Cinque Terre and its surroundings

The Cinque Terre is that kind of destination we have all already seen in the media or on social networks and that makes you dream! To close this summer of 2021, we wanted to see this unmissable spot in Italy with our own eyes. Usually fleeing places that are too touristy and overcrowded, we took advantage of the back-to-school period and of the fact that international tourism had not completely picked up again in Europe to discover this postcard scenery for real.

Getting to the Cinque Terre (plane and train)

To get to the Cinque Terre by plane, there are two options: Genoa airport and Pisa airport. We decided to fly to the latter, because it let us visit the city on the way out and on the way back. We flew with Easyjet (from Orly) for 118€ per person (with a cabin baggage supplement). If you want to discover what there is to see in Pisa and its surroundings, read our dedicated article!

If you do not want to stay in one of the five villages of the Cinque Terre national park (for practical and budget reasons), two choices are open to you: Levanto to the north and La Spezia to the south. When you arrive by plane in Pisa, the quickest is to stay in La Spezia, easily reachable by train from Pisa central station. The journey cost us 7,90€ per person for about an hour on a regional train.

All the villages are linked to each other by train: it is the most practical way to visit the Cinque Terre! We bought the 48h Cinque Terre card (29€ per person) at the ticket office of La Spezia station (you can also get it online). This card gives access to the whole national park, meaning unlimited train journeys, the open paths, the toilets in the stations and wi-fi access if needed. It is worth it if you plan to stay in the Cinque Terre at least two days; otherwise, a single train journey costs 4€.

What to see in the Cinque Terre

Monterosso

We started our first day discovering the Cinque Terre with the northernmost village, Monterosso al Mare. It is the least picturesque village of the five but it is still worth seeing. But it is also the only one with beaches (sandy ones). So we advise starting with this one and going gradually down south so as to reach the most beautiful villages at the end of the stay.
Once at the station, we took the embankment that runs along the beach, towards the Statua Del Gigante (under restoration). From this point, many hikes start towards Punta Mesco and Levanto. The water is really crystal clear and turquoise along the coast: it contrasts with the colour of the orange parasols set up on the beaches. As for us, no swimming, we turned back below the Statue and headed for the centre of the village. Count one or two hours to do this loop taking your time

After visiting the village, we started the hike towards Vernazza. One of the starting points is to the left of the town hall as you face it. The climb is quite hard at the beginning and the paths often narrow but the view is worth it. Rather than going back by train, do this walk which promises beautiful landscapes: Vernazza will feel even more earned! Count 1h45-2h of walking between the two villages.

Vernazza

Taking the path, you arrive in Vernazza from the top of the village and so look down over the port. The view is magnificent! It is not the village we preferred either but we took the time to wander through its little streets and to climb up to the castle. There were a lot of people at lunchtime when we arrived and we could feel that the village is very touristy in the summer period.

After a well deserved lunch break, we wanted to do a second hike in the day to reach Corniglia. The path starts in the village, south of the station. Here again, the views over the village are more impressive from the path. As you gain height, you can better make out the steep coastline on which the colourful houses of Vernazza are built. This section is harder and longer than the first: it took us almost 3h to reach Corniglia (taking breaks). But we do not regret it at all!

Corniglia

So we finished our day visiting the village of Corniglia, the only village that does not have direct access to the sea. We found this village more peaceful and less “touristy” than Vernazza. Corniglia is quite small and can be covered in little time. Do not miss the view from the big terrace at the end of the village! We came back the following day

We came back the following day to have another ice cream and to take the path that leads to Manarola. It is the steepest and hardest path we did in the Cinque Terre but also the most spectacular. We got an eyeful walking along the sea and crossing the terraced vineyards. If you were to do only one path, choose this one. Do it above all in the Corniglia to Manarola direction, and not the other way round, because the slope is extremely steep leaving Manarola.

Manarola

So we arrived in Manarola at the end of the day and were lucky enough to admire the village in beautiful warm colours. Manarola is a bit like the postcard scenery of the Cinque Terre (along with the village of Riomaggiore). Quite simply magnificent! We advise going down below the cemetery, near the famous Nessun Dorna bar, for a panoramic view over the village. We then went back down to the marina to reach the station.

Riomaggiore

The last village of the day and of this stay in the Cinque Terre, Riomaggiore. We could not have dreamed of anything better to end this escape in style! Riomaggiore is a must and will remain a very beautiful memory for us. This time, we went there by train, because the path between Manarola and Riomaggiore is closed at the moment, being too dangerous. We spent most of the time by the port to admire the setting sun. The photos speak for themselves!

Levanto

On our second day in the Cinque Terre, we headed for Levanto, north of the Cinque Terre just before Monterosso. This seaside town is reachable by train and included in the 48h pass. Levanto is a very peaceful family town lucky enough to have big sandy beaches on its seafront. We walked through its colourful town centre and along the corniche that shelters large mansions. A true holiday spot!
If you have an hour or two ahead of you, before or after your visit to the Cinque Terre, stop in Levanto, it is worth a look. It is also a destination idea if you feel like swimming and enjoying a beautiful beach.

Portovenere

We took advantage of staying in La Spezia to visit the village of Portovenere, at the far south of the Cinque Terre coast. We went there on bus line P from the centre of La Spezia. The ticket is bought at any tobacconist (identified by a big blue T above the sign) and cost us 5€ return per person. The bus takes the winding road that follows the coast and stops in all the villages, which lets you visit at the same time.

Listed as UNESCO world heritage, Portovenere is considered the sixth village of the Cinque Terre but… without the influx of tourists. This colourful medieval village has everything to please: an exceptional setting in the Gulf of Poets, a port, a castle, the Saint Peter’s church with a stunning view over the sea, the Byron grotto and islands nearby. Count a few hours or half a day to visit the village.

Where we stayed in La Spezia

We decided to rent a flat in La Spezia, near the station, so we could get to the Cinque Terre quickly. When we booked at the end of May, there was not much choice in terms of accommodation and the prices were starting to climb. We found a whole place on Airbnb, five minutes’ walk from the station, for 278€ for 4 nights. It is not our best find but it was enough as a base in La Spezia.

Looking back, we think we would probably have preferred to stay in Levanto, a quiet seaside resort and much prettier than the very port-like La Spezia. Look at both options when booking your accommodation!

Our favourite places to eat in the Cinque Terre and around

• Pizza Gourmet in La Spezia: a good place for takeaway pizzas (you can also eat on the small terrace or get them delivered) at affordable prices (9€ maximum for a pizza!). We went twice to eat quickly at the end of our busy days.
• Pippo a Vernazza – Tradizione&StreetFood in Vernazza: a good place for eating pasta on the go, without breaking the bank (8€ for a generous portion) and away from the crowd.
• Bar Il Gabbiano between Vernazza and Corniglia: a bar with a terrace with a stunning view over the sea on the path between two villages. Very good homemade lemon granita (3,50€, card accepted) that cools you down during the hike.
• Alberto Gelateria in Corniglia: an excellent ice cream shop where we went twice! 3€ for two flavours (special mention for the local honey ice cream).

What we thought of the Cinque Terre

You can sometimes be disappointed visiting a place that gets so much media attention and so many tourists but that was not the case for the Cinque Terre! The villages deserve their place as an unmissable destination in Italy. It is definitely to be seen at least once in your life. Two full days are enough to explore the five villages. So you can include this visit in a trip to Liguria or Tuscany, or during a long weekend. The most spectacular part remains the hiking paths between the villages more than the villages themselves. The views over the sea and the terraced vineyards are breathtaking!
If you want to visit the Cinque Terre, come if possible at the end of the summer or out of season to avoid the crowd. And above all, you have to do the hikes on the open paths, even if you are not very sporty. Do also venture into the surrounding villages, like Levanto or Portovenere, which are definitely worth the detour.

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