Starting from north to south, the towns of the Cinque Terre are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. By train, it takes about five minutes to travel from one village to the next. Or there is a ferry service, which connects all the towns but one, Corniglia.

The five villages of the Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera are located along the rugged Ligurian coast, and their "order" depends on whether you are traveling from the north (Genoa/Levanto) or the south (La Spezia). If you are coming from the south (La Spezia), which is the most common entry point for tourists taking the train, the order is: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare. Riomaggiore is known for its vertical colorful houses; Manarola is famous for its iconic sunset views; Corniglia is the only village not directly on the water (it sits high on a cliff); Vernazza is often cited as the most picturesque with its natural harbor; and Monterosso is the largest village with the only expansive sandy beach. Conversely, if you are arriving from the north, the order is simply reversed. Most visitors use the "Cinque Terre Express" train, which runs frequently between all five villages, making it easy to hop between them in a single day, though hiking the "Sentiero Azzurro" (Blue Trail) allows you to see them in sequence at a much slower and more scenic pace.