Cinque Terre is a rugged coastline on the Italian Riviera composed of five beautiful hillside villages; Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The five villages are connected by hiking trails open all year round.
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There are basically three ways to move from one village to another; you either walk, take the train or the boat. The walking trail is 12 kilometers and runs along the coast through all five villages from Riomaggiore in the south to Monterosso in the north.
Visit some of the villagesChoose to visit two or three of the villages, for example Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore. You have to skip Corniglia situated on top of a cliff 100 metres above sea level. If you are limited on time, take the train between the villages.
Vernazza: Located to the north of the Cinque Terre, Vernazza is probably the most beautiful and picturesque fishing village of Cinque Terre, where its colourful houses hang above the sea level on rugged cliffs. It has a charming natural port and an old castle, built to protect the area from pirates.
You can walk the entire route in about six hours, if you take short breaks—although many hikers prefer to spread the route out over a few days at a strolling pace, stopping to enjoy the towns along the way. You can start from either direction (Monterosso, heading south, or Riomaggiore, heading north).
The five villages of cinque terre include Monterosso al Mare (the biggest), Vernazza (normally considered the prettiest), Corniglia (up high on the cliffs), Manarola and Riomaggiore.
Shopping and pricesThe Cinque Terre is not cheap. As everywhere in the world, tourism has raised prices. I often go to the market of La Spezia to shop for food, it's much cheaper than the stores of the villages. In restaurants, you have to expect Western European prices.
Cinque Terre has a long main season that effectively spans May to October, due to the Liguria region's mild Mediterranean climate. Really the best time to visit Cinque Terre is on the edges of this period, in mid to late April, or mid to late October.
The Amalfi Coast is home to lavish 5-star hotels and international jet-setters. Plus it's possible to reach the beautiful island of Capri, sample pizza in its home of Naples, and visit Pompeii. Cinque Terre is more laid-back, suited to those who adore hiking and photography.
This town is worth visiting for two to three days. La Spezia is a port city that's located near Cinque Terre. It has a maritime museum and an old town with restaurants and shops. For visitors who choose not to stay in Cinque Terre, it makes a convenient base for exploring the area.
Of course you can find some hotels in the Cinque Terre villages, mainly in Monterosso, but the number of rooms is limited. There is no space for new constructions or big buildings, which is good because the villages have already too many visitors.
To get the hardest hiking over with first, start in Monterosso.Once you reach Corniglia, and assuming all of the trails are open, the easier sections will be at the end. For those who are very ambitious, there are trails that go even higher into the mountains for some of the best views of the area.
Corniglia is the only one of the five Cinque Terre towns that isn't a fishing town and you need to walk up around 365 steps to get there. That puts most people off and means that Corniglia is the Cinque Terre town with the fewest tourists.
Cost. Visiting Cinque Terre should be cheaper than the Amalfi Coast. Of course, so much depends on your choices – how you travel around, where and how long you stay, which restaurants you dine at, etc. But in general, the Amalfi Coast is a much more expensive destination than Cinque Terre.