How much time do you need at Cinque Terre?

Cinque Terre is a collection of five seaside villages on a 2-mile (3 km) stretch of Italy's northwest coast. Known as the Italian Riviera due to its dramatic setting, it takes a mere day to visit each of these gems. Two to three days would allow you to enjoy its beaches and discover the culture via a cooking class.



To truly experience the "gold standard" of the Italian Riviera, you should plan to spend at least three full days in Cinque Terre. While many day-trippers from Florence or cruise excursions try to see all five villages (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso) in eight hours, this approach often feels like a frantic race between train platforms. With three days, you can dedicate one day to hiking the "Sentiero Azzurro" (Blue Trail) between the towns, another day to exploring the hidden side streets and vineyards of the more vertical villages like Corniglia, and a final day to relaxing on the beaches of Monterosso or taking a boat tour to see the colorful facades from the water. Staying overnight is essential because the villages transform after 6:00 PM; once the mass of tourists departs, the local atmosphere returns, allowing you to enjoy a quiet seafood dinner by the harbor. If you are an avid hiker or want to explore the "neighboring" hidden gems like Portovenere, extending your stay to five days will allow for a much deeper immersion into the Ligurian lifestyle and local wine culture.

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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).

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It's easy to see Cinque Terre in two days if you want to have a few nice meals, relax on the beach and see the sunset with a cocktail. However, if you want to really spend time time in each town, leisurely do a hike and have a full beach day, you might want to take 3 to 4 days.

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Visit some of the villages Choose 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.

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September-October The shoulder season of September to October is the best time to visit Cinque Terre.

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La Spezia is a bit of a hidden gem as it is not as touristy as its surroundings and offers beautiful panoramas of the gulf and Apuan Alps as well as fascinating museums, a historic city centre, great markets and streets lined with lovely cafes and restaurants.

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Overtourism is a growing phenomenon that our own research indicates affects almost 100 destinations around the world so far, but there are few places in Europe where the problem is so clearly visible as Cinque Terre, on Italy's resplendent Ligurian coast.

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Some portions of the trail are very easy to walk, such as the paved section connecting Riomaggiore to Manarola, and other sections climb up and over hillsides with spectacular views along the coast. It takes about 5 hours to hike the entire distance, not counting the time to explore and linger in each town.

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Shopping and prices The 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.

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La Spezia is one of the best places to stay in the Cinque Terre if you're looking for a larger base, with a cobbled old town, and museums and sights of its own. The first of the towns you reach from La Spezia is Riomaggiore, the largest town, and a great base for walkers.

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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.

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The only mistake anyone can make here is not spending enough time thoroughly enjoying it. Cinque Terre is a place best enjoyed at a slow pace to be able to take it all in. We truly loved and enjoyed our three days in Cinque Terre.

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TIP: Due to its proximity, a visit to Cinque Terre can easily be combined with that of Tuscany. Here you can read more about the most beautiful towns of Tuscany.

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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.

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Both are wonderful places to stop and spend time and are beautiful. The hiking in Cinque Terre is amazing but it will likely have larger crowds. Lake Como will be probably be more peaceful and relaxing.

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7 Best Views in Cinque Terre
  • Riomaggiore harbour view. Classic Cinque Terre postcard view. ...
  • Manarola harbour view. ...
  • Sea view from Corniglia. ...
  • Vernazza view, 1 - from the direction of Monterosso. ...
  • Vernazza view, 2 - from the direction of Corniglia. ...
  • Fegina Beach View from San Cristoforo Hill.


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