Thinking of visiting Italy and spending some time in the Cinque Terre? In this guide you will find everything you need to know about visiting the 5 villages that make up to coastline, and the ways in which you can get between them!
The Cinque Terre has become infamous in recent years, and it’s no wonder why. You’ve probably already seen the pictures of this part of the Italian coastline – The colourful houses crowded on the cliffs overlooking beaches with crystal blue waters. The Cinque Terre literally means “the five lands” referring to the villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso.
Over the past 4 years I have had the pleasure of visiting the Cinque Terre twice, once in July and once in the off-peak period of early April. While the first time we were lucky enough to have perfect weather and long beach days, the off season was almost better for exploring the villages, hiking the different paths, and getting to know the locals. In this guide you will find everything I learnt from both trips combined and tips for travelling between each of the towns!
Arriving from Pisa? How to get from Pisa to the Cinque Terre
So, let’s get started!
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Things to Know Before You Go
Where in Italy is the Cinque Terre?
The Cinque Terre is located on the northeast of Italy, about 2 hours south of Milan and West of Pisa. It’s beaches, cuisine, and the hike between the villages has brought this part of coastline into the limelight. The name literally means “The 5 Towns” and these Cinque Terre towns are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso.
Where to Stay in the Cinque Terre
Both times we have visited the Cinque Terre we have stayed in Corniglia. Located in the middle of the five towns, it was the perfect epicentre for exploring in both directions. We found it to be a lot quieter in the mornings and evenings – visiting restaurants, we were surrounded by locals and it felt a lot more authentic than the other villages. The only thing I would note is that Corniglia is a hilltop town and unless you are lucky and able to catch the bus, you will likely need to carry your baggage up the hill. While this was ok for us, with backpacks or a carry on suitcase, it is worth noting if you are visiting with a bigger suitcase!
The apartment we stayed in was perfect for two people; spacious, with a kitchen, a garden and an amazing view over the coastline! I would say it is kind of mid-range for price in this area, if you want something a little cheaper you could look at AirBnb for some options. The second time we visited we stayed in a very cosy little apartment nestled into the mountain. It was very small but enough for two, and the host was lovely – even gave us lemons on the last morning!
See more: Find all your Cinque Terre accomodation options here!
Travelling Between The 5 Cinque Terre Villages
Travelling By Train
The best and fastest way to get between the villages is by taking the train. Each of the five villages has a station relatively central – aside from Corniglia which is a hilltop town and therefore there is quite a long walk from the station to the town. While there is a bus we found that it was almost always full, even in off-peak season, so I wouldn’t count on being able to take it!
Train Times:
- Riomaggiore to Manarola: 4 minutes
- Manarola to Corniglia: 4 minutes
- Corniglia to Vernazza: 5 minutes
- Vernazza to Monterosso: 5 minutes
Train Tickets
You can buy train tickets in advance online or physically at one of the ticket machines. The ticket machines take both coins and card and are quite easy to use. The only thing I would note is that there are very few of them at each station and they can be quite slow, so bear in mind you will need to put aside a little extra time to buy a ticket!
The ticket prices vary depending on the time of year you visit – with peak season being considerably more expensive than low-season. You can check the dates you are travelling on the price calendar if you want to budget in advance! In low periods, the train costs €5 for adults in low season, €8 in mid-season, and €10 during peak periods.
Buy your train tickets and see times here!
Important to Note: The most important thing to note when travelling by train in the Cinque Terre is that you always need to validate your ticket before you get on the train. They are big on checking this and you can get a hefty fine if you are caught with an unvalidated ticket!
The Cinque Terre Card
The Cinque Terre card comes in two forms – one that covers the hiking trails and one that covers hiking trails and train travel. You can purchase one, two and three-day cards for trekking and trains. We worked out that to make the most of the train card you will need to travel at least 4 times on the train within a day which we never managed! You can purchase both cards online or in person at the train station. If you are just purchasing the hiking permit, you can also buy them at the hike entrances! Depending on the season, the price for the train card changes considerable – with a one day pass costing €19.50 in winter and €32.50 in summer. You can find current prices here.
Tip: It’s worth planning your days in advance and working out whether the cost of buying seperate tickets adds up to the same or more than the cinque Terre card! We found that with a combination of ferry, hiking, and train we never reached the same price so ended up purchasing individual tickets instead!
Ferry Between Villages
Another way to get between the 5 villages of the Cinque Terre is to travel by ferry. Ferries run along the coastline from March 23 until November 3 and stop at every villages except Corniglia which doesn’t have a point of access. Tickets for one way trips between the villages costs €10 to €20 depending how far you want to travel. For example, it is €10 from Riomaggiore to Manarola (same price as the train on peak days) but €15 from Riomaggiore to Monterosso. You can find all ticket prices and more information on this page.
I would recommend taking the ferry between villages, especially if you are not planning on taking a sunset cruise along the coastline. Seeing the towns from the sea gives you such a different perspective on the region.
You can buy tickets to the ferries in the ticket booths by the ferry terminals or in advance online. You can find the boat timetable and book tickets on this page!
Note: Ferries only run on days with good weather. We found that on both trips to the Cinque Terre, the ferry was only running around 50% of the days.
Hiking Trails
One of the things that makes the Cinque Terre such a great location is the hiking opportunities! Between each of the 5 villages are hikes which connect the towns, and then on top of that you will find 120km of hiking trails that run over the whole mountain area. The most popular hiking trail is the SVA2 trail, otherwise known as the Via dell’Amore, which is the main coastal path between villages. Unfortunately due to land slides a few years ago, only the paths between Corniglia and Vernazza (1.5h) and Vernazza and Monterosso (2h) are open. The SVA2 path between Manarola and Riomaggiore (25m) and Manarola and Corniglia (1.5h) are due to open in July 2024.
To get between these villages is still possible though by taking the highland path! The hike between Manarola and Corniglia (1h) ended up actually being my favourite hike of all of them, climbing over the hill between the two villages with coastal views and vineyards on both sides. It wasn’t until we hiked here that we really began to appreciate the rough landscape and how much work has gone into cultivating the land over the last centuries. There is also a hilltop path between Manarola and Corniglia which takes around 1 hour.
You can find a map to the hiking trails on this page.
Important to note: All of the hiking trails along the Cinque Terre are quite demanding. Even the SVA trails between Corniglia and Monterosso include many steps and sometimes uneven grounds. I recommend really thinking about whether you have the fitness level to do these hikes before beginning – especially if you are visiting in the middle of the summer when it can get so hot!
Overview: How to Get Between The Cinque Terre Towns
Whether you are taking the train, the ferry, or hiking on the Cinque Terre, you will find that travelling between the 5 villages is very easy and accessible.
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