5 Things to Do in Cinque Terre
There’s a reason that we turiste flock to Cinque Terre—the famous five villages hugging the steep hills of the Italian Riviera. If you’ve made your way to Italy and you’re within a few hours of Cinque Terre, you have to see it for yourself. You’re not in Italy to experience FOMO, right? I met several fellow travelers who were in Cinque Terre on a day trip. Please don’t do it. You are going to miss the magic. I promise you don’t get the true “feel” of a place unless you’ve been there for sunset, sunrise, and the hours in between.
First, some logistics.
Getting to Cinque Terre
I cannot imagine having a car while visiting Cinque Terre, and as a solo traveler, I prefer not to rent a car unless I must. If you drive, do your research and double-check your accommodation’s parking situation. The five villages are connected by train, boats, and hiking trails, so you have options for getting around once you arrive. By train, you can reach the Cinque Terre villages from major cities via the Genoa-La Spezia line.
If you only have a couple of days in Cinque Terre and want to hop around from village to village, the Cinque Terre Express train connects the five villages (from north to south: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore) along with Levanto to the north and La Spezia to the south. There is helpful information about Cinque Terre transportation here. Keep in mind that the Cinque Terre Express runs during the “season,” generally March to November, so check the schedule when planning your trip.
Where to Stay When Visiting Cinque Terre
I chose to stay in Levanto, a lovely town with a beautiful beach, just one train stop north of Monterosso. It was quiet at night and not as crowded as some of the Cinque Terre villages. It is on the Cinque Terre Express line, so it was easy to get to and from the five villages. Levanto also is part of the Framura-Levanto bike and walking path, which I highly recommend for exploring towns and beaches north of the Cinque Terre.
If you’re looking for a resource on stays within Cinque Terre, Chrissy at Travel Passionate lists the pros of cons of staying in each village and offers accommodation recommendations.
A Note on Luggage
Pack light! Most of the villages are steep, so you will be climbing with your stuff. You may have tight train connections and will most definitely have to go up and down stairs. Also, don’t expect taxis to be waiting at the station to take you to your accommodation. Some parts of the villages can only be reached on foot anyway, so a taxi would not even be able to take you directly to your hotel or guesthouse.
I had to learn this the hard way. I packed a 26-inch piece of luggage plus a backpack for my six-week trip, and I was cursing myself when I had to walk from the Levanto train station to the hotel (and Levanto is flat!).
Here’s my tip: If you are taking a longer trip and/or have a lot of stuff, pack just what you need for your time in Cinque Terre, leave the rest in your main piece of luggage (with a lock), and pay to store that larger piece at one of the main train stations on the way to Cinque Terre, like La Spezia, Florence, or Genoa. You can thank me later!
Onto the fun stuff . . . what to do in Cinque Terre.
You will see that one of my tips for traveling Italy is to not try to cram too many things into one day. You can return to the Cinque Terre 50 times and not run out of things to do, so there’s no way you’re going to see everything with just a few days.
5 Things to Do in Cinque Terre
Bachyard
This is one of my favorite travel experiences ever. Anywhere. If you have the chance, book it! Emanuele, a passionate pianist, playwright, and farmer hosts guests at his property in the Cinque Terre National Park. While you drink, eat, and find yourself dumbstruck by the sunset, Emanuele plays Bach. Forget fighting the crowds in Vernazza or Riomaggiore to watch the sun go down. Aptly named Tramonti (“sunsets” in Italian), Emanuele’s farm is the place to be.
On my first night in Cinque Terre, I took the train from Levanto to Riomaggiore and climbed the hill to the parking lot to meet the driver for the 20-minute uphill drive to Tramonti. Emanuele met us at the end of the driveway and gave us a tour of the property. His passion for the land and its history is palpable. We toured his young vineyard and learned about the challenges and rewards of growing grapes in Cinque Terre’s difficult terrain.
And as he began to play Bach from the cozy piano room in his farmhouse, we sipped on Cinque Terre wine and nibbled on local cheese and meats while watching the sunset over the sea. As it got dark, Emanuele’s colleagues served us dinner, dessert, and his homemade lemon liqueurs.
I felt like I had been transported to another world that evening. The views, the dinner, the music—Emanuele has organized an experience like no other.
Hike the Stairway to Wine Heaven
There are incredible hiking trails in Cinque Terre, and many of us likely find ourselves on the most popular (read: crowded), like the Azure Trail (Blue Trail) from Monterosso to Vernazza, or vice versa. I started this hike on a whim one morning around 11 AM. I wish I had started earlier since I was in direct sunlight for most of the hike. Some websites label this trail as “easy,” but I would say it’s “moderate” if you consider the steps and inclines/declines.
Don’t get me wrong--the views from the Azure Trail are beautiful, but the views are incredible everywhere in Cinque Terre, so why not opt for a more off-the-beaten-path experience?
The next morning, I met up with Erica and a small group in Manarola a little before 9:00. We took a walk around the quiet village toward the start of the hike to Volastra. When Erica says this hike is “straight uphill,” she is not exaggerating. So, make sure you are confident in your fitness level before signing up. Erica did take breaks to tell stories as we climbed through terraced vineyards and olive groves and allowed us to enjoy the views, which are unbeatable.
Upon arriving in Volastra, we visited the cellar of a local winemaker, Capellini, where Erica shared information with us about the wine production. From there, we walked to Cantina Capellini, located in the terraced vineyard with views straight down to the sea.
Other tourists tried to enter the vineyard to join us, but Erica had to turn them away. I would have been jealous of us too!
After enjoying wine and focaccia, the group decided to continue on the trail to Corniglia on our own. I went to Alberto Gelateria for their lemon basil gelato made from basil that they grow and then took the train back to Levanto for some beach time.
Sunset E-Bike Tour
Since I don’t rent a car often when traveling solo, taking bike tours gives me the chance to see a place by road (or trail). I started my Cinque Terre sunset bike tour in Levanto, a short walk from my hotel. We climbed the hills outside of town to Legnaro, then Colla di Gritta before making our way down to Monterosso. I will say it again—all of the views in Cinque Terre are incredible. The hills, the vineyard, the sea. Cinque Terre is a feast for the eyes.
I took this tour after hiking from Monterosso to Vernazza earlier in the day. I was tired from hiking in the heat, so thank goodness for an e-bike! I encourage you to try an e-bike tour if you never have. All you need to do is pedal, and the motor does the rest. It feels like cheating!
We took a half-hour break in Monterosso, enough time to walk along the pier and grab a gelato. We took a different route back to Levanto, taking in sunset views along the way.
Go to the Beach
Cinque Terre beaches and the Ligurian Sea are stunning! Take an afternoon off from hiking and biking and go for a swim. Nadine of Le Long Weekend has a roundup of the best beaches in Cinque Terre. I opted for the beach in Levanto.
I also walked the beach in Bonassola, a town just north of Levanto. I went there on foot using the Maremonti trail that connects Levanto to Framura. From the Levanto promenade facing the sea, look to your right, and you will see a tunnel. Start walking that way to connect to the trail, which was once a railway. In the 1970s when the new rail line was created, the railway was converted to a cycling and walking path along the coast through the train tunnels.
Bring a towel and a bathing suit with you if you are going to bike or walk the trail. As you pop out of the tunnels, the sea may be calling you to take a dip!
I did not walk all the way to Framura. If I had spent another day in the area, I would have rented a bike and gone there for the beach, which I hear is beautiful. I did walk to the beach in Bonassola and stayed for dinner, then took the train back to Levanto since I did not want to walk back in the dark.
Eat, Eat, Eat!
Some of the best dishes I’ve had in Italy have been in Liguria. While these restaurants are not in Cinque Terre, they are so close and were excellent, so I have to recommend them. I may go back to Levanto just to have the stuffed mussels at Osteria Tumelin. I can still taste them when I conjure the memory.
I had a wonderful antipasto of assorted fish carpaccio at Antico Trattoria Centro in Levanto, along with squid ink pasta and frutti di mare.
In Bonassola at Si Va, I had a lovely grilled fish of the day. I have to admit, though, I was eyeing the fritto misto at the table next to me the whole time! I ended the evening with Schiacchertra, a local dessert wine, and cantucci (almond biscotti).
Any amount of time spent in Cinque Terre will be rewarding, but I encourage you to plan your time wisely and prioritize your activities. You may be tempted to do too much and lose out on soaking in all the goodness that makes this place so special.