This is the quintessential photo of Vernazza when you hike from Vernazza to Monterosso al Mare
Captivating Cinque Terre
Rick and I have visited the Cinque Terre region of Italy three times, and it still is one of our happy places in the world. Cinque Terre is the name for the 5 villages of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Manarola, Corniglia, and Riomaggiore, located on the west coast of Italy.
The best way to visit these towns is by train. On one trip, we rode the train from Rome to La Spezia to change to the regional trains into each of the villages. After our visit, we trained back to La Spezia and rented our car to drive through Tuscany and Umbria.
Plan 3 nights in the area so you have 2 full days in these splendid Italian villages. This area can be bookended by visiting Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino to the north and Portovenere to the south.
Each village is a bit different, but you should visit each one. You can hike to them or take the train. The stations are only 2-5 minutes apart and cost only 4 euros for a ride.
Riomaggiore – This village has more restaurants and shops, narrow and tall, colorful houses, and a natural harbor and rocky beach.
Manarola – The second smallest of the five, it has incredibly pretty pastel homes surrounded by vineyards. There is no beach and is a quiet locale.
Corniglia – You have to climb 377 steps from the train station to reach this smallest of the Cinque Terre towns.
Vernazza – The sandy harbor is dominated by the 11th century castle and is our favorite spot to stay.
Monterosso al Mare – The largest town with a great sandy beach and fewer stairs makes this location charming.
The clear green water, soft white sand, and colorful umbrellas on the beach of Monterosso
The hiking here is superb. And why everyone loves the Cinque Terre.
The Blue Trail, or Sentiero Azurro, is the easiest of the trails and connects Monterosso al Mare to Riomaggiore.
Riomaggiore to Manarola: 1.5 km, easy, 30 minutes, also called “Lover’s Lane”
Manarola to Corniglia: 3 km, easy, 1 hour
Corniglia to Vernazza: 4 km, moderate, 1.5 hours
Vernazza to Monterosso: 3.5 km, moderate, 1.5 hours
We came upon the Lemoncello Man as we rounded a bend in the trail from Vernazza to Monterosso – it was a delicious and refreshing stop!
Note that the trails connecting Corniglia to Riomaggiore have been closed since the mud slides of 2013.
Head higher for more challenging hikes through numerous vineyards overlooking the ocean. Paths #1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, and 10 are more rugged than the coastal trail #2, but these afford delightful views and exercise for the more adventurous hiker.
parconazionale5terre.it – the parks official website – lists all 48 paths and will give you updated information on the closed hikes
alltrails.com – lists 26 trails to hike
Restaurants can be a bit of a tourist trap, but this is where the locals go:
Pesto is so flavorful here with the basil grown on the hillside and the local pecorino cheese. And you are on the ocean so seafood is a given.
Riomaggiore – Rio Bistrot. The perfect spot for a seafood dinner with a view of the harbor
Via San Giacomo, 10
Manarola – Trattoria dal Billy. The climb is worth the fresh pasta and fresh fish with two seatings, 7:30 pm and 9 pm.
Via Aldo Rollandi, 122
Manarola – Nessun Dorma. My favorite view location to drink limoncello and eat bruschetta and focaccia.
Localita Punta Bonfiglio
The tasty bruschetta at Nessun Dorma
Montorosso – Il Casello. Overlooking the ocean, we ate the most delicious fish.
Lungomare Ferrovia
Montorosso – Ristorante da Eraldo. Seafood is their specialty.
Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, 6
Vernazza – Il Gambero. Delicious trofie pasta with pesto, along with delightful seafood
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi, 7
Great lodging finds:
Vernazza – Monica Lercari Rooms. You must walk up 230 steps to her door, but the two bedroom suite, the Honeymoon Suite, has sweeping views of the bay from the great balcony. We spent each evening watching the sunset and downing a bottle of Italian wine.
alcastellovernazza@yahoo.it
320 025 4515 Monica’s cell number
Montorosso – Il Giardino Incantato B&B. This B&B is ranked #1 for the region, not the town.
ilgiardinoincantato.net, giardino_incantato@libero.it
Montorosso – Hotel Marina. We stayed here on our last visit and loved the location, as well as the breakfast spread on the patio each morning.
hotelmarina5terre.it, marina@hotelmarina5terre.com
Manarola – La Toretta. We have never stayed in Manarola, but this location looks wonderful and is ranked #16 for the entire region.
torrettas.com, toretta@cdh.it
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