Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre: The Crowds Are Real and the Villages Are Still Worth It

Cinque Terre is five villages on a 12-kilometre stretch of the Ligurian coast between La Spezia and Levanto. Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare are connected by coastal trail, regional train (3-4 minutes between most stops), and ferry in summer. The villages share similar DNA – coloured houses on steep terraced hillsides, fishing harbours, olive groves and vineyards – but each has a distinct character and the differences between them are worth understanding before you arrive.

The crowds in high summer (July and August) are substantial. Trails have been closed for maintenance and erosion control repeatedly in recent years. The Cinque Terre Card, required to walk the trails and covering unlimited train travel between the villages, costs 7.50-16 euros depending on the day and how many trails are open. The coastal trail between Riomaggiore and Corniglia via Manarola has been partially closed at various points since 2012; check the official Cinque Terre National Park website before you go rather than relying on guides written before the last closure.

The Villages

Riomaggiore is the southernmost and has the best harbour swimming when the Mediterranean is calm. The main street (Via Colombo) is narrow and steep and the bars and restaurants on it are some of the more affordable in the five villages. The view from the castle ruin above town looking south along the coast is accessible in 20 minutes.

Manarola has the most photographed view in Cinque Terre: the cluster of coloured houses above the harbour taken from the coastal path to the east. The photograph you have seen is taken from a specific ledge about 10 minutes walk from the village. Manarola also produces the local Sciacchetra wine, a sweet dessert wine made from partially dried Bosco and Vermentino grapes grown on the terraced vineyards above the village. A small glass is 5-8 euros at the local cantinas.

Corniglia sits on a 100-metre cliff rather than at sea level, accessible from the train station either by a staircase of 382 steps (the Scalinata Lardarina) or by a shuttle bus. It has no harbour and is the quietest of the five. The relative difficulty of access is the reason.

Vernazza has the most aesthetically complete harbour, with a small piazza at the water’s edge, a Genoese watchtower, and a church immediately above the harbour wall. It is the most-visited of the villages and has the corresponding number of tourists and the prices to match. The view from the top of the tower looks directly down into the harbour and along the coast in both directions.

Monterosso al Mare is the largest village, the only one with a proper beach (two beaches, actually – old town and new town sections), and the most resort-like of the five. It has more hotels, more restaurant options, and more of the infrastructure that groups with varied needs require. It is the least atmospheric and the most comfortable, which is a trade-off rather than a failure.

Hiking

The Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail, Trail 2) is the famous coastal path. When fully open it connects all five villages over approximately 12 kilometres. It is not a challenging walk – the elevation is moderate, the path is well-maintained – but sections requiring crossing or climbing are steep enough that proper footwear matters. Sandals are visibly a mistake.

The high trails above the villages (Sentiero Rosso, Trail 1) run the ridge above the coast and provide the best views downward to the sea and villages. The ridge trail is typically less crowded than the coastal path, requires more physical effort, and gives you the complete picture of the landscape that the coastal path, being inside the landscape, cannot provide.

Getting There

La Spezia is the main transport hub: trains from Genoa (1-1.5 hours) and the direction of Pisa and Florence. Local trains between La Spezia Centrale and Levanto stop at all five villages. The frequency is good (trains every 20-30 minutes during the day) and the journey from La Spezia to Riomaggiore is 8 minutes.

Staying in La Spezia is cheaper than staying in the villages and the train connection is straightforward. Levanto on the other end of the Cinque Terre has similar advantages and is generally less visited.

Eating

Focaccia is the Ligurian baseline – available from bakeries and focaccerie in every village from early morning. The best versions have olive oil worked into the dough during baking and a crisp underside. Trofie al pesto is the local pasta: short twisted pasta with classic Genovese basil pesto. The pesto made in Liguria uses a smaller-leafed local basil with a less anise-forward flavour than the basil grown elsewhere, and the difference is real.

The seafood is good in all five villages; anchovies prepared in salt or marinated in lemon juice are the local speciality. A sit-down lunch with wine in any of the five villages runs 25-40 euros per person.