CINQUE TERRE ITALY TRAVEL GUIDE: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

This is my second time visiting Cinque Terre, Italy! It’s such a unique and charming area that everyone loves! It has become overcrowded in the last couple of years but it’s still worth a visit, but during late Spring or late Summer. Here is my Cinque Terre travel guide on everything you need to know.

If you plan to visit Cinque Terre and other areas of Italy I suggest deciding if you want to explore the south or north first. My first time visiting Cinque Terre was with Ryan in 2004 and we went to Milan, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Rome. This time around we went north and started at Cinque Terre, Portofino, Milan, Dolomites, and Venice.

CINQUE TERRE TRAVEL GUIDE

HOW TO GET TO CINQUE TERRE

Cinque Terre is located in the Liguria region along a seaside of 5 villages along the Italian Riviera. Each town is unique, colorful with amazing views. You can easily do a day trip and take a train from Florence which is what we did during our first trip but it was a bit too quick. This time, I spent 2 full days here and it gave us a lot more time to explore the towns and enjoy them. I do suggest 3 days if you can.

The nearest airports are Genoa, Pisa, Rome, Florence, Nice, and Milan by mainline trains. Italy is really easy to get around by train and I used trainline to buy all my tickets since it has an app, and makes it super convenient. During this trip, I landed in Milan and took a train to Cinque Terre with transfers.

The best way to get around within Cinque Terre is by train. If you’re a hiker, there are trails that connect each town but be prepared some can be a bit of a workout. Each ticket is around €5 for a single journey.

BEST TIME TO VISIT CINQUE TERRE

Cinque Terre is known to be busy most of the time. I suggest avoiding the summer months and visiting either in May or September during the shoulder season. I visited both times during these months and it was still a bit busy but not overly crowded.

WHERE TO STAY IN CINQUE TERRE

My friends and I stayed in La Spezia which is a town just a stop away from Cinque Terre. It was not too bad but since we were unable to find any accommodations in the towns we opted for an Airbnb in La Spezia. If you can, I would recommend the below apartments:

Mada Charm Apartments Jacuzzi, Mada Charm Apartments Terrace, Mada Charm Apartments Piazza, and Hotel Gianni Franzi located in Vernazza. Other towns to stay in are Riomaggiore or Monterosso al Mare.

THE FIVE TOWNS OF CINQUE TERRE: WHAT TO DO AND EAT

RIOMAGGIORE

Riomaggiore is the first stop on the train for La Spezia and a great town to start first. It’s known for the famous Lover’s Lane or Via dell’Amore trail that leads to Manarola. From what I’ve read it’s currently closed due to a landslide and has plans to re-open in 2024.

WHERE TO EAT: A Pie de Ma, Enoteca Dau Cila, Tutti Fritti for fried seafood in cones!

MANAROLA

Manarola is one of my favorite towns! It’s one of the most picturesque of all the towns! When visiting Manarola there are plenty of great photo opportunities. Head up to the church for a nice view!

WHERE TO EAT: Nessun Dorma: The most popular restaurant with a view. The wait here is very long, I suggest going to the restaurant to put your name down first and then explore the town for an hour or so before your table is ready. It’s totally worth it! What to order: Brushetta!

Trattoria Dal Billy and Il Porticciolo are great options too!

MONTEROSSO AL MARE

I did not get to visit this town during this trip but did visit my first time around briefly. This is the only town in Cinque Terre with a sandy beach so it’s great for beach lovers!

WHERE TO EAT: L’ancora della Tortuga, Ritorante Belvedere, La Cantina di Miky

CORNIGLIA

Corniglia is on a hill and not right on the water like the other towns. There are quite a lot of stairs to climb to get here or pay for a bus to bring. you to the very top.

VERNAZZA

Vernazza is also my top favorite town to visit! It’s super colorful with lots of great restaurants and has its own church that is free to visit. Vernazza has one of the most famous viewpoints that everyone takes photos of. It’s along the hiking trail from Vernazza to Monterosso and costs €7.50 to enter the trail.

As mentioned above, this is a great town to base your stay in.

WHERE TO EAT: Ristorante Belforte is an old fortress that turned into a restaurant with an award-winning squid ink pasta! I highly recommend making reservations!

Portofino is an hour and a half by train, and a great day trip if you have time! My friends and I went from Cinque Terre to Portofino for 2 nights and loved it! It’s a very small town but it was quite relaxing. You can read about our full 10-day itinerary through Cinque Terre, Portofino, Milan, Dolomites, and Venice here.

I hope this guide was helpful in planning your next trip to Cinque Terre!