What is the best way to get to Cinque Terre?

Trains are the easiest way to get to and around Cinque Terre. Trenitalia has direct connections to La Spezia from Rome, Florence, and Pisa (the closest airport). Once in Cinque Terre, the Cinque Terre Express train runs between La Spezia and Levanto in Sestri Levante, stopping at each village.



The absolute best way to reach Cinque Terre in 2026 is by train. The five villages are largely pedestrianized and carved into steep cliffs, making car travel a logistical nightmare with narrow roads and extremely limited, expensive parking. Most travelers take a high-speed Frecciarossa or Intercity train to La Spezia Centrale (from Rome, Florence, or Pisa) or Levanto (from Genoa/Milan). From these "gateway" stations, you transfer to the Cinque Terre Express, a dedicated regional shuttle that runs every 15–20 minutes and stops at all five villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. The journey between each village takes only about 2 to 5 minutes. For those who want a more scenic arrival, a seasonal ferry runs between the towns (except Corniglia), providing stunning views from the water, but the train remains the most reliable, cost-effective, and frequent method of transportation year-round.

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Two to three days would allow you to enjoy its beaches and discover the culture via a cooking class. And with four to five days, you could get to know every inch of Cinque Terre on boat trips, hikes of the surrounding mountains, and even make an extra trip to historic Genoa.

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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.

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If you do decide to day-trip, the big but easygoing town of La Spezia is far closer than Genoa or Pisa, with just a seven-minute commute to the closest Cinque Terre village, Riomaggiore, and around 15 to 25 minutes to the farthest village, Monterosso.

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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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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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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.

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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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But the Via dell'Amore has been closed since September 24, 2012—initially after a landslide, which was then compounded by wave damage in 2018. The full trail should reopen in July 2024. An initial stretch of it, starting from Riomaggiore, reopened on July 1 for a three-month preview.

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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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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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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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Frankly, the Cinque Terre is a visual place and a sensual place. It's best to see it with your own eyes but if that luxury escapes you at the moment just check out these pictures taken by one of my guests. I've also published a perfect itinerary for a four-day stay in the Cinque Terre.

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Cinque Terre is only 105 miles (169 km) away from Florence, making it an easy side trip that takes between 1.5-3 hours one way. There are a few options for making your way here—train, car or private transfer—but before choosing your means of transport, consider the geography.

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