Riomaggiore Bay
What is Cinque Terre?
Cinque Terre, meaning the five towns, is a string of five colorful, old fishing villages perched high on the Italian Riviera and it is a car-free zone. It requires 3-4 nights minimum to truly experience all the towns have to offer.
The 5 towns are called Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore and the best way to see them all during your visit is by train or hiking trails.
I spent 2 days & 2 nights here in May 2022 and instantly fell in love with it. I stayed in Riomaggiore, the nearest town to La Spezia on the train, and I was very happy with my decision. It’s a small but lively town with lots of eateries & most importantly the beautiful docking bay where you can lie out, swim and take in the stunning view of the town itself. I stayed in Hotel La Zorca right in the center of town for a cheap and cheerful place to rest my head.
Getting there:
Unless you have a private yacht, the best way to get to Cinque Terre is by Train with La Spezia being the nearest accessible major town connecting Cinque Terre to the rest of Italy. You can also travel to any of the 5 towns in Cinque Terre by train which departs every 10-15 mins and costs 5euro per ride or you can purchase a day pass for unlimited journeys for around 18euro. You can find more specific information here. As per usual, I recommend downloading the Omio App to book your train tickets on your phone.
3 day Itinerary
Day 1
I arrived in Riomaggiore via La Spezia from Pisa on the train, that’s an Italian mouthful. After checking into my hotel, I went straight to Il Pescato Cucinato for a Seafood Cone and I can confirm, it’s very good. The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the town and enjoying a cold beer on the large rocks that form the bay facing the town (see first photo below). The water was chilly but so refreshing after a long day of travelling.
Day 2
Today we hike. First things first, you need to get a Cinque Terre Trekking Card which allows you to use the trails and costs 7.50euro. Side Note please read up on the CT Trekking Card as some of the trails are free and you don’t need the card but I needed it for my route so let’s go.
We are hiking from Riomaggiore to Monterosso passing through Maranola, Corniglia & Vernazza in the middle. You can find more information on the specific trails here or use the All Trails app to follow the route live on your phone. The first leg from Riomaggiore to Maranola was STEEP and challenging but the views were stunning. There is a shorter & easier path from A to B called dell’Amore but during our visit it was closed due to landslide activity. Our route was about 2.5km and took 45 mins including time to stop for photos. We took a break in Maranola & had some fresh strawberries by the beautiful Port before tackling the rugged hills once again.
The trail from Maranola to Corniglia is about 6km and took us about 1hr45. There’s a steep climb at the start but once it levels out you are cruising on the edge of the hills, overlooking the ocean and passing through vineyards and farmlands. I kid you not when I say there is an actual wine tasting room along the way, perched on the hillside, it’s called Cantina Capellini. We didn’t stop for a glass but in hindsight, I wish we did! Bookmark it on your google map for your trip! Corniglia was a bustling town with loads of wandering streets & eateries. We stopped for some obligatory lemon sorbet and enjoyed the views. Corniglia is the only town (I think) that you can’t actually access the coast because it is perched so high up on a hill. It makes for spectacular views though!
Side Note This town and Vernazza in particular, were PACKED with tourists so bare that in mind if you decide to visit. We visiting during shoulder season so I can imagine the peak summer months will be even busier.
The next leg of the hike and potentially the most beautiful trail so far is Corniglia to Vernazza. It makes sense because it was also the busiest trail all day. The distance is about 3.75km and took us an hour to complete. Let me just say, the views coming into Vernazza were fairytale-like. It’s a beautiful, colorful and busy town like a bigger version of Riomaggiore with an equally beautiful bay. We grabbed lunch here and took a rest but then something unexpected happened which put an end to the final leg of our hike to Monterosso. The Heavens Opened!! We hopped on the train back to Riomaggiore and by some miracle, it was sunny there. That’s the nature of coastal, hilly towns.
Wrapping up our last evening in Cinque Terre, we got some take out pizza & beers and watched the sun set over Riomaggiore. 2 days is not enough time here but this means I’ll definitely be back. My time in Cinque Terre was relaxing, exciting and colorful. It’s like a less hectic version of the Amalfi Coast in my opinion.
The next morning we got the hell out of dodge and made our way to the next part of our adventure which took us to.. Rome! Stay tuned for that post.
Happy Adventuring,
Olivia
