Cinque Terre or 5 earths are 5 coastal fishing villages that line the rocky cliffs and coast of north-western Italy. Each village has its own charm and beauty with quaint stone homes, gardens and small eateries sitting against the stunning ocean backdrop. These five viliages, Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore are part of a UNESCO world heritage zone. You can walk between each village but you need appropriate footwear it is an 11 kilometre walk can take approximately 5 hours each way. The most photographed of the 5 would be Manarola and Vernazza where most of the imagery you see online has been taken. Each village is spectacular although my favourites are Manarola and Monterosso al Mare
WHERE TO STAY
I would strongly recommend staying in one of these villages for the full experience, however accommodation in can be limited so book in advance. Failing being able to find somewhere, you can always book at the larger town of La Spezia and travel by train to each village in the day. You can find small hotels or Air BnB options in each of these villages.
WHAT TO DO
You can swim off any of the local coastlines that edge these villages, they are open to the public. There are also small cafes and restaurants and many scenic walks throughout village to local viewing points. There is a restaurant up on the cliff top at Manarola that offers drinks and antipasto style dishes, this is the perfect place to watch the sunset here.
HOW TO GET HERE
You can reach Cinque Terre by train from La Spezia and there is a train line connecting each village in between. The trip between villages by train is usually no longer than 10-15 minutes.
