In a nutshell
- This guide covers all five villages, the best beaches, hiking trails, and how to get around — so you can plan your visit to Cinque Terre without the guesswork.
- Vernazza and Manarola are the most beautiful of the five villages — but the others are absolutely worth seeing too.
- You can hike from village to village, ride the Cinque Terre Express, or see the coast on a boat tour. Getting around by car is more hassle than it’s worth.
- Hotels are limited, but there are some seriously charming guesthouses. Our top pick is Casa Catò in Vernazza — every room has ocean views.
What is the Cinque Terre National Park?
Cinque Terre literally translates to Five Lands. It refers to five fishing villages located close to one another along the northwestern coast of Italy.
From north to south, the villages are named:
The villages look like they’re straight out of a storybook — colorful little houses stacked tightly on top of each other along the cliffs.
Add in the surrounding vineyards and the steeply dropping coastline, and the landscape is so extraordinary that the entire area has been designated a national park.
Cinque Terre Map: Where is Cinque Terre?
Cinque Terre sits in the Italian region of Liguria, stretching along roughly 12 kilometers of coastline.
The nearest city is La Spezia — you can reach Cinque Terre from there in just ten minutes.
Genoa, the capital of Liguria, is about 1.5 hours away, and Florence is around 2.5 hours.
On the map below, we’ve marked all five villages:
The Five Cinque Terre Villages
Monterosso al Mare
Monterosso al Mare is the northernmost and largest village in Cinque Terre.
It has the most accommodation options and the biggest beach in the area.
The town splits into two distinct parts: the historic center with its narrow alleyways, trattorias, and colorful little houses, and the more modern side of Monterosso.
From here, you can walk to the next village, Vernazza, via two hiking trails through vineyards and olive groves.
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Vernazza
Vernazza is widely considered the most beautiful village in Cinque Terre — and honestly, it’s easy to see why.
You’ve almost certainly seen photos of it: colorful little houses clustered around a tiny harbor, a watchtower perched on a rocky outcrop above the sea, and steep mountains on all sides.
With around 800 residents, you can comfortably see the whole place in one to two hours.
Don’t skip the walk up to the viewpoint on Via Brigate Partigiane — it gives you the best panorama of the village.
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Corniglia
Corniglia is the smallest village in Cinque Terre. Only about 250 people live here, and it’s the only one without a harbor.
That’s because Corniglia sits at roughly 100 meters above sea level — the cliffs are simply too steep for a harbor to exist.
The standout here is the Santa Maria viewing terrace. From this vantage point you can look out over the entire Cinque Terre coastline, and on a clear day you can even spot Corsica.
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Manarola
Manarola is another scene you’ve probably spotted in a magazine or on Instagram.
Interlocking houses stack up along the cliff face, there’s a small harbor, plenty of little restaurants, and even a few swimming spots.
The real highlight of Manarola, though, is the lovers’ path — the Via dell’Amore. This roughly 1-kilometer trail connects Manarola with Riomaggiore and is considered the most beautiful and spectacular hiking trail in Cinque Terre.
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Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore is the southernmost of the five villages and also one of the largest.
Like Monterosso, it has a solid infrastructure — you’ll find some lovely places to stay, restaurants, shops, and sights.
There’s an old castle ruin, a small pebble beach, and a harbor. This is also where the Via dell’Amore ends — though you can just as easily start the walk here.
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Where to Stay in Cinque Terre
Finding a great hotel in Cinque Terre isn’t straightforward — many properties have pretty dated interiors.
That said, we’ve tracked down three standout places with a top location and stylish design:
Casa Catò: a small boutique hotel with six rooms, right on the harbor in Vernazza. Every room has sea views, and we think the higher price tag is absolutely worth it!
I Tibei: a guesthouse in Monterosso. Genuinely good value for Cinque Terre, and just a few steps from the beach.
Stellio: in Riomaggiore, a perfect blend of historic building and modern design, with windows overlooking the sea. The minibar is included!
For more detailed lodging tips, check out our full Cinque Terre hotel recommendations.
Extra Tip: Staying in La Spezia
La Spezia is the nearest city — just ten minutes from Cinque Terre National Park — and accommodation here is much cheaper than in the villages themselves.
Our tip: La Casa dei Treni, conveniently close to La Spezia’s train station. From here you can quickly hop on the Cinque Terre Express, which runs every half hour to all five villages.
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Things to Do in Cinque Terre
Exploring the Hiking Trails
Cinque Terre National Park has a total of 48 hiking trails covering more than 120 kilometers.
All five villages are connected on foot. The most popular route runs between Monterosso, Vernazza, and Corniglia — also known as the Blue Trail. During high season, this trail charges an admission fee.
All other trails are always free.
Before you set out, check online which trails are currently open. Landslides happen in winter and can close sections without much warning.
Taking a Boat Tour
Especially in Monterosso — but also in other villages — you can rent boats or kayaks or join guided boat tours along the entire coastline.
It gives you a completely different perspective on the villages. In summer, it’s also a great way to snorkel and swim away from the tourist crowds.
Here are a few great boat tours in Cinque Terre:
Cinque Terre Boat Tour from La Spezia
Cinque Terre Kayak Tour from Monterosso
Private Sunset Boat Tour with Locals from Riomaggiore
Dining at a Restaurant with a View
In Cinque Terre, restaurants compete hard for the best views. But watch out: many places in the villages are super touristy and the food is just average.
We’ve picked out the spots that not only have a great outlook but are also where the locals actually eat — always a good sign!
- Nessun Dorma: a seriously popular wine bar in Manarola. People come all the way from La Spezia just to eat here. The view is absolutely insane!
- L’Ancora della Tortuga: an elegant seafood restaurant in Monterosso with an outdoor terrace overlooking the sea. Perfect for a romantic dinner.
- Rio Bistrot: small but excellent, with a terrace facing the harbor. Honestly the best restaurant in Riomaggiore!
The Most Beautiful Beaches in Cinque Terre
Much of Cinque Terre’s coastline is rocky and not suitable for swimming. Here and there you’ll find small swimming coves, but they fill up very quickly in summer.
These are the best spots for a swim:
- Monterosso Beach: the largest sandy beach in Cinque Terre. There’s a free section with showers and a beach umbrella rental.
- Vernazza Beach: a small sandy cove right at the harbor. You can also spread out on the surrounding rocks if you can find a spot!
- Riomaggiore Beach: a small cove with a pebble beach. Some of the stones are quite large, so bring water shoes.
You’ll also find a beautiful sandy beach in Sestri Levante, just north of Cinque Terre. In our opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful beaches in Italy.
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Getting There: How to Reach Cinque Terre
The most convenient gateway to Cinque Terre is flying into Pisa. You can easily combine this with a stopover to explore the sights of Pisa — a day is plenty.
From Pisa, you can continue to Cinque Terre by train or rental car. The journey takes about 1.5 hours.
By train, you’ll need to transfer in La Spezia and hop on the Cinque Terre Express.
Cinque Terre Express
The local train — the Cinque Terre Express — connects all five villages and is by far the easiest way to get around.
It departs from La Spezia and reaches the first village, Riomaggiore, in under ten minutes. From village to village it’s then only a few minutes by train.
The train runs every half hour, so you never have to wait long.
Cinque Terre by Car
You can drive to Cinque Terre — but it’s genuinely stressful. The roads are steep and winding, parking is scarce, and you can’t drive into the villages themselves at all.
If you really want to visit by car, we’d suggest booking a hotel with its own parking, like Il Carugio in Corniglia.
It sits at the edge of the village, so you can still reach it by car. Leave your car there and get to the other villages on foot or by Cinque Terre Express.
Alternatively, park in La Spezia and continue by train. La Spezia has several large parking garages set up exactly for this purpose, and it’s what most visitors do.
All You Need to Know About the Cinque Terre Card
The Cinque Terre Card is the area’s visitor pass. It gets you free access to the two paid hiking trails and unlimited rides on the Cinque Terre Express.
Note: Only the two trails between Monterosso and Vernazza and between Vernazza and Corniglia require a fee. These are included in the Cinque Terre Card. All other trails are free.
The card comes in two versions: the Cinque Terre Trekking Card and the Cinque Terre MS Card. Here’s what each one covers:
Cinque Terre Trekking Card
- free access to the two paid hiking trails
- free use of public restrooms
- free rides on the national park’s minibuses
- Cinque Terre Express not included
The card costs 10 euros for one day and 17 euros for two days.
Cinque Terre MS Card
- free access to the two paid hiking trails
- free use of public restrooms
- free rides on the national park’s minibuses
- unlimited rides on the Cinque Terre Express
The card costs 22 euros for one day, 36.50 euros for two days, and 49 euros for three days.
You can pick up the Cinque Terre Card at La Spezia train station or at the various stations within the park. It must be signed and validated before use.
Is the Cinque Terre Card Worth It?
It really depends on what you’re planning to do.
If you’re already planning to hike one of the two paid trails, the Cinque Terre Trekking Card is usually a great choice.
An individual trail ticket costs between 7.50 and 15 euros depending on the season — almost as much as the card itself. And the card also throws in free restrooms and minibus rides. Those only cover short distances (think: village to train station), but it all adds up.
If you also want to use the Cinque Terre Express, the Cinque Terre MS Card pays off quickly too — a single train ticket costs at least 5 euros depending on the season.
Here’s a sample calculation for one day in Cinque Terre:
- Train ticket from La Spezia to Monterosso: 5 euros
- Hiking trail Monterosso to Vernazza: 7.50 euros
- Use of a public restroom: 1 euro
- Train ticket Vernazza to Manarola: 5 euros
- Train ticket back to La Spezia: 5 euros
Total without the Cinque Terre MS Card: 23.50 euros
Total with the Cinque Terre MS Card: 22 euros
The card is not worth it if you don’t plan to hike either paid trail and only want to visit one or two villages by train.
Cinque Terre in One Day
You can absolutely visit Cinque Terre in a single day. Without hiking, you can comfortably see at least three villages.
In our opinion, the top picks are Vernazza, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.
Allow yourself about two hours per village and you can see all three in one day without feeling rushed.
Park at the main La Spezia train station garage and take the Cinque Terre Express. It saves you the parking headache and gets you from village to village in just a few minutes.
The Best Time to Visit Cinque Terre
During peak season — April to September — Cinque Terre gets seriously crowded. The trails are packed, restaurants are full, and accommodation prices are high.
We’d recommend visiting in the off-season, from October to March. Our favorite window is a trip in October.
You might not always get sunshine, but the rocky coastline and green vineyards have a really special charm even under gray skies!
