The Cinque Terre (literally meaning “Five Lands”) are five villages on the Ligurian coast of Italy; the breathtakingly beautiful Italian Riviera coast with the colourful buildings and crystal-clear blue seas.
The five villages of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore have been granted UNESCO World Heritage Site status and, if you visit, you will soon see why.
Cinque Terre Day Trip
On a recent trip to Genoa for Ferragosto, I decided to visit Cinque Terre for a day trip. I had initially planned to visit just two or three of the villages, but I spontaneously decided to try to visit all five in one day. I wasn’t sure how achievable this would be, but I would say that visiting all five of the Cinque Terre is definitely doable if you start the day early! Whilst I obviously didn’t have much time in each place, I think my itinerary worked out very well, allowing me to make the most of my time in each place.
Genoa to Riomaggiore by Train
Staying in Genoa, I took the train to Riomaggiore first because it was the furthest away. Arriving around 9am, I enjoyed breakfast at “La Conchiglia,” which offered stunning clifftop views of the iconic colorful buildings. There, I savored a classic Italian breakfast of cappuccino and cornetto alla crema, while listening to the waves below. La Conchiglia would be the perfect spot in Riomaggiore for a golden hour aperitivo. Riomaggiore was very calm at this time of day, although I suspect (as with the other villages) it would get very busy very quickly as the day went on. Whether you are visiting all of the Cinque Terre villages or just one, I would definitely recommend an early start if you can.
Cinque Terre Ferry Day Ticket
The best way to travel between the villages, and, in my opinion, better than getting the train, is by boat. I decided to buy a day ticket for the Cinque Terre ferry that stops at Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare. It doesn’t stop at Corniglia, which is the only of the five villages that doesn’t have a port. It was fairly expensive at €41 for a day ticket, but it was a fun way to travel, and you got great views along the coastline. Just remember to check the timetable for the ferry!
Manarola
My next stop was Manarola. I think this was my favourite of the five villages and if I had been there longer, I would definitely have gone to the restaurant “Nessun Dorma” for sunset views, or to do their famous pesto class. The region of Liguria is the birthplace of pesto; the climate and combination of rocky terrain and coastal sea-air provide the perfect growing conditions for crops such as delicate basil. You can read the Ligurian part of my series “Eating Italy” here which has a recipe for trofie pasta with pesto alla genovese, potato, and green beans.
The viewpoint in Manarola was one of my favourite views of the day. I enjoyed the beautiful view with another Ligurian classic; focaccia from a bakery called “La Cambusa”, which also has a pizzeria.
Vernazza
As the ferry doesn’t stop at Corniglia, I took the ferry to the fourth village next; Vernazza. The beach was really busy here and so many people were jumping into the crystal clear water. I had a wander through the village and then went to a typical Ligurian restaurant, “Antica Osteria il Baretto” for lunch. I had the fritto misto (fried seafood) and an aperol spritz, which was the perfect match to the colour of the buildings! They had lots of delicious seafood dishes on their menu.
Corniglia
I then took the train to Corniglia, which only took 3 minutes. To get to the village from the train station, there are the infamous 33 flights of stairs to climb. Fortunately, near the top of the all those flights of stairs there is an artisanal gelateria, “Alberto Gelateria”. It is famous for its basil gelato, which I had to try. I expected the basil flavour to be quite overpowering but it was floral and refreshing and I would highly recommend it.
I also had some of the “miele di Corniglia” flavour (local honey) which paired perfectly with the basil. It was a very much needed gelato after climbing all those steps in the heat. I then wandered through the village to the viewpoint which has beautiful views of the steep green hillsides and of the coast.
Monterosso al Mare
I then got the train back to Vernazza to take the ferry to Monterosso al Mare, as I wanted to make the most of my day ticket. However, you could get the train straight to Monterosso. If you are looking to spend some time at the beach, I would say Monterosso is the best option of the five villages. It had a couple of beach clubs and the beach itself was a much longer stretch. You can also buy the TikTok famous aperol spritz buckets on the beach.
Golden Hour with a View
I was in Monterosso during golden hour, and it was beautiful with the views of the sun glimmering on the sea. I went to “Enoteca Internazionale” which has lots of local wines to choose from and is the oldest wine bar in Monterosso. There is a wine tasting option on the menu where you can try a few of their local wines. I tried the bruschetta pomodoro e acciughe (tomato and anchovy bruschetta) which was delicious and perfectly refreshing in the heat. Again, there were lots of lovely seafood restaurants to choose from in Monterosso.
Hiking in Cinque Terre
I wish I could have stayed longer, but I returned to Genoa grateful that I had been able to experience all five of the Cinque Terre villages and looking forward to exploring them again in the future. One way to see the Cinque Terre is to hike between the five villages; there are 48 official trails in the national park, but the Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail) has been described as ideal for beginners and connects the five villages. Hiking amongst citrus orchards and olive groves, along the rocky clifftops with incredible views of this beautiful coast, is definitely something I will be adding to my travel list.
Natalia’s Food Guide: Cinque Terre
Other Tips
- Ferry Timetables
- Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Path hiking trail)
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