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Cinque Terre

Liguria

Cinque Terre

CULTURECOASTAL ROUTESNATURE5 days

Cliffside villages, Ligurian food and sea views along the Italian Riviera

Dosage

5 days

Indication

Coastal villages, food & sea views

Contra-indication

Steep streets & plenty of stairs

Side effects

High standards for sunset views

Liguria  why go

This 5 day Cinque Terre itinerary gives the villages more time than a quick day trip, with Riomaggiore and Manarola as two separate bases. The days are mostly about colourful cliffside villages, sea views and Ligurian food, with longer trips to Portofino and Portovenere when you feel like going further.

✦  Based on expert opinion: We did the trial and error, so you get the optimized route.

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At a glance

Dosage5 days
IndicationCoastal villages, food & sea views
Contra-indicationSteep streets & plenty of stairs
Side effectsHigh standards for sunset views

The itinerary  what to do, where

5 places

The route

Riomaggiore & Via dell'Amore - Day 1

Start with one of the livelier Cinque Terre villages: steep streets, colourful houses and your first proper views over the Ligurian coast.

Stay: The Sunset Line — more expensive than the average Cinque Terre stay, but worth it for the location and views
Getting there: Train from Milan to Riomaggiore, usually with one change. Renting a car is only worth it if Cinque Terre is part of a wider Italian road trip.

Highlights

  1. Riomaggiore
  2. Via dell'Amore, the coastal path between Riomaggiore and Manarola

Getting aroundLeave the car parked and use the train between the villages

TipVia dell'Amore requires a reserved time slot, so book ahead rather than turning up on the day
Riomaggiore & Via dell'Amore - Day 1
Riomaggiore after a stormy day

Monterosso & Vernazza - Day 2

A slower coastal day with more space than the smaller villages, centred around food, the sea and two of Cinque Terre's best-known stops.

Highlights

  1. Monterosso al Mare
  2. Italian cooking class high above the village with sea views - book via Cinqueterre cooking school
  3. Vernazza — we skipped it on our trip, but this is the most logical day to add it if you want to see all five Cinque Terre villages

Getting aroundTrain from Riomaggiore. Monterosso and Vernazza are easy to combine by train

TipDo Vernazza before or after Monterosso rather than giving it a separate day. The train connection makes it an easy addition without changing the rest of the itinerary
Monterosso & Vernazza - Day 2
View from cooking lesson

Portofino & Corniglia - Day 3

A longer day beyond the five Cinque Terre villages: polished Portofino first, then tiny Corniglia perched high above the sea on the way back.

Highlights

  1. Portofino
  2. Castello Brown
  3. Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta
  4. Santa Margherita Ligure
  5. Corniglia — the village sits above the coast; reaching it from the station means plenty of steps

Getting aroundTake the train from Riomaggiore to Santa Margherita Ligure, then continue by bus to Portofino. Return the same way and stop in Corniglia on the train journey back

EatLa Posada, Corniglia — dinner with one of our favourite views of the trip

TipCorniglia works well on the return journey rather than as a separate day. Save some energy for the climb up from the station
Portofino & Corniglia - Day 3
Portofino & Corniglia - Day 3

Manarola - Day 4

Move to Manarola for the second half of the trip. This is the Cinque Terre of terraces, steep lanes and the classic view back towards the village from across the water.

Stay: Il Sogno di Manarola by The First — beautiful sea-view rooms, with balconies on selected rooms. Like The Sunset Line, it costs more than the average stay here, but the location and views make the difference

Highlights

  1. Manarola
  2. Pesto Experience at Nessun Dorma — make pesto by hand, followed by lunch and local wine overlooking the village
  3. Church of San Lorenzo

Getting aroundOn foot and by train. Manarola itself is car-free, so leave the car outside the village

EatLa Regina di Manarola — hillside restaurant with panoramic views over the village

TipDo not rush Manarola just because the village is small. The views and restaurants are a large part of the reason to stay here rather than only passing through by train
Manarola - Day 4
View from the hotel room

Portovenere - Day 5

A final coastal day outside the five villages, with a more historic feel and some of the strongest sea views of the route.

Highlights

  1. Portovenere
  2. Church of San Pietro, perched directly above the sea
  3. Grotta di Byron

Getting aroundDay trip from Manarola

TipIf shopping is more appealing than another coastal stop, Brugnato 5Terre Outlet Village is roughly an hour away by car and works better before or after the Cinque Terre section while you still have easy access to your car
Portovenere - Day 5
Portovenere - Day 5

From the road  8 photographs

Before you go  take it with you

Make Cinque Terre your next story

Questions about timings, seasons, or where to swap a stop? Write to us — we answer every message with the map open.

Plan it with us

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