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Travel guide
Cinque Terre
4 days · 8 things to do
Best time to go: April to June, and September to October
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Welcome
Cinque Terre, in a few days
Five fishing villages painted in pastel colours cling to the Ligurian cliffs: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The train links them in minutes, and cliff paths run between them above the sea, through terraced vines and lemon trees. End the day with a glass of sciacchetrà as the sun sets over Manarola.
- Day by day
- D1 Day 1 2 things
- D2 Day 2 2 things
- D3 Day 3 2 things
- D4 Day 4 2 things
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
The trip
Day by day
Map of the sights (numbers follow the suggested order). It prints with the base map.
D1
Day 1
2 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Monterosso al Mare free · half a dayThe largest village, with the park's main sandy beach, anchovy shops in the old town and the Gigante statue carved into the rock at Fegina.
- Afternoon · Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Path) · about 2 hThe cliff path linking the five villages; the Monterosso to Vernazza stretch takes about two hours of steep ups and downs above the sea.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Hotel Gianni Franzi€150 a night
D2
Day 2
2 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Vernazza free · about 1 h 30A tiny harbour framed by ochre houses, a church at the water's edge and a watchtower above; the harbour square is best at aperitivo time.
- Afternoon · Corniglia free · about 1 hSet 100 metres above the sea on a vine-covered headland with no direct sea access, so quieter; its lanes lead to the Santa Maria viewpoint.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Hotel Baia€210 a night
D3
Day 3
2 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Manarola free · about 1 h 30Pastel tower houses tumble down to a rocky cove where locals dive; the view from Punta Bonfiglio at sunset is the classic Cinque Terre picture.
- Afternoon · Via dell'Amore · about 30 minThe cliff path between Manarola and Riomaggiore reopened in 2024 after more than ten years of work: an easy twenty-minute walk above the sea.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Hotel La Spiaggia€190 a night
D4
Day 4
2 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Riomaggiore free · about 1 h 30The steepest village, its main street dropping between walls of coloured houses to a tiny marina; at dusk photographers gather on the jetty.
- Afternoon · Portovenere · about 2 hGenoese tower houses below Doria Castle, San Pietro church on its wave-battered rock and Byron's Grotto, all within a UNESCO-listed site.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Hotel Marina Piccola€180 a night
Before you go
Worth sorting before you go
📶 eSIM data
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
🛡️ Travel insurance
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
💳 Fee-free card
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
🚐 Airport transfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
Some links are partner links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Good to know
Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Neapolitan pizza: soft dough, wood fire, and best eaten in Naples.
- Regional pasta: carbonara in Rome, ragu in Bologna, and never the same twice.
- Gelato: artisan ice cream. Walk past the tubs piled high and glowing.
- Aperitivo: a spritz and small plates at the end of the afternoon.
- Espresso: standing at the bar, and no cappuccino after a meal.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Restaurants with photo menus and a man outside waving you in, especially near the monuments.
- Check the bill for coperto and service before you add anything.
- Cappuccino after midday marks you out. An espresso works at any hour.
- Shoulders and knees covered in churches, and that includes the big ones.
Getting by
Words that help
English ↔ Italian
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| Hello | Buongiorno |
| Thank you | Grazie |
| Please | Per favore |
| Yes | Sì |
| No | No |
| Excuse me | Mi scusi |
| Goodbye | Arrivederci |
| Do you speak English? | Parla inglese? |
| I don't understand | Non capisco |
| How much is it? | Quanto costa? |
| Where are the toilets? | Dove sono i bagni? |
| The bill, please | Il conto, per favore |
| Help! | Aiuto! |
| Cheers! | Salute! |
The essentials
The practical page
CurrencyEuro (EUR, €)
BudgetAbout €130 a day, mid-range
Best seasonApril to June, and September to October
PlugC/F/L · 230V
Tap waterSafe to drink
TippingCover charge often included, rounding up is enough
Emergency112
EntrySchengen area: an ID card or passport for EU citizens, 90 days visa-free for UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports.
HealthNo specific vaccination needed. Make sure tetanus, polio and MMR are up to date.
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/cinque-terre
Don't forget
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.