Overview
Cinque Terre is a famous region in Liguria, northwest of Italy. The term itself means Five Lands because part of this site are five picturesque fisherman towns: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. Cinque Terre is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site including the five towns and the areas between them. The coast is mostly with cliffs that overlook the Ligurian Sea. In this Travel Guide named 5 towns of Cinque Terre, you can find great hints for visiting the well-known towns and their surroundings.
5 Cinque Terre towns are as below:
- Riomaggiore
- Manarola
- Corniglia
- Vernazza
- Monterosso al Mare
Riomaggiore
Manarola
Vernazza
Monterosso al Mare
We visited four out of five Cinque Terre towns because we moved around by ferry and unfortunately Corniglia is not accessible from the sea.
What to do and see in 5 towns of Cinque Terre
Five towns except for Monterosso al Mare, are small, compact and with narrow paths between the buildings. This unique architecture made them so special and known worldwide and wandering through the alleys is the main activity to do when there. Enjoy the colourful buildings right on the coast of the Ligurian Sea, while eating ice cream or enjoying a pizza. Sunbathing would be better at Monterosso al Mare since the two parts of the town offer a wide space for laying on the beach. Corniglia has a small place to access the beach, right at the port but can be very uncomfortable. A good idea would be to visit the Church of St. Margaret of Antioch (Chiesa di Santa Margherita di Antiochia) in Vernazza. Access to the church is easy since it is located close to the Vernazza’s Port.
Hiking in Cinque Terre, Liguria is a perfect activity. The well-marked paths go through the hills, along the coast, offering a great viewpoint of the National Park. Unfortunately, we were short on time and could not hike, but if you have some days planned, go for it. Depending on your fitness level, you can make a short path or the complete itinerary.
Wandering through the narrow paths of 5 towns of Cinque Terre, sunbathing, especially in Monterosso al Mare and hiking are the best things to do while in Cinque Terre.
When to visit
5 towns of Cinque Terre are a very popular tourist destination and the advice number one I would give to you is to avoid going there in summer. Unless you want to be all the time surrounding with crowds of people, don’t go in July or August. You will have to wait in a long queue for taking a service, in a restaurant, at the ferry port etc. Also, the towns are small and don’t have enough space for the number of tourists that visit them.
A pleasant time to visit the towns is in May. You have good weather, not many crowds and convenient prices. Normally a great time would be September also, but not for Cinque Terre. The high season there continues almost till the end of September. October is good for hiking and visiting the towns but I think for sunbathing it can be cold. If you have flexible work, May would be a great choice to enjoy the Ligurian coast.
How to go and move around
The nearest airport to reach Cinque Terre is Genova City Airport but if your city does not have a connection with Genoa then in Northern Italy are plenty of other aeroports in nearby cities such as Bologna, Florence or Milan. Moving around with a car is limited because of the terrain and better options are train and ferry. Trenitalia is the official website of rail transport in Italy. The regional train has stops at the Cinque Terre towns, while long-distance trains have stops at the nearby city of La Spezia. We choose the ferry, as the easiest way to hop from one town to another.
Where to stay
The fishermen’s villages have accommodation types such as apartments, hotels and vacation homes. You can stay within Cinque Terre or choose another city close and move around by train or ferry. We chose Camogli to stay but a good idea would be La Spezia since it is closer.
What to eat
I think is worldwide known that Italy is a food paradise. I don’t know how but everything there is delicious and Cinque Terre with Ligurian cuisine, is not an exception. Apart from pizza, ice cream and spritz, the region has some delicious street food that we enjoyed a lot. Farinata di Ceci and Focaccia are easy recipes but yet so yummy. Don’t skip them while you are around and want a snack during the day.
Necessary accessories for your trip to 5 towns of Cinque Terre
The Liguria Region has many sunny days during the year and normally from April to October, days with sun are plenty. The main accessories to protect yourself are suncream, sunglasses, a hat, a longarm light shirt, summer sandals and a backpack. Bring a camera or smartphone to create memories. A reusable water bottle is a must and a small one is enough because you can refill at the drinkable fountains in Cinque Terre. These cover a visit only to towns. If you plan on hiking, additional accessories are needed for the trip such as hiking shoes, trekking poles, hiking clothes, maps (online or printed) and snacks.
Costs of the 5 Cinque Terre towns
Here I am going to give the costs for travelling per person in a day, excluding the flight. Keep in mind that in peak season the costs can arise above the values shown below. Depending on what type of traveller you are, the total costs per day are as follows: backpacker 70 €, mid-range traveller 150 € and 300 € or more for the luxury traveller. Planning your trip ahead, travelling light and choosing an affordable accommodation help you to keep the costs under control and enjoy the trip.
The 5 towns of Cinque Terre are a great travel mission and offer a wide range of activities. Enjoy your time in this corner of Italy and feel free to ask us in the comments below. Happy Travelling!
