The Cinque Terre, five villages where time seems to have stopped, are waiting for you to reveal their secrets. Sea lovers, hardcore walkers and good forks, get ready! Sea, paths and gastronomy are the ingredients of a successful stay in Cinque Terre. Don't worry, art and history are not missing and will have more than enough to satisfy your thirst for culture. A dream getaway, not far from the French border, that will delight couples and families.
Discover now the 15 must-sees during your vacation in the Cinque Terre!
A little corner of paradise classified as a UNESCO heritage site
As the train gets closer to Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso, the beauty of the show takes hold of you as if by magic: a succession of terraced hills plunging steeply into the blue sea. Here and there, small groups of houses add a touch of color to the green vegetation. This small corner of paradise, classified as a Unesco heritage site, stretches between the promontories of Punta del Mesco and Punta del Persico. It is the difficulty of access, both by land and by sea, that has miraculously allowed to preserve these almost virgin lands. Indeed, to reach these towns with evocative names, forget your car! Embedded in the natural coves dug by the sea, they are much more easily accessible by train.
Start your discovery with the least exotic of the five, Monterosso, the first to welcome you on the western side. You won't be able to resist the temptation to dive into the blue waters of the beautiful Fegina beach, the only sandy beach in the entire region, before wandering through the alleys of the medieval fabric of the old town. Before reaching Vernazza, one train stop away, stop at San Francesco, the ancient church of the Capuchin convent, also in Monterosso.
Change of register in Vernazza, the most social of the five, but also the most romantic. The setting lends itself to an invigorating stopover; it is the only one with a port. Take a cue from the Ligurians, who happily sit at one of the seaside trattorie at lunch or dinner. This is a good opportunity to have your first encounter with the local gastronomy and to admire the horizon on which the bell tower of the beautiful Santa Maria d'Antioca stands out.
To get around, use both the train and the bus, and after an invigorating night in one of the many establishments built in old fishermen's houses, you are ready to continue your discovery.
Five villages between land and sea
Move away from the coast to reach the "most terrestrial" of the five. To reach Corniglia, arm yourself with courage and climb to the top of the Lardarina, a 377-step climb. For those who are lazy, there is a shuttle service from the train station to the town square. Surrounded by vineyards and without direct access to the sea, the village is linked to the land. If you are not a fish lover, you will be served rabbit with olives, wild boar terrine and mushroom tagliatelle in the center of the village. After a good meal, as only the Cinque Terre knows how to prepare, take a walk in the small center where, between a flowering vegetable garden and some lemon trees, the beautiful sculpted façade of the church dedicated to San Pietro welcomes you. The view of the coast from the hill of Corniglia suddenly reminds you that you already miss the sea. So the marine perspective is back in Manarola. More intimate than the others, its fishermen's houses with painted facades contrast with the anthracite color of the enormous rock that supports them.
Whether you take the train or the path to Riomaggiore, your first impression will be the same: a village of light and shadow, where the blinding sun slips through the narrow streets. The medieval center, where the houses seem to stand up to the sun, is reflected in the transparent waters, while upstream from the village olive groves and vineyards dress the hill in a green finery.
Famous walks and hikes
Like fingers on a hand, the five villages are linked by a dense network of paths that weave through the scrub, between broom bushes and lemon trees. Even if you are not a great walker, walking at least one of them is a must in order to grasp the spirit of these thousand-year-old lands. They don't require any special training, just good equipment. A multifunctional pass - the Cinque Terre Card -, on sale at all information points, is necessary to access the trails and to have a detailed map and other services of the Cinque Terre National Park. Lovers, be prepared, because one of these paths is especially dedicated to you. The Via dell'Amore (the path of love) is undoubtedly the most famous. Cut entirely into the rocks along the coastline that connects Manarola to Riomaggiore over a distance of two kilometers, it offers some of the most beautiful views of the area.
Even if you are not an avid walker, we suggest you visit one of the five sanctuaries that overlook the villages and to which the inhabitants of the area have always devoted a deep devotion. From the top of these unusual places, such as the sanctuary of the Madonna di Montenero or that of Nostra Signora della Salute, the slopes of the terraced hills stretch as far as the eye can see. Heather, broom and maritime pines alternate with vineyards that seem to defy the law of gravity. The 7,000 kilometers of dry stone walls will not go unnoticed during your walks.
A gourmet destination when it's time to sit down to eat
In a region where land and sea merge into each other, fishing is a religion. A protected marine reserve, where fishing is strictly forbidden, the sea beds of the Cinque Terre are home to some of the richest fauna in Liguria. If you are in the area in September, you may be lucky enough to see the anchovy fishing. True to tradition, the fishermen try to revive the ancient custom of fishing with lampare, luminous lanterns that light up the water. The anchovies attracted by the brightness of the plankton are caught in the nets. According to connoisseurs, these small fish have an incomparable flavor and aroma. Try them fried or, according to the traditional recipe, in tian, in an oiled pan on a bed of potatoes. A real delight! Then there is the pesto, a fine basil sauce with pine nuts, parmesan and olive oil, which has long been known beyond the Ligurian borders. To accompany these tasty dishes, the small local wine, white and dry with very fragrant tones, is ideal. Between sky and sea, the Cinque Terre offers you a thousand experiences at once.
Useful information
When to visit? Pleasant all year round, spring and early autumn are the best times to visit. June and September are ideal.
How to get there. By plane to Genoa or Florence airport. Then you can continue by train or by car.
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Useful. To prepare your trip in the best way.
ITALIAN NATIONAL TOURIST OFFICE (ENIT) - More information on the site
PARCO NAZIONALE DELLE CINQUE TERRE - More information on the site
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