Cinque Terre Travel Guide: 5 Villages, 1 Breathtaking Coastline

The funny thing about my recent visit to Italy, was that I was not supposed to BE in Italy. Not like my passport was banned or something-no, I was supposed to be in Portugal--the island of Madeira to be exact--but for the first time in my life...I missed my flight.

Barely, too.

On the way through the security line, I got the call from the flight attendants.

Anyway, that mishap led to a spontaneous decision: purchasing a last-minute flight to Rome, where I caught a train up to La Spezia and then another regional train to Vernazza.

Harrowing, one might say.

It was exhausting though. But I have lived to tell the tale and what a wonderful turn of events it was to spend nearly two weeks in one of Italy's most colorful, seaside villages.

Riomaggiore at Sunset (2025 - by KC Camp)

If you're planning to visit Cinque, I recommend you get your flight far ahead of time, unlike me. I also suggest that you visit in the shoulder months. Which for Europe is typically May and September (the bookends of Summer). But for Cinque Terre, even the beginning of May was absolutely PACKED this year. Consider late April and early October.

I travel to many touristy areas; most people do when they are first exploring the world, but for me Cinque Terre was one of the most crowded places I've been to, abroad.

There are several reasons for this.

1) Cinque Terre is a national park! Yeah, not just fishing villages or the inspiration for 'Luca' Pixar's adorable and nostalgic movie about sea monsters come to life. It's Italy's smallest national park, and therefore you are bumping shoulders not just with international tourists, but local ones.

2) 2025 happens to be a Jubilee year. So, Christians, Catholics, and Jewish folks flock to religious sites for celebration of liberation and restoration. As Italy is the home of the Vatican, this was a prime location for international, religious Pilgrams.

3) Additionally, Pope Francis, passed away at the end of April this year and a new pope, Leo XIV was elected the same week we landed in Rome.

All that to say. You shouldn't be discouraged to travel here if you hate crowds but do consider the circumstances prior and note that Cinque Terre is a popular spot. (FOR GOOD REASON!)

There is a strategy to travel. Specifically, there are several strategies to travelling in Cinque Terre and avoiding crowds.

1) Do your major activities in the early morning!

2) Stay in a central village (either Vernazza or Corniglia) for commuting purposes! We skipped tickets on single stop commutes (a little risky, yes, but also it saved us 5 euros each multiple times).

3) Spend your midday inside, cooler and most shops are closed. This gives you time to rest, work remotely & prep for the evening, so you don't burn your candle at both ends. You also avoid the day trippers and through hikers that crowd the streets.

4) Grocery shops close early, so buy your food ahead of time (eating at home saves a lot of money). Most we saw closed at 5pm. Some closed in the afternoon for siesta and opened back up until 7pm.

5) For hiking advice, check out my upcoming blog post: Hiking Cinque Terre.

About the towns (their unique personalities & what to do in each):

Start with the Northen most village and make your way to the most scenic one.

Monterosso

Beautiful beach town. Has the largest beach of the 5, sandy with some iconic rocks peeking out from the crystal blue waters. Monterosso is the northern most of the 5. It has a large farmer's market on Fridays (as does La Spezia and Levanto- the 2 bookending towns on either side of Cinque Terre). Monterosso also has 'The Giant Statue'', a 14-meter (46 foot) tall statue of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea.

Of the 5 towns, Monterosso has the most 'beach town' feel. The main street that runs through it hosts the majority of its restaurants, with the more residential area located further up in the foothills and mountains. (This is the case for most of the towns, actually.)

We spent an evening to two here thinking we would see the sunset, but after talking to a couple locals, there is a reason that everyone goes to Riomaggiore for sunsets, as there is not a mountain blocking its light.

It was beautiful though! There are loads of Gelato shops here, I think most of the villages and it was lovely to get some Pistachio Gelato and walk along the beachfront.

There are several pedestrian tunnels in Monterosso, so make sure you explore all the beach options.

For the iconic black pillar rocks, miniature sea stacks made of volcanic rock, look for Nuovo Eden Bar & Gelateria and then head south on the beach.

Things to do:

• Beach day! This is the perfect beach to lay out on. If you aren't one for the sand, consider grabbing lunch or dinner at a beach front restaurant such as Da Miky (known for its excellent view of the sea and even more excellent seafood menu).

• Rent a beach chair under the famous orange umbrellas!

• Kayak and explore the hidden sea caves more north up the coast

• Take a boat tour. Many are offered out of Monterosso, second only to Riamaggiore. Most will leave out of the southernmost beach area. Taking a boat tour at sunset is always a romantic option.

• Visit the Church of San Giovanni Battista (13th century) with its black-and-white striped façade.

• Explore the Giant Statue (Il Gigante) carved into the cliffside.

• Try paragliding for panoramic views over the coast. - We skipped out on this one, but next time!

  
  

Where to eat:

Da Miky - already mentioned this one (seafront seafood)

Gelato (What's better than walking down a beach with a yummy coffee gelato in hand? Almost nothing) there are a lot of Gelato options in Monterosso, but I recommend Gelateria La Scogliera. It's easily accessed.

Vernazza

Our home base for the trip! We stayed in Vernazza in one of the coolest (and I meant this both literally and figuratively) Airbnbs! Tucked away, nearly at the top of one of Vernazza's skinny alley streets (be prepared for a lot of steps when visiting Cinque Terre), was our little apartment.

The house, like many of Italy's coastal homes, was built into the side of the mountain. Because it was a cave, of sorts, the apartment had no AC, but even in the height of summer I doubt it would be necessary. The natural filtration of the large Italian windows and the cool cave wall didn't let it get above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Perfect for the hot afternoons.

Vernazza is also the specific town that ‘Luca’ is set in. It is the smallest of the 5 and my personal favorite. 

With a small sand beach, that is primarily a conglomerate of underwater boulders, perfect for diving, sunbathing, reading and picnicking, you can spend several afternoons here if you wish to skip the traditional afternoon nap.

Vernazza is similar to Corniglia, in that it is full of winding alleyways, made of the stone sourced directly from the mountains.

There are waterfront restaurants, two grocery stores, a fish shop and a pharmacy. (I make note of these because often I will need to make a spontaneous stop at the pharmacy for sunscreen or lotion and not every village has one easily accessible, they also vary in price. For example, Vernazza is smaller and slightly less visited (as is Corniglia, so they are slightly cheaper).

Things to do: 

• Late Morning or Mid-day lounge on the rocks with a picnic and spend a couple hours sunbathing, swimming and diving off the rocks. The water is so nice and clear and clean and not choppy as it is at in Rio. 

• Grab a cappuccino at Blue Marlin, one of the few places that has public Wi-Fi. We went here multiple times, first for the Wi-Fi, but then again for the delicious breakfast (reasonably priced) and the amazing espresso. 

• Explore the picture esc alley ways and check out the iconic lookout tower, Doria Castle. (costs 2 euros-cash, which is unclear until you get up there)

• Explore the Church of Santa Margherita d’Antiochia right by the waterfront.

• Taste the local anchovy delicacies.

  
  

Where to eat:

• Blue Marlin - breakfast and coffee (public Wi-Fi) 

• Lunch Box - lunch and dinner (also has public Wi-Fi) 

• Trattoria Da Piva Vernazza - for dinner (not open on Mondays and Thursdays and takes Siesta) 

Corniglia

Perched atop a cliff some 100 meters above the sea, Corniglia is the smallest and least visited of the five—offering peaceful charm, steep stair access (or shuttle from the train for those who need more accessibility). Because we were staying in Vernazza we decided to hike to Corniglia and take the train back.

Unlike the other villages, we surmised that Corniglia probably was the safest and most well-off of the five villages back when pirates used to roam.

On the hike to Corniglia you'll see several lovely vineyards and lemonade stands to stop at and enjoy cold drinks and a stunning view of the bluest waters.

We loved the crowded aspect of the buildings. Corniglia feels like a maze with loads of tiny shops clustered together. Most take cash but some will take card. Paintings, kitchen utensils, little trinkets and grocers alike.

This village at the best fresh fruit juice! There was a little spot that made juices right there in front of you and you could pick which to mix. Such as orange and cranberry or lemon and mint, etc. I highly suggest checking this little place out!

Things to do:

• Take the Lardarina Staircase (377 steps) or shuttle from the station to the village, not exactly fun, but I'm giving you an idea of what the walking in Corniglia is going to feel like. These are also referred as the 'famous stairs' by locals. So, when asking for directions, I often just referred to them as the famous stairs. This is how you access the train station.

• Stroll quiet, medieval lanes and vineyard paths, there are a LOT of vineyards here. For wine connoisseurs this will feel a little like the steps to heaven.

• Visit the Church of San Pietro with its Gothic-Ligurian design. Hard to miss, as it is in the center of the village.

• Sip local wine at a terrace café overlooking the sea.

Where to eat:

• Enjoy gelato at Alberto Gelateria, famous for basil-flavored gelato.

• Get fresh juice at Gelateria Corniglia - though technically gelato shop, they make the juice and smoothies RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU! SO FRESH AND CRISP!

• Er Posu Cafe' di Tiziana Ielpo - best espresso and this is where the locals seemed to be in the morning! I needed some caffeine straight to my veins after the hike and this little corner cafe provided! For cappuccinos and 2 espressos, it cost less than 5 euros (~5.82 USD)

Manarola

Manarola is one of the most photographed and beloved villages—with pastel houses perched above a harbor and often seen as quintessential Cinque Terre due to the cliffs and seashores. You'll see Manarola as the number 1 souvenir landscape in Cinque Terre.

In its harbor, there is a large rock where locals and some tourists jump. Of course, if you know me, you know I love cliff-jumping and couldn't pass up. Though the first evening we went to Manarola, no one was jumping except me and there were hordes of tourists, so it felt more like a spectacle.

Even so, I swam out to the rock and leapt of it several times. In the evening sun it was difficult to see what was beneath the water, which added a layer of anxiety to the already palpable anxiety of being on display for hundreds of strangers with their phones out.

Manarola was the busiest village of the five! So much so we spent as little time as we could because being funneled off and of the train was comparable to being in a herd of cows, jostling through tight spaces at a soul-splittingly slow pace.

I would say though, go for the cliff jumping if that's your thing and for the Pesto Classes were both highly recommended on social media and in person by the other tourists we spoke to.

Top Things to Do:

• Bring a towel and swimsuit and jump off the boulder in the Manarola harbor (do understand you have to swim out to it and look for the spots where locals are jumping to avoid any hidden rocks beneath). Or skip the jump and just enjoy swimming in the blue waters of the harbor!

• Enjoy feasting on the many different foods, like Canolli (cream-filled desert), Focaccia (flat bread cooked with various veggies inside and topped with olive oil) or more GELATO.

• Shop at the many touristy shops for the perfect lemon-studded souvenir, if that's your thing!

• Take a Pesto making class at Nessun Dorma. 85 euro per person or ~$98 USD per person. (lasts about 2 and a half hours)

  
  

Where to Eat:

• Nessun Dorma (they offer a food menu, too)

• Il Porticciolo - Mediterranean Cuisine with a street view to people watch.

• Pastakeaway - for take away pasta and wine (perfect for sunset picnics or sunbathing at the harbor)

Riomaggiore

Perhaps the prettiest village of them all. Riomaggiore is the southernmost fisherman village of the five towns. It boasts the most oranges, reds, and yellows, as well, perfect for mirroring the beautiful sunsets that you should catch while you are here.

We even jumped in the crisp water at sunset to catch some romantic silhouette shots. As I've already mentioned, Rio has the best sunsets. Grabbing some takeaway pizza or focaccia is perfect for an evening picnic on the rocks.

Riomaggiore also is collection of clinging buildings, similar to Vernazza, it has homes built into the mountains as well those that go down to the shore. For those needs more accessibility, make sure you take the elevator available. It cuts out a lot of walking uphill from the train station.

Things to Do:

• Grab fried calamari or seafood cones and eat them by the harbor. (I'm not a huge seafood person, but these cones surprised me. Imagine a fry cone but full of tasty seafood treats).

• Take a sunset boat tour or kayak trip along the cliffs. (Again, Monterosso and Rio are the most popular for boat tours).

• Explore the Church of San Giovanni Battista and the Oratorio di Santa Maria Assunta.

• Wander the steep main street (Via Colombo) for cafés and shops.

• Relax on the rocky harbor walls with a drink at dusk.

• Hike the Via dell’Amore toward Manarola or the rugged coastal path southward.

  
  

Where to eat:

• Il Pescato Cucinato - (Great seafood takeaway and reasonably priced)

• Caffè-Restaurant Il Maggiore Riomaggiore - (Great takeaway focaccia and deserts). It's also very close to the harbor, so perfect walking down to the rocks and enjoying an oceanside picnic. Includes a public restroom (hard to find in Italy) BUTTTT it's a squatty potty and it lacked toilet paper when I was there, so bring wipes with you. Always a good travel choice.

• Tutti Fritti - Fish and chips takeaway (another seafood joint, of course) but they are very popular among both tourists and locals, and for good reason. Cheap, too.

Overall thoughts on Cinque Terre (translated as Five Towns, btw)

I love Italy. Though Cinque Terre was overflowing with tourists, I still found the colors, the fishing village atmosphere and the views absolutely stunning. Who doesn't want to lounge on rocks with a good book in hand, an espresso takeaway or some focaccia to snack on? I loved swimming and jumping and just soaking in the environment of Cinque Terre.

I believe it's so popular because of its transit system (which opens its accessibility up to all ages and all physical abilities). Also, it's variety in vacation type: you can visit as a through hiker on your Europe back-packing trip or lounge around for a romantic week with your partner. If you want, gather up your favorite travel friends and enjoy a fun week of boating, swimming and cocktails.

There isn't much of a party scene and attracts primarily 30's and up travelers but if partying isn't your style than that works out perfectly. I imagine I will be bringing a group here in the future, so if that interests you, keep in touch.

Cinque Terre was laidback, cozy, and romantic. It's been on my travel list since I considered Italy a travel destination and I'm so thankful I got to finally visit! Ciao!