Cinque Terre
Five villages on cliffs above the Ligurian Sea, linked by train, footpaths and boat
- When to go
- October 18° · 13 rainy days
- Per day
- €€€€price 4 of 5
- How many days
- 2–3days
- For you
- 6 questions →
- Nearest airport
- 71 km Genova · 78 km Pisa
- Right now
Cinque Terre takes 2–3 days: the five villages are covered by the Cinque Terre Express train, and the footpaths between them are the other way to get from village to village. From Pisa airport you take a train to La Spezia and then the local train, because in the villages a car has nowhere to stop.
The way in is La Spezia. The nearest airport is Pisa, and from there the train to La Spezia Centrale (train (Trenitalia, Pisa Centrale – La Spezia Centrale, regional or Frecciarossa)) takes 40 min – 1 h, with a ticket at €5–9 (regional, one-way). Genoa is a more distant alternative, with a train to the region without a change. From La Spezia the local train calls at all five villages; a car is not worth it, because the villages have no parking in the centre and a rental costs €19–23.
The villages line up along the coast like stops on one line, so the natural tour follows the timetable. Monterosso al Mare is the northernmost and the largest, with the only real beach, which makes it the easiest base for sleeping. From there the train goes to Vernazza, with its harbour and fortress in the middle, then to Corniglia, the one village with no access to the sea, standing on a cliff above it. Then come Manarola, with its terraced vineyards, and, at the end of the line, Riomaggiore.
Footpaths run between the villages, and they are the other half of the reason to come. The sections Monterosso–Vernazza and Vernazza–Corniglia are open, while the short coastal path Manarola–Corniglia is closed because of a landslide; instead you take the inland path through the hamlet of Volastra. The Via dell'Amore, the short path between Riomaggiore and Manarola, is open with a compulsory timed booking. For paths and trains there is the Cinque Terre Card in two versions, trekking and train; what each covers is on the page about getting around.
If a day is left over, you go beyond the five villages: by boat to Portovenere or by train to Levanto, just north of Monterosso. The rest, from the plan by days to the beaches, is on the separate pages below.
Guides for Cinque Terre
Shorter, practical pages for one concrete question each — how many days, how much money, where to sleep, where to escape the city.
Cinque Terre in 2 days
→Day one walks from Monterosso to Vernazza, day two from Riomaggiore through Manarola to Corniglia.
Day trips from Cinque Terre
→Levanto is a short train ride north of Monterosso, and Portovenere half a day by boat.
Where to stay in Cinque Terre
→Monterosso has the beach and most of the rooms; La Spezia is cheaper and further, with a city in the evening.
What Cinque Terre costs
→The bill for Cinque Terre is made by the night in Monterosso, and the path and the Cinque Terre Card add to it.
What to eat in Cinque Terre
→Trofie with pesto and anchovies three ways: the menu of one place in Monterosso, with a price per dish.
The best time to visit Cinque Terre
→Spring and early autumn are best for the paths; the sea is warm for swimming from June, and July and August are the…
Getting around Cinque Terre
→From Pisa by train to La Spezia, then the local train through all five villages; the car stays out of the region.
Beaches in Cinque Terre
→Fegina is sandy with lidos, the free stretch is in the same village, and Guvano is reached through an abandoned tunnel.
What to see in Cinque Terre
Monterosso al Mare
The northernmost and largest of the five villages, and the only one with a real sandy beach, which makes it the place to sleep. The visit takes half a day, and the walk is free (walking). The beach lies in the part of the village called Fegina.
free (walking) · half a day
Vernazza
The village with a harbour and a fortress right in its centre. The path to Monterosso is open. The visit takes 2–3 h, the walk is free (walking).
free (walking) · 2–3 h
Corniglia
The only village with no access to the sea, on a cliff above it. From the station to the centre runs a stairway of 382 steps, so you walk to the centre. The visit takes 1–2 h, the walk is free (walking).
free (walking) · 1–2 h
Manarola
A village known for its terraced vineyards, visited on foot. The visit takes 2 h, the walk is free (walking).
free (walking) · 2 h
Riomaggiore
The easternmost village and the end of the line, from which the Via dell'Amore starts. The visit takes 2 h, the walk is free (walking).
free (walking) · 2 h
Via dell'Amore
The path between Riomaggiore and Manarola, 20 min (900 m) long. Booking a slot is mandatory, and entry is €10 (with Cinque Terre Card), €17.50 standalone. Hours: 29 Mar–24 Oct 2026: 9:00–21:00 (last entry 20:30); 25 Oct 2026–27 Mar 2027: 9:00–18:00.
€10 (with Cinque Terre Card), €17.50 standalone · 20 min (900 m) · booking: mandatory
Stories from Cinque Terre
How it actually was when we were there, and what was worth it.
Cinque Terre by train and on foot: how to get between the villages
→The villages are strung along the coast like stops on a single line, and footpaths run between them that take a few hours. This is the story of when to take the train, when to walk, and what is closed today.
Ready for Cinque Terre?
Within reach from here
Places sorted by straight-line distance from Cinque Terre — day trips or weekends.
Italy
→The cities on the high-speed line are an hour or two apart; the coast, Matera and the Tuscan hills lie off it
France
→From Paris the TGV reaches Lyon, Bordeaux and Strasbourg in about two hours — France is chosen by direction, not by city
Spain
→A country where dinner is at ten and the city wakes up as everywhere else turns the lights off
All 277 places we write about sit on one page — narrow them down by continent, country, price or what you are travelling for.
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