Guide to the 5 Towns of Cinque Terre – Which One is Best?

Adventurous Kate2 weeks ago

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guide-to-the-5-towns-of-cinque-terre-–-which-one-is-best? — Guide to the 5 Towns of Cinque Terre – Which One is Best?

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Cinque Terre is one of the most picturesque regions in Italy. These steep, colorful fishing villages perched on seaside cliffs of the Italian Riviera will take your breath away!

There are 5 towns of Cinque Terre: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Here you’ll find my recommendations for all five towns, plus the unofficial “sixth town” of Portovenere, Italy.

I’ve been visiting Italy extensively for decades, but it took awhile before I actually made it to Cinque Terre.

Still, it was absolutely worth the wait! It’s truly one of the most beautiful places in Italy.

Although these towns were once quiet fishing villages, Cinque Terre has become a popular tourist destination in Italy with more than three million visitors per year. That is bonkers when you consider that the villages have a population of 3,500 people total!

Rainbow-hued buildings, amazing sea views, scenic hiking trails, wine from local vineyards, fresh seafood, and glittering blue water are just some of the highlights of visiting Cinque Terre. They are quite deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This area is an immensely popular destination for day trippers, but the best way to experience Cinque Terre is to base yourself somewhere along the coast and spend a few days exploring the region.

A lot of people assume that Cinque Terre is a monolith — but that’s not true. Each town has a VERY strong personality, making it distinct from its neighbors.

So what is there to do in each of the Cinque Terre villages? I can’t wait to show you the best of these charming little towns.

This post was published in September 2024 and was co-written by Adventurous Kate and Dale Peterson.

Monterosso al Mare is the beach town of Cinque Terre.

Monterosso al Mare

Monterosso al Mare is the largest of the Cinque Terre towns, and where you should go if you’re looking to lounge on the beach.

I find that lots of travelers assume that Cinque Terre is a beach destination, but this isn’t the truth — most of the “beaches” are a teeny-tiny swath of sand in a small harbor, filled with fishing boats, like Vermazza, or nothing but a cement ramp leading into the sea, like in Riomaggiore. Corniglia doesn’t even have waterfront access.

But Monterosso al Mare? THAT is your beach destination. This town is home to a proper sandy beach lined with beach chairs and its famous orange and green-striped umbrellas.

During the summer months, this long stretch of beach gets packed, so arrive early if you want to claim a beach umbrella and spot on the sand.

Having a beach day at Monterosso al Mare is one of the best things to do in Cinque Terre, and I highly recommend setting aside some time for this if you have a few days or longer to spend here. There are plenty of restaurants and vendors near the waterfront where you can grab a bite to eat.

Another cool activity to try in Monterosso is kayaking. This kayaking and snorkeling tour is a good way to get out on the water and explore the beautiful Ligurian coastline.

In addition to the beach, Monterosso is where the famous Blue Trail begins. This hiking trail connects all five villages of Cinque Terre, but some of the later segments remain closed for maintenance. The section from Monterosso to Vernazza is open, and it’s a lovely 2.25-mile hike on a scenic coastal trail that takes approximately 90 minutes to complete.

In order to access the Blue Trail, you’ll need to purchase the Cinque Terre Trekking Card, which costs 7.50 EUR ($8 USD) for one day, although it’s 15 EUR ($16 USD) on select peak season days.

You can also purchase the Cinque Terre Train Card, which I recommend. This includes unlimited access to train and bus transportation in Cinque Terre for one day, plus access to the hiking trails. This card costs between 19.50 EUR ($21 USD) and 32.50 EUR ($35 USD) depending on the season.

Vernazza is one of the prettiest towns of Cinque Terre.

Vernazza

You’ll recognize Vernazza the moment you see it — the scenic views of the town from above is one of the most famous images of Cinque Terre. If you’re willing to hike up a little bit, you can get some excellent photos of this town.

One of the most iconic aerial views of Vernazza can be seen from the Blue Trail, approaching the town as you come from the direction of Monterosso al Mare. This is a great spot to take photos at golden hour before the sun sets.

If you prefer to enjoy a nice view without having to hike (and over a plate of fresh seafood and a cold glass of local wine instead), head to Ristorante Bar La Torre. This is one of the most popular restaurants in Vernazza and if you’re coming in peak season, you should definitely make a reservation in advance.

Another spot for excellent views is from the ruins of Doria Tower. Located near the harbor of Vernazza, this tower and a few fortifying walls are all that’s left of a medieval fortress that once provided a lookout over the water. There’s a 2 EUR ($2 USD) entry fee if you want to climb all the way to the tower.

The harbor is a popular place to hang out in Vernazza, and in the summer you can always find people sunbathing on the nearby rocks and swimming in the water. Just know that this isn’t nearly as good of a beach as you’ll find in Monterosso.

There are plenty of charming, colorful streets to explore in the town, and you’ll enjoy getting lost in the streets.

Vernazza is also a great place for tasting local wines. You’ll notice steeply terraced vineyards throughout Cinque Terre, and you can’t leave without trying some of the region’s wine.

This is a highly rated wine tasting tour that involves trekking through some of Vernazza’s panoramic vineyards before enjoying some local wines and snacks.

Corniglia is one of the lesser-known towns of the Cinque Terre.

Corniglia

Corniglia is the least-visited of the five towns in Cinque Terre. It’s also the smallest village, with a population of only around 200 people, and it’s the only town without sea access. Many people skip Corniglia on a day trip to Cinque Terre because it doesn’t have the same “wow factor” as the other villages.

However, if you have the time, I think it’s worth stopping in Corniglia. Unlike the other villages of Cinque Terre, the Corniglia train station isn’t actually close to the center of town. Corniglia is located far above the train station, so you’ll have to climb almost 400 stairs to get there!

There’s also a shuttle bus that regularly runs between the train station and the old town, which I strongly recommend. It’s a long uphill walk otherwise. If you have the Cinque Terre Train Card, it includes access to this bus. Otherwise, tickets are 1.50 EUR ($1.65 USD) and you can purchase them at the train station.

Once you make it up to the town, you can spend some time wandering the narrow streets or grabbing a bite to eat. Ristorante La Posada is a popular restaurant in this village, known for its fresh seafood and spectacular views.

Corniglia is also a good place to start several hikes. You can walk on the Blue Trail from Corniglia to Vernazza, a 2-mile hike that takes about 75 minutes to complete. (You could also continue on from Vernazza to Monterosso al Mare, another 90 minutes.)

Although the Blue Trail from Corniglia to Manarola in the opposite direction is currently closed for several years due to landslides, you can take the alternate high route through steep hills, terraced vineyards, and olive tree groves.

This route also takes you through Volastra, an incredible, tiny hilltop village high above the five towns. The total route from Corniglia to Manarola is 3.1 miles and takes 2.5 hours.

Everyone wants to get this famous photo of the rocky cliffs of Cinque Terre!

Manarola

Yet another picture-perfect Cinque Terre village, you’ll fall in love with the beauty of Manarola — especially if you come at sunset. With candy-colored houses clustered together and perched above the sea, this village is a photographer’s dream.

One of the best viewpoints in Manarola is easily accessible from the center of town. Walk towards the harbor and turn right where there’s a path along the cliffs above the waterfront. Looking back towards the village, you can get an amazing view of the colorful houses and the harbor, which is usually filled with swimmers and sunbathers.

This is also where you’ll find Nessun Dorma, the perfect place to stop for a drink or a bite to eat. This little restaurant, just a short walk from the town center, is named after a famous Italian opera serves local dishes and offers an unbeatable view of Manarola.

They don’t take reservations and it can get crowded, especially during the summer, so I recommend going right when they open to avoid a long wait.

Manarola is also a great town for wine tasting, and there are many vineyards nearby. This informative tour covers the history of winemaking in Cinque Terre and allows you to sample three local wines, along with some tasty snacks.

If you want to swim, you still won’t find a proper beach here, but the harbor of Manarola is better for swimming because there usually aren’t many boats in it like there are in Vernazza or Riomaggiore.

Despite Manarola being in the middle of the towns of Cinque Terre, I recommend saving this one for last, because the sunset light combined with the restaurant visit is just perfect.

The dramatic town of Riomaggiore is a great place to spend your time.

Riomaggiore

Riomaggiore is the southernmost of Cinque Terre’s five charming villages. It features brightly colored buildings centered around a harbor where you can swim or lounge on the rocks and enjoy the sunshine. The village is full of narrow, hilly streets perfect for exploring.

I should let you know that Riomaggiore feels like the steepest of the Cinque Terre towns — sometimes it takes quite an effort to climb up the hills! For that reason, I wouldn’t recommend staying here, especially with rolling luggage.

Although it’s not much of a beach, there is a rocky cove in Riomaggiore that’s a popular spot for swimming. To reach the cove, walk towards the harbor then turn left and follow the path along the waterfront. It’s a good idea to bring water shoes if you’re swimming here (or anywhere else on the Italian Riviera).

From Riomaggiore, it’s possible to walk to Manarola on the Via dell’Amore beginning in July 2024. This segment of the Blue Trail was closed for more than a decade due to landslides and overtourism, but it’s finally reopening to visitors.

At just 1.2 miles, this is the easiest Cinque Terre “hike” you can do — it’s not even much of a hike since it’s on a flat, paved pathway. The total time for walking from Riomaggiore to Manarola along this path is approximately 30 minutes.

Like the rest of the hikes in Cinque Terre, you’ll need to purchase either the Cinque Terre Trekking Card or the Cinque Terre Train Card (which includes transportation plus access to the hiking trails) if you want to do it. There are checkpoints where you’ll need to show your ticket, especially during the high season when the hiking trails get more crowded.

Portovenere: not officially part of the Cinque Terre, but close enough!

Portovenere

Portovenere is the unofficial sixth town of Cinque Terre. Located south of Riomaggiore and La Spezia, this town isn’t accessible by train like the others are, but I think it’s still worth the effort to visit, especially if you have extra time in the region.

To get to Portovenere, you can take a 30-minute bus ride from the city of La Spezia. In the summer, you can also take a ferry from La Spezia, Riomaggiore, or other Cinque Terre towns.

(On my last visit, I took the ferry boat from Riomaggiore to Portovenere, then took the bus to La Spezia, then the train back to Manarola for sunset.)

Like the five towns of Cinque Terre, Portovenere is a colorful fishing village with pretty rainbow-colored buildings lining the waterfront. You’ll actually find a couple of beaches in Portovenere — they aren’t spectacular, but they offer a flat surface to stretch out and sunbathe before taking a dip in the clear blue Ligurian Sea.

The town is also a nice place for a stroll. If you’re up for a gelato break, I really enjoyed the lemon basil sorbetto at Gelateria Artigianale La Pitonetta.

One of the best viewpoints in Portovenere is the Grotta di Lord Byron, named for the English poet who was inspired by this gorgeous town. Not only is this a great place to stroll around or watch the sunset from, but it’s also a popular swimming spot.

While in Portovenere, you can get out on the water on a boat tour like this that includes dinner and drinks while you watch the sunset over the Ligurian Sea.

Trains and boats are the two main ways to get around Cinque Terre.

How to Get Around Cinque Terre

The best way to get around Cinque Terre is to take the train. The train connects the five towns and runs fairly often.

You should purchase the Cinque Terre Card, which is the easiest way to get around by train. This includes unlimited access to train and bus transportation in Cinque Terre for one day, plus access to the hiking trails.

This card costs between 19.50 EUR ($21 USD) and 32.50 EUR ($35 USD) depending on the season.

Beyond that, the train connects to destinations outside the Cinque Terre. If you’re exploring the Italian Riviera, you can easily connect to destinations like Rapallo, Camogli, and Genoa. I stayed in Rapallo, which made it very easy.

And if you’re heading south toward Tuscany, the city of La Spezia is on the eastern end of Cinque Terre is a hub where you can change trains to Pisa, Florence, Bologna, or wherever else you’re heading next.

Another way to get around is to take the boats. The boats run along a line between Monterosso al Mare and Portovenere, with some boats extending beyond to La Spezia in the east and Levanto in the west.

Traveling by ferry is also a way to enjoy panoramic views of the towns that you can’t get from land.

The boat is the easy way to get from the Cinque Terre towns to Portovenere, as it has no train station — but be sure to double-check the boat schedules so you can actually get back!

And finally, there’s hiking from town to town. This can be an excellent and rewarding way to explore Cinque Terre, but I recommend that you avoid this during the hottest days of summer — or at least restrict your summer hiking to early in the day.

Hiking conditions have changed over the years, with some popular trails being blocked by mudslides. Be sure to check local conditions when you arrive.

You can purchase Cinque Terre Trekking Card, which costs 7.50 EUR ($8 USD) for one day, although it’s 15 EUR ($16 USD) on select peak season days.

Once again, I urge you not to bring a car to Cinque Terre. If you’re visiting Cinque Terre as part of a longer Italy road trip, park your car somewhere convenient during your time here.

Can You Visit All 5 Towns of Cinque Terre in One Day?

You can absolutely visit all five Cinque Terre towns in a single day, AND add on Portovenere for good measure. But this will only work if you’re staying close by. You can’t do everything on a long-distance day trip from Florence or Milan.

I recommend the following schedule:

Start your day early in Monterosso al Mare
Either hike or take the train to Vernazza
Explore Vernazza; have lunch if you’re hungry
Take the train to Corniglia and shuttle bus to the town
Explore Corniglia; have lunch here if you didn’t in Vernazza
Take the shuttle bus to the train station and train to Riomaggiore
Explore Riomaggiore
Take the boat to Portovenere (double-check the schedule first!!)
Explore Portovenere
Take the boat to Manarola
Enjoy sunset views and dinner in Manarola

This is a pretty busy schedule; it also doesn’t give you time for a swim, unless you want a really quick swim.

My advice? Choose how you want to spend your day in advance. Be realistic over whether you’re up for hiking and whether you’d actually want beach time. Double-check the boat schedules.

And enjoy every minute of it!

Monterosso is my recommendation for where to stay in Cinque Terre.

Where To Stay in Cinque Terre

Many people only visit Cinque Terre on a day trip, but it’s worth staying overnight in one of the towns. I love overnighting in day trip destinations — they empty out in the evening once all the day trippers leave, leaving time for you to explore in peace and enjoy a leisurely dinner as you watch the sunset.

If you want to stay within Cinque Terre, I strongly recommend staying in the town of Monterosso al Mare. Why Monterosso? This town is the flattest and it’s easiest for lugging your bags! Plus, you have the best beach by far.

I would caution you against staying in the other towns, particularly Riomaggiore (most of all) and Vernazza, due to how steep they are. Climbing those hills with luggage would be my idea of hell.

And Corniglia requires taking the bus from the train station, or walking up the long, steep hill, so I wouldn’t want to do that over and over.

That said — it’s totally your decision to make. I’ve had friends stay on top of a steep hill in Riomaggiore and they LOVED every minute of it. If you do that, pack light!

Here are the top-rated hotels in Monterosso al Mare, at different price points:

Top-Rated Luxury Hotel in Cinque Terre: Hotel Porto Roca is a splurge-worthy place to stay with amazing sea views and an infinity pool. It’s a five-minute walk to the center of Monterosso al Mare.
Top-Rated Mid-Range Hotel in Cinque Terre: If you’re looking for a conveniently located hotel in Cinque Terre, Hotel Villa Adriana is a great choice. It’s located just minutes away from the beach and train station in Monterosso al Mare.
Top-Rated Budget Hotel in Cinque Terre: For a budget-friendly stay in Monterosso al Mare, check out Albergo Al Carugio. This simple and comfortable guest house is steps away from the beach and the center of town.
Find deals on places to stay in Monterosso al Mare here.

Camogli: a nice, local alternative to Cinque Terre.

What about staying outside Cinque Terre? You can do that! I did that! It will save you the extra cost of staying in the villages, too.

I based myself in the town of Rapallo, which was a 44-minute direct ride from Cinque Terre, and a much more typical getaway town for Italians than international tourists. (In other words, it’s a bit rough around the edges, but a fun city with great food and cool aperitivo bars!)

Another great option would be the town of Camogli, which is definitely prettier than Rapallo and has a gorgeous black sand beach. Camogli is a bit further away (one hour by train) but it makes another great base for exploring the Italian Riviera.

Wherever you choose to stay in the Cinque Terre region, there is SO much to see in the Italian Riviera! Some other great places are Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino, and even the port city of Genoa.

Is Cinque Terre worth it?

Of course visiting Cinque Terre is worth it! Whether you come for just a day or a weeklong stay, there is so much to offer here.

But trust me — try to visit as many of the towns as you can. Each of them are special and so different. Who knows which one you’ll fall in love with the most?

I hope you have the most wonderful visit to Cinque Terre!

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