Cinque Terre, italy
Attractions Guide

The Cinque Terre region is a UNESCO world heritage site, consisting of five picturesque villages along the mountainous coastline of Northern Italy. These five villages from west to east are Monterosso al Mare (the largest village), Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. A bit further east along the coast if the beautiful town of Portovenere, which is often visited by tourists to Cinque Terre.

The five villages of Cinque Terre are connected via a high speed train that runs beneath the mountains, stopping in each village. The train connects to the largest city in the region, La Spezia, which is the gateway city to Cinque Terre, along with Sestri Levante to the west. The villages are also connected by roads, however driving in Cinque Terre is difficult as the roads are very windy and crowded, and parking can be extremely challenging.

Hiking Cinque Terre

One of the best ways to experience the villages of Cinque Terre is by hiking along the old coastal trail (Sentiero Azzuro or Blue Path) which connects the villages. The Cinque Terre region actually hosts several great hikes, and even just wandering around the villages is a very scenic experience.

Monterosso al Mare is the largest town of Cinque Terre and the western / northern most village, hosting many restaurants and hotels. The eastern side of Monterosso is its older part of town, with many clustered rustic buildings and the village’s harbor. Be sure to walk along Monterosso’s harbor wall for lovely views looking back at the Old Town, especially at sunset.

Monterosso’s top attraction is its long sandy beaches, which are a rarity in the Cinque Terre region. Montersosso’s most beautiful beach is its larger central beach near the train station, with its giant coastal rock known as the Scoglio di Monterosso.

Monterosso’s most beautiful church is the 13th century Church of San Giovanni Battista, with its gothic design and zebra-stripe patterns made out of marble.

Convent of the Capuchin Friars

A hill separates Monterosso’s Old Town from the rest of the villages, which has a tunnel pathway below it for pedestrians to walk through. Atop this hill is the castle-like Convent of the Capuchin Friars, which you can reach by hiking about 10 minutes uphill from the harbor.

At the top of the hill you’ll find another quaint zebra-striped church, as well as a stunning observation deck beside the Statue of San Francesco. This observation deck offers gorgeous views over the coastline and beaches, especially overlooking the Scoglio di Monterosso rock and the medieval Aurora Tower.

Monterosso al Mare to Levanto Hiking Trail

One of the popular hikes from Monterosso is the scenic trail leading to the town of Levanto to the west. This amazing trail travels along the cliffs high above the coast, providing incredible views the entire way, including form Punta Mesco. You’ll find the trailhead for this hike at the Albergo Suisse Bellevue Hotel in the western hills of Monterosso.

Starting from the Monterosso al Mare Train Station and ending at the Levanto Train Station, this route is approximately 5.8 miles (9.3 km), with the recommendation of taking the train to return.

Vernazza is one of the most picturesque villages of Cinque Terre, with its vibrantly colorful houses clustered around its tiny natural harbor nestled below the mountains. For some of the most photogenic views overlooking the village set amongst the ocean you can walk up to the Torre Doria Viewpoint, located along the steps behind the Chiesa di San Francesco church. Also beautiful are the views of Vernazza from the Azure Trail which connects the five villages of Cinque Terre.

Doria Castle

Among Vernazza’s most prominent attractions is the Doria Castle, a lovely stone lookout tower built in the 15th century. This tower is situated atop the cliffs above the sea and Vernazza’s harbor, and you can climb the tower for fantastic views overlooking the village and coastline.

Vernazza Harbor

The Vernazza Harbor is very small but pretty and hosts a tiny beach. This harbor is surrounded by many bars and restaurants, as well as the beautiful Santa Margherita di Antiochia Church, which was built in the 14th century. Be sure to walk along Vernazza’s harbor walls for stunning views looking back at the town and the church.

Vernazza Beach

On the southern side of Vernazza is a very rock but scenic beach, connected to the village via a short underground tunnel. The beach is known for its clear light blue waters.

In the middle of Cinque Terre is the tiny village of Corniglia, which is built atop the hills above the ocean, unlike the other villages. Because of this, Corniglia doesn’t have a harbor or beach, and the train station is located below the town, connected via a steep staircase. Don’t let this discourage you from visiting Corniglia however, as the village is very beautiful.

Surprisingly, the rustic colorful buildings of Corniglia are very densely packed atop the cliffs, with very skinny streets. You’ll have to take a boat tour however to get the most photogenic views of Corniglia, which can be seen from the ocean below the village.

Manarola is another of Cinque Terre’s smallest villages, and also one of the most beautiful. The village consists of many lovely colorful buildings clustered around Manarola’s little marina, built atop the slopes of the cliffs leading down to the marina. Manarola’s marina is also a popular attraction for swimming and sunbathers.

You can walk west along the cliffs from Manarola’s marina to enjoy the most breathtaking views of the village, from the Manarola Scenic Viewpoint. This trail along the cliffs actually continues around to Cinque Terre’s Azure Trail which connects the five villages.

Similarly to Corniglia, Manarola’s train station is located along the coast below the city. Luckily you can reach the village from this train station in only a few minutes, via an underground tunnel leading up to the village.

More Attractions in Manarola

If you walk up the street (north) from where the train station’s pedestrian tunnel reaches the village, you can see the lovely old Magna Rota Watermill Wheel from which the Manarola derives its name. Further up the street is the charming Church of San Lorenzo, a simple medieval church built of stone.

Manarola to Volastra Hiking Trail

A popular hike in Manarola is the steep pathway up to the hilltop village of Volastra, which offers fantastic views overlooking the coastline and Manarola from high above. The path to reach Volastra from the Manarola Train Station is about 2.4 miles (3.8 km) round-trip.

Just after Manarola is Cinque Terre’s southern / eastern most village, Riomaggiore, which is also the second largest village after Monterosso al Mare. Apart from its beauty and beach, Riomaggiore is known for its wine, which is produced from the many vineyard along the hills surrounding the village.

Riomaggiore’s harbor is also quite lovely, with colorful densely-packed rustic homes that line the village’s main road all the way from the water to the back of the town up the hill. Similar to Corniglia, the best views of Riomaggiore can be seen from the ocean on a tour boat. You can enjoy descent views of the village from the harbor walls however.

Castle of Riomaggiore

Atop a hill on the western side of Riomaggiore is the Castello di Riomaggiore, a small 13th century castle and one of the village’s top attractions. You can visit the castle’s observation deck for stunning views overlooking many of the colorful houses of Riomaggiore, as well as the views of the village’s vineyards, mountains, and coastline.

Riomaggiore Beach

You’ll need to walk around along the edges of the cliffs from the village to reach Riomaggiore Beach, which like Vernazza’s beach is very rocky with large boulders. Riomaggiore Beach is located below the tall stone-built walls and arches that support Cinque Terre’s railway, creating an interesting look.

Riomaggiore Hiking

On a mountaintop east of Riomaggiore is the Sanctuary di Nostra Signora di Montenero, a lovely medieval church and monastery. The path to the church is one of Riomaggiore’s most popular hikes, offering excellent coastal views along the way, especially from the top. This steep hike is approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) round-trip from the Riomaggiore Train Station.

Via dell’Amore (Lover's Path)

One of the easiest scenic pathways of Cinque Terre is the Via dell’Amore (Lover’s Path), a more relaxing pathway along the coast connecting the villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola. The one-way distance for this pathway is less than 1 mile (1.6 km), with the option of returning via train. The Lover’s Path is the final section of the much longer Sentiero Azzuro (Blue Path) that connects the five villages.

Sentiero Azzuro Trail (Blue Path)

The best way to experience the Cinque Terre coast is to hike along the Sentiero Azzuro Trail (Blue Path), which connects the five villages together, offering stunningly picturesque views of the coastline and villages along the way. This pathway is the most popular hike and one of the top attractions in Cinque Terre.

The Sentiero Azzuro (also called Trail No. 2) can be hiked in sections between the villages, and combined with riding the train in order to skip backtracking. The total one-way length of the entire route from the Monterosso al Mare Train Station to Riomaggiore is approximately 7.8 miles (12.6 km).

Sentiero del Crinale (High Path)

For an even more challenging trail you might consider the Sentiero del Crinale, also known as The High Path or Trail No. 1. This path is said to have originated in ancient Roman times and follows along the mountain tops high above the Cinque Terre Coast.

The entire route of the High Path technically connects Levante to Portovenere, with Cinque Terre making up only a portion of the route. The full route is just over 23 miles (37 km) in length with an elevation gain of almost 1 mile (1.6 km), but many tourists choose to only hike sections of the path.

One of the most popular sections of the High Path is from the southeastern most village of Riomaggiore to the town of Portovenere, which is extremely scenic, with a one-way distance of about 8.3 miles (13.4 km). You can return to Riomaggiore by bus/train after the hike.

Portovenere is located at the tip of a peninsula, just southeast along the coast from the villages of Cinque Terre. Portovenere is also located just south of La Spezia. While the town of Portovenere wraps around the coast, the town’s main attraction is its Old Town, a UNESCO world heritage site which sits at the very southern tip of the peninsula.

Port & Promenade of Portovenere

Portovenere is best known for its beautiful Old Town, consisting of many densely-packed colorful rustic buildings along the coast. These buildings sit below a hilltop castle and medieval walls. From the harbor walls of the Port of Portovenere you can enjoy the most incredibly picturesque views of Portovenere, framed behind the town’s harbor.

The colorful buildings of Portovenere are lined up along a waterfront promenade, known as Calata Doria, which hosts an array of restaurants, bars, shops, and hotels. Another highly photogenic site is the entrance to Portovenere’s Old Town, the Porto del Borgo medieval gate.

Church of St. Peter

Just south of Portovenere’s promenade is the very tip of the peninsula, which hosts Portovenere’s top attraction, the stunningly beautiful Church of St. Peter. This 12th century church is incredibly photogenic, and the church’s medieval zebra-striped interior is also very impressive.

The path leading to the Church of St. Peter is surrounded by stone walls and medieval towers built atop this rocky peninsula. You can explore along parts of the walls of this for fortified complex and enjoy excellent views of the coast.

Grotta di Lord Byron

From the Church of St. Peter’s pathway you can also walk down to enjoy views overlooking the gorgeous Grotta di Lord Byron, a collapsed coastal cave. Some visitors even swim to the cave, although this is a bit dangerous.

Castello Doria

Atop the ocean cliffs above the Grotto di Lord Byron is a medieval castle/fortress, the Castello Doria, which you can also admire from the pathway to the Church of St. Peter. You can walk up to the Doria Castle, passing along Portovenere’s lovely Romanesque-style San Lorenzo Church along the way.

The main reason to visit the large Doria Castle complex is to enjoy the incredible views over the coastline from high above. Especially breathtaking from the castle are the views overlooking the Church of St. Peter and its peninsula.

Reaching La Spezia

From the La Spezia Spezia Station you can take a short walk to the the bus stop and take the bus to the Capolinea Bus Station in Portovenere, which you can reach in about 30 minutes total.

A very short ferry ride or even swim away from Portovenere is the relatively large island of Palmaria, which is known for its hilly hiking trails and beaches. At its closest point, Palmaria Island is only about 750 feet (230 m) from Portovenere’s harbor wall, making a short swim a very real possibility.

Palmaria Island actually hosts several restaurants and hotels, however most of the island is a natural preserve. Palmaria’s most popular beach is the Spiagga Punta Secco (Point Secco Beach), which faces the colorful buildings of Portovenere’s Old Town, providing fantastic views. You can also walk west along the coastline from this beach to reach the tip of the island, which provides stunning views of Portovenere’s Church of St. Peter.

You can also further explore along Palmaria Island’s hiking trails, which connect to several other beaches, restaurants, and even a large stone fortress, the Torre Coazzata Umberto I. From the opposite side of Palmaria you can look out over an even smaller island, Isla del Tino, which is mostly closed to visitors.