cultivation practices. The Ligurian coast makes this the absolute best place for growing basil. I don’t know about all that, but I do know I loved it!

Doria Castle on the cliffs above Vernazza.
Vernazza from the hiking path.

Eight – Cinque Terre on a Budget

Well-visited sights are not the best for frugal travelers, but there are a few ways to enjoy the Cinque Terre on a budget. We already mentioned staying outside of the national park, and that will save you quite a bit of money from the get-go. Yes, you’ll have to take the train more often, but that won’t even come close to the money you’ll save on accommodations.

Sunset behind a medieval Cinque Terre clock tower.

In the outer towns, there are more grocery stores, and you can also buy some great local sausage and bread or sardines to have a Ligurian picnic on your walk. If a picnic is not your thing, then within the Cinque Terre, there are also plenty of walk-up food windows serving amazing pizza, paninis, and even seafood.

No, there aren’t any fast food chains, but you can still eat for only a few Euros if you only give up sitting down at a restaurant. The Italians charge a table fee of 1-3 Euros per person even without ordering. So, when you do eat, it’s cheaper to stand.

Nine – Cinque Terre Photo Tips

While you are on the hiking trails, you do get some amazing views. Just remember that there are lots of people all vying for that same shot. The good thing is there will always be someone to take a photo of you and your partner without having to do a selfie!

The best shot, though, of any of the towns is from the water.

Vernazza from the water taxi.
Vernazza from the water taxi

Luckily, there is a water taxi that goes from Riomaggiore all the way to Monterosso and back, that you can take and get those views for a bargain. Buy your tickets at any of the boat taxi kiosks in all of the five towns.

Many people do use these boats as a means for getting between the towns, and of course, you can do this as well, but each time you get off you will pay a higher price than if you just take the train or stay on the boat for the entire ride. This allows you to get stunning shots of each of the towns.

To get the best results, put your camera on sports mode or if you are shooting with a DSLR, increase your shutter speed to at least 1/800 to stop the movement of the boat. A longer lens will do better here since the boat cannot hug the shore.

Many, many people ride the taxis, so it’s a good idea if you get in a long line and you make it to the front, let everyone else pass you on that run and take the next boat so you will have your choice of seats.

Colorful sunset from a Cinque Terre beach.
Cinque Terre sunsets are the best!

Ten – The absolute best part of Cinque Terre is the sunsets!  

With the sunset, timing is everything! If you aren’t outside walking along the beach or sitting on a sea wall, make sure that you are in a good spot with a view. The sunsets are amazing, so colorful with loads of pinks and purples.

There are plenty of restaurants with balconies and viewpoints, but of course, those are premium spots, so if you just eat before or after sunset you will be much, much happier!

One of the best parts about is how close it is to other stunning parts of the country. They question is where do you want to go Siena or Florence? Lucca or Genoa? It’s up to you.

Have you been to Cinque Terre? Do you have any tips or advice to share with us?

Author Bio: Corinne Vail is a travel photographer, food lover, and a perpetual traveler who has been travel writing for over 14 years. For many years she lived overseas in Germany, Japan, Turkey, South Korea, and the Netherlands teaching the children of the US. military. She’s visited over 90 countries, and she’s not stopping anytime soon.

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10 Best Tips for Cinque Terre.

Chris Vasilopoulos

Thursday 11th of July 2019

Isn't Italian Riviera a fantastic destination? That chain of such beautiful coastal villages is alluring! You can spend lots of days just cruising and hiking.

Bartolo

Friday 5th of April 2019

Hi, I'm a resident of region Liguria. I like to visit the lovely spots of my own region. But I'm really disappointed by Cinque Terre in the last years. Many places in Liguria region are attractive for tourists already from the second half of the 1800s. But I think that the actual situation in Cinque Terre is a complete madness. The villages are completely turned to mass tourism and any activity or presence other than mass tourism is discouraged. I can't understand: the villages are all packed of tourists maybe 10 month a year. You can barely walk the streets. The train stations are crowded. More than all it seems to be any where in the world. I mean for example : the staff in the ubiquitous souvenir shops and restaurants approach you by speaking directly in English without trying to figure out where you come from. There is no real danger of "culture shock" in this kind of place for a traveler. So I wonder: Why do people go there? Do they want to visit Italy ? What do you mean "to visit" ? Maybe just to physically stay in Italy. In the end that place could be a theme park in another part of Italy or in Europe. Why do people come from the other side of the world to hear her language spoken ? Why eat something you can eat at home and be trapped in a large crowd ? Maybe people are only interested in the landscapes. The funny thing is that coloful groups of buildings and little harbours can exists only thanks to paths and terraces. Villages are not the result of a natural process but the result of hard farming work of residents. If no real community build and maintain these structures, how Long Will Cinque Terre Survive in the future?

Ermitage Jewelers

Thursday 19th of May 2016

Oh! These pictures are so stunning! Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to visit this beautiful place again. Cinque Terre is my never changing muse since I first visited it in 2006.

Corinne Vail

Thursday 19th of May 2016

Greg, I loved CT! I had never been and it was someplace I was ready to be disappointed in, but thankfully wasn't! Thanks for stopping by!

Sri Kri

Monday 28th of March 2016

Great tips with lovely shots making us to add to our wish-list.Thanks for sharing. :) Cheers, Sriram & Krithiga

Corinne Vail

Monday 28th of March 2016

Sriram, Thank you for stopping by.

Voyager

Friday 25th of March 2016

Your post and the pictures do ample justice to this lovely place and your tips pack in a lot of useful information.

Corinne Vail

Friday 25th of March 2016

Thanks! We loved out time in CT.