CINQUE TERRE HIKING GUIDE

The Cinque Terre is located in Northern Italy along the Liguria Sea. The Cinque Terre is made of five towns which are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare. My favorite thing about the Cinque Terre is hiking between the towns along the coast. The coastal hiking trail connecting the towns offer spectacular views of the five picturesque villages. The views offered along the hiking paths are unlike anything I’ve ever seen! In my opinion, the trails offer the best vantage point of these lovely colorful villages.

Here are a few tips and tricks to hiking in the Cinque Terre!

And don’t forget to pin this for later!

CINQUE TERRE CARD – I recommend purchasing the Cinque Terre card. You can choose between the Cinque Terre Card Trekking or Cinque Terre Card Train. The Trekking Card is approximately half the price of the Train Card however, the Train Card gives you access to both the hiking trails as well as the train. You don’t need to purchase the Cinque Terre card off-season (November through March) because the trails are free to enter. For more information on the card please click here.

Pricing: The Trekking Card is 7.5 euros per day for adults. During high season, the Train Card is 16 euros for a 1 day pass. You can also purchase 3 and 5 day passes which are available at a discounted rate

HIKE SOUTH TO NORTH – I recommend hiking from South to North when hiking in the Cinque Terre. You can hike in both directions, however, the path is easier when hiking South to North. The trails are more challenging when hiking from North to South which is why I recommend going the opposite way.

HIKING SHOES – Make sure you have a good pair of tennis shoes or hiking boots. You’re supposed to have shoes with ridges and good soles to hike in the Cinque Terre.

TRAILS – Luckily, the hiking trails in the Cinque Terre are well marked. Upon arrival to the Cinque Terre, I recommend double checking which trails are open. Certain trails close occasionally due to potential landslides or other issues. While certain trails are closed, there are alternate routes so keep reading!

There are a few hiking trails between Riomaggiore and Manarola. The coastal route is the main hiking path but it’s supposed to be closed until July of 2024. It takes less than 30 minutes to hike the mile long coastal trail between these two villages. This trail is considered relatively easy. Since the coastal route is closed, you can hike the path inland. The trail is longer and slightly more challenging as you must hike over the mountain.

Recommendation: If you’re into hiking, I recommend hiking to the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Montenero which is a church in Riomaggiore. The view shows off the incredible coastline of the Cinque Terre and overlooks a handful of the villages along the coast. There are two hiking paths leading to the church. The quicker option is pretty much a straight incline as you’ll climb up a number of stairs before reaching the top. The second path takes approximately one hour and is roughly 2 miles. The views are amazing!

As I mentioned, the coastal trail from Manarola to Corniglia is currently closed. It takes about two hours to hike the alternate route as it’s four and a half miles long. Similar to the inland trail from Riomaggiore to Manarola, you’ll hike over the mountain making the inland route more of a challenge.

Tip: Don’t miss the viewpoint in Manarola overlooking the village. Google the Manarola Scenic Viewpoint and follow the path to the lookout point. The view is a quick 5 minute walk from town offering the most breathtaking vantage point!

I’m happy to say the path between Corniglia and Vernazza is open! Set aside about an hour and a half to hike between these villages. The trail is only about 2.5 miles but there’s a decent amount of incline. There are a number of stairs throughout this slightly dusty and rocky path. The trail is easy to find as it begins near the church in Corniglia and ends in the center of Vernazza. Once you reach the path, it’s well marked with a handful of signs pointing in the direction of Vernazza (or Corniglia if you hike the opposite way).

The hike from Vernazza to Monterosso al Mare is temporarily closed. I recommend double checking the status prior to your trip. The trail is easy to find as it begins in town. Look for the sign with an arrow to Monterosso al Mare and follow this to reach the trail. My favorite view of Vernazza is actually along the stretch to Monterosso al Mare. Approximately 10 minutes into the hike you’ll have the most spectacular view of Vernazza! Admire the view and continue on as the best are yet to come! About midway through the hike you’ll have amazing views of the coastline.

The village of Monterosso al Mare is split between the Old and New Town. As a result, the towns are separated by a tunnel. Both towns are charming and worth a visit! To reach the train station, you’ll go past the tunnel to the further town.

The path from Vernazza to Monterosso al Mare tends to be the most challenging and takes about 1.5 – 2 hours to complete. Like the other hikes, it’s well marked and easy to follow but there are a lot of stairs!

Hiking through the Cinque Terre was hands down my favorite activity in this area! It was such an incredible experience to view these towns on foot. I hope you enjoy the Cinque Terre as much as I did.

Traveling to Italy? Here are a few articles to help plan your trip.

• Amalfi Coast vs. Cinque Terre
• Amalfi Coast Towns

Safe Travels,

Sarah :)

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