Cinque Terre

Welcome to paradise Cinque Terre

It's one of those places you might have come across when your computer displays pictures of some of the most beautiful places in the world as an automatic screensaver – and it's even more fantastic to see it in real life!
There's also a reason why the area was included in UNESCO's World Heritage List back in 1997 – for both the natural and cultural value the place possesses.

Vernazza is the fourth village when moving north in Cinque Terre

How to get to Cinque Terre?

You can easily get to Cinque Terre from Pisa, either by car, train, bus, or plane to La Spezia and then onwards. It takes a good hour from Pisa to La Spezia by train.
You can also take the train through Cinque Terre – it runs directly through all five villages, and you get a fabulous view from the train with a front-row seat to the Mediterranean on your left-hand side.
This way, you also avoid parking, which can be quite troublesome in high season due to the enormous number of tourists who visit Cinque Terre every year – and because four of the five villages are car-free, so you'll have to park your car outside the village anyway and walk into town.

As soon as you arrive at one of the five villages, it's also possible to walk from village to village via a panoramic hiking trail on the side of the mountain – and it's definitely recommendable to choose this, if not the whole way, then at least between two of the villages.

"Via dell'Amore", the path of love, which runs between Riomaggiore and Manarola

For example, the most famous of the stretches, "Via dell'Amore", the path of love, which runs between Riomaggiore and Manarola. This route is only 1 kilometer long and for the same reason – and because it is the most famous – you will probably also find that it is the most frequented of the paths, so depending on when in the season you visit Cinque Terre, it may be an advantage to wait to go out on the hiking trail until you reach one of the subsequent villages. The distance between the two villages varies in length from 1 kilometer to just under 5 kilometers – and no matter where you choose to walk on the route, it will undoubtedly be one of the most beautiful hiking trails you will ever walk in your life. In addition to the route that runs along the coast between the 5 fishing villages, there are also longer hiking trails that lead up into the mountains.

The view over Cinque Terre from the hiking trail is fabulous

Five small pastel-colored fishing villages – like LEGO bricks

If you come to Cinque Terre from the south side, the first two villages you will arrive at are Riomaggiore and Manarola.
If this is your first visit to the national park, you will undoubtedly already be completely overwhelmed by all the beauty that greets you.
The pastel-colored houses with green shutters for the windows bring to mind a town built of LEGO bricks – pastel-colored LEGO bricks, mind you.

Riomaggiore, the southernmost of the five villages in Cinque Terre

Manarola

When you pass through the village and down to the water in Manarola, there's a path to the right. Follow this, and you'll come over to the cliff side, from where you get the most fantastic view of the village – which you'll quickly notice, as others have discovered it too. This is typically where you'll encounter a whole flock of Japanese tourists taking a group photo or a couple in love taking a selfie – and many of the postcards you can buy in souvenir shops will also show Manarola from its most beautiful side, precisely from this spot.
And it was here, at this very spot, that the undersigned fell head over heels in love with Manarola, which I still consider my personal favorite of the 5 villages to this day.

A picture like this from the village of Manarola is worthy of any postcard and selfie

Corniglia

The next village on the trip is Corniglia, the highest of the five villages, which means it doesn't have direct access to the sea like the other four, but in return, it has an absolutely fantastic panoramic view from the cliff it sits on – and if you walk the many, many steps down to the water, a pleasant surprise awaits.
Here is the most beautiful little cove surrounded by cliffs – a fantastic place for a swim.

At the foot of Corniglia, you can take a dip in this beautiful spot

The Crown Jewel Vernazza and the seaside resort Monterosso

If you haven't tried the hiking trail yet, now might be the time.

Read my guide to hiking trails in Cinque Terre here
The walk from Corniglia to Vernazza takes an hour to an hour and a half and offers, like the other parts of the hiking trail, a fantastic panoramic view.
The fourth village on the route, Vernazza, has a reputation for being the crown jewel, the most beautiful of the five villages in Cinque Terre, and is therefore also the most touristy of the villages. In fact, it has been hailed as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy – but we'll let you judge that for yourselves.
One of the things that makes Vernazza unique is the old Belforte Tower from the 11th century, which stands and towers over the village. The tower now houses a restaurant with a formidable view of the entire village.

Sunset over Cinque Terre

Monterosso

The northernmost of the five villages is the largest, and also the village with the largest beach, which is organized as a proper bathing beach with rows of umbrellas.
Some find it the least charming of the villages and that it resembles other tourist destinations around the world, while the other four villages are more 'authentic'. Others are enthusiastic about having the opportunity to relax on a white sandy beach with the national park right in their backyard, and therefore find Monterosso to be the most fantastic of the five villages.
As you've probably figured out by now, each of the villages has its unique character, and there is (of course) no agreement on which of the villages is preferable. That's how tastes – fortunately – differ so much.
Which of the villages is your favorite, you can travel to Cinque Terre and discover for yourself.

Mountain biking in Cinque Terre – the mountain landscape

We've primarily mentioned the five fishing villages so far, but Cinque Terre is much more than that. It's also full of magnificent nature!
When you walk the hiking trails, you are surrounded by magnificent nature, from the man-made winter terraces and olive groves to the natural rock formations and the sea.
A very popular activity in the area is, as mentioned, hiking along the trails, but if you are a true mountain biker, there is also ample opportunity to get sore thighs and calf muscles by getting on a mountain bike and cycling up and down between the fishing villages – or around the rest of the national park.
The highest point in the national park is 2200 meters, and if you start right down by the sea, at one of the fishing villages, we can promise that you will definitely get warm before you reach the top!

There is also the possibility to cycle around the national park – but it is demanding!

It's quite fantastic to be able to combine such different elements on your holiday in northern Italy: beach holiday, hiking in beautiful nature, and cultural experiences in the small fishing villages. Cinque Terre truly encompasses everything.

And whether you choose a bike, bus, train, plane, boat, or to walk when you visit the national park, is entirely up to you – no matter what you choose, may you have a fabulous holiday in this magnificent place!