What Are The Five Towns Of Cinque Terre Italy?

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The northern Italian coast is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. And today, I want to tell you more about this amazing European destination. Last June, we spent almost a week in Vernazza, Italy, and had a chance to explore the five towns that make up an area called Cinque Terre. These five coastal communities each have unique personalities. They are known for their dramatic cliffs, medieval architecture, quaint fishing harbors, picturesque beaches, and locally produced wines. Visiting Cinque Terre is a bucket-list travel experience. If you’re making an Italy vacation itinerary, you shouldn’t miss the five towns of Cinque Terre.

FUN FACT: Did you know that Cinque Terre literally translates to Five Lands? This represents the five villages we will talk about today!

Where Are The Five Towns Of Cinque Terre?

Cinque Terre is located on the northwest coast of Italy, about halfway between Genoa and Pisa. They are in what’s referred to as the “Italian Riviera.” The five towns of Cinque Terre are spread along the coast over a distance of only six miles, making the area perfect for day trips and casual exploration. The towns are linked by a train line, boat ferries, and even a hiking trail!

How To Get To Cinque Terre, Italy

To visit this part of Italy from the United States to Cinque Terre, you’ll likely fly into Pisa (the closest option) or Genoa, Milan, or Florence and then take a train. These three cities are within a three to four hour train ride of Cinque Terre. Most people do not rent a car because the area is remote, with windy rural roads. Plus, there is limited parking inside the five Cinque Terre towns.

We decided to fly into Nice, France, for our three-week trip in late May / early June, as there was a direct flight from Atlanta. For most of this trip, we traveled east by train along the French and Italian Rivieras. We stayed a few nights in Antibes, France. Then we took the train to Monte Carlo, Monaco, before heading to Camogli, Italy, and then Cinque Terre, Italy. This was an amazing train trip, and I highly recommend this itinerary!

After our coastal stays, we continued via train to Rome and then Venice before flying home! I will link all of my articles from this trip at the bottom of this post. They are full of valuable first-hand travel tips!

A selfie we took in the old town section of Monterosso in Cinque Terre Italy

The Five Towns Of Cinque Terre Are Closely Connected

The five towns of Cinque Terre are close together, and we found it to be very easy to travel between them. They are each connected by train or by a hiking trail called the Sentiero Azzurro. Most of the towns can be reached by boat or ferry, too! So, let’s look at the three most popular ways to explore Cinque Terre, and then I will go in-depth into each of the five towns of Cinque Terre.

Taking A Train To The Five Towns Of Cinque Terre

The best way to move around Cinque Terre is by train. The Cinque Terre Express trains are local trains that run frequently from Spring until Fall, stopping in all five towns of Cinque Terre. This year, the dates are March 15 until November 2, 2025. During the winter, trains still operate here, but only one or two per hour. We used the Cinque Terre Express to visit each of the five towns, and it was fast and convenient. I have heard that in the peak of summer, these trains can be quite packed.

To use these trains, I recommend you purchase the Cinque Terre Card, which gives you unlimited hop-on, hop-off train travel on the Cinque Terre Express trains on the Levanto—Cinque Terre—La Spezia line. The passes are good for a certain number of days (1-3). Consider batching your train travel within the allotted time to save money.

You can also buy the individual Cinque Terre Express tickets (not passes) via Trainline. This is the app our family uses to book and manage our train tickets when traveling in Europe. I like the interface, and it’s easier than managing multiple tickets booked through various train services while traveling.

Our family at Monterosso in Cinque Terre Italy

Hiking To The Five Towns Of Cinque Terre

The main hiking trail in Cinque Terre is the Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail). It’s a coastal path made up of four sections connecting the five villages, from Riomaggiore in the south to Monterosso in the north. It is a fun, rewarding, and sometimes challenging way to see unmatched views of the Ligurian Sea.

As of this writing, the Blue Trail from Corneglia to Manarola is closed. So be sure to check the Cinque Terre National Park site for updates on trail conditions. To use the hiking trails, you will need to purchase a pass called a Cinque Terre Trekking Card. If you buy a Cinque Terra Train Card, it includes unlimited hiking.

Boating To The Five Towns Of Cinque Terre

Another popular way to explore Cinque Terre is by the Cinque Terre Ferry, which operates from late March until November 1. These boats run on a set schedule, allowing you to hop on and off at four of the five villages. Ferries depart frequently from the larger cities of Levanto, La Spezia, and Portovenere and stop in Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. However, they do not stop in Corniglia, as it is the only village without direct water access.

Ferry between the five towns of Vernazza Cinque Terre Italy

You can also book a private or semi-private boat tour that will take you between some or all of the towns along the coast. We love Get Your Guide tours and have had great experiences taking their tours all over the world. We chartered a boat tour out of Vernazza and had an absolute blast sightseeing all of the towns along the coast and swimming in the beautiful blue waters of the Ligurian Sea!

Click here to view all Get Your Guide Boat Tours Near Cinque Terre!

Exploring The Five Towns Of Cinque Terre

I want to go over each of the five towns of Cinque Terre and give you a first-hand account of what I learned by visiting them with my family. A lot of what you read online is too general and doesn’t give you a good feel for the atmosphere of each town and what they are really like. Each city will provide you with a different experience, and some may or may not be the best fit for your group.

From west to east, the five towns of Cinque Terre are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.

Monterosso al Mare: The Beach Lover’s Paradise

Monterosso al Mare is the northernmost and largest Cinque Terre town. I was really impressed because it has a large beach with actual sand, shopping, and conveniences, and a charming old town area that has an amazing medieval vibe with lots of beautiful little shops, restaurants, and winding alleyways.

The beach in Monterosso al Mare is the only sandy beach in Cinque Terre—and it’s big! Additionally, Monterosso al Mare is the flattest city of the five towns of Cinque Terre, so it’s easy to get around. You may recognize the iconic umbrellas of Cinque Terre in my photo below. Just after that is a look at the other beach area, closest to Old Town, which is a little more quiet.

The old town section of Monterosso is a short walk of maybe 1000 feet from the main beach and actually takes you through a tunnel under the coastal bluff. There are tons of charming shops, bars, and romantic dining places for date nights. In the modern section of town, there are plenty of fashion boutiques, as well as grocery stores and amenities. The beach is brown sand, and colorful umbrellas stretch toward the Ligurian Sea, making for some great pics.

Monterosso is a fantastic place to stay during your Cinque Terre vacation and would make an ideal base from which to tour all of Cinque Terre. After visiting Monterosso al Mare, I kind of wish we would have stayed there instead of Vernazza. Monterosso al Mare is larger and has more options for things to do for family members of all ages. I think you could stay there several nights without running out of places to explore. And it’s a great starting point for some of the popular Get Your Guide tours in Cinque Terre.

QUICK LINK: Browse accommodations in Monterosso

Vernazza, Italy: The Most Photogenic Village

We stayed in Vernazza for five nights (the first week of June 2024) and really enjoyed it. It’s a gorgeous fishing town that’s set within the rugged coastline and highlighted by a huge castle and a church. This quaint town is lined with colorful buildings, and a picture of a small harbor faces the setting sun over the Mediterranean.

FUN FACT: Vernazza was the inspirational setting for the animated Disney movie Luca!

There’s a lot to do here, including visiting the Castello Doria (Doria Castle) and Belforte Tower, where you can ascend the medieval fortifications and look out over the sea. Restaurants atop the castle provide an amazing romantic dinner setting. We stayed in a unique two-story Airbnb right above the Church of Santa Margherita d’Antiochia. I posted a video tour of our Airbnb here on Instagram. The church is open to tourists, and its presence gives the whole village a special character.

Taking a boat tour from Vernazza in Vernazza Cinque Terre Italy

Charming stores and several great restaurants surround the harbor. The main street is lined with local shops and extends all the way to the train station. There are small stores to buy groceries and lots of delis and bakeries. You can try amazing local fares like focaccia bread, homemade pasta, anchovies, and deli sandwiches.

We booked a boat ride that took us along the coast. This gave us time to dive into the cool Ligurian and swim amongst rock formations with a waterfall. It was an amazing experience and an incredible memory we won’t forget!

We loved sitting at one of the restaurants overlooking the little harbor, having a drink, and watching the endless stream of people and the occasional fisherman. There was a small concert right outside our door one night, a church celebration another day, and lots of beautiful energy in Vernazza.

Vernazza can get incredibly busy in the summer, and its main street can become almost unwalkable, especially from 10 pm to 5 pm when daytrippers are there. Vernazza is a visual crown jewel of Cinque Terre. Still, I wouldn’t recommend staying there for quite as long as we did, as it will get a little repetitive, especially for kids. My personal thought is that it would be a perfect place to stay for a few days max.

QUICK LINK: Browse accommodations in Vernazza

Corniglia: The Peaceful Hilltop Retreat

Corniglia is at the heart of the five towns of the Cinque Terra region and is located in the middle of the five towns. Perched atop the hills overlooking the Ligurian Sea, Corniglia is the only city of the five towns of the Cinque Terre without easy access to a harbor or a beach. It’s the quietest of the five towns but still gets very busy with tourist traffic during peak hours of the summer season. It’s a bit sleeper and more rustic. It captures the spirit of old Italy with its faded window shutters, flowering potted plants, and fluttering linen drying on clotheslines.

Visiting Corneglia can take a little hard work. Once you step off the train, you can climb a long staircase called the “Lardarina” that ascends 380 steps to the town. The steps are wide, with terraces along the way where you can catch your breath. But in the summer, the climb is pretty grueling. But at the top, you have an amazing view of the coast!

Be prepared to walk up a lot of steps from the train station to Corneglia! If you don’t want to take the steps to Corneglia, there is a tram that runs back and forth from the town to the train station. It costs money and runs every 20 minutes. In the busy season, expect to wait in line during the middle of the day.

Corniglia is small with a distinctly medieval feel. It has many narrow, winding alleys and paths crisscrossing the town. There are several plazas with small shops selling all kinds of things, and hole-in-the-wall cafes, bars, and diners dotted throughout the village. There are a couple of overlook areas that provide an incredible sweeping view of the coast. Be sure to stop there and get some pictures. The best lookout is the La Torre viewpoint at the end of the main street.

View from high up in Corniglia Cinque Terre Italy

Corniglia is also a popular place to hike the amazing trails that link the towns of the Cinque Terre. You can start (or end) the Blue Trail here via a trailhead near the main street of Via Stazione. Unfortunately, the Blue Trail section that passes southeasterly toward Manarola is currently closed due to a landslide. But there is an alternative, longer, and more difficult hike that takes you to Manarolo through vineyards in the hills.

While I loved Corniglia’s charming small-town feel and quieter ambiance, I wouldn’t recommend it as a place to stay with a family for more than a night. It makes a perfect 2-3 hour day-trip stop, and climbing the staircase can be rewarding if hot and sweaty. There are lots of gelato shops, and we stopped at one to refresh with a treat and a drink. The views are spectacular, and the isolated feel of this remote outpost makes it a one-of-a-kind experience.

QUICK LINK: Browse accommodations in Corniglia

Manarola: The Classic Cinque Terre Postcard Scene

Manarola is one of the most iconic and most photographed villages, especially at sunset. Its colorful pastel houses seem to cascade down from the bluffs to the edge of the sea, where a small marina punctuates the coast. Manarola is a small but very busy town in Cinque Terre that’s known for its amazing swimming and diving holes, great locally grown wine, and access to a spectacular vantage for photography.

While we were there, the streets were extremely busy, and people winded all the way from the train station down toward the marina. The marina has several large rocks jutting out of the water where lots of people were cliff jumping, sunbathing, and hanging out along the water’s edge.

Above the town is a famous vantage on a hilltop where the iconic photos of Manarola are taken. To find this viewpoint, follow a narrow fenced stone walkway up from the marina and around the rocks for a little while. You will then go up the stairs on the right and ascend to the summit. This spot is usually very busy, but you’ll get an amazing photo, especially around the sunset, when the sunlight baths the town in warm, even hues.

As you move up the hillside of the town, there are many small shops and restaurants. We stopped at a small place with outdoor dining and had some seafood pasta, pizza, and Aperol spritzes. It was a great location to people-watch and enjoy a warm summer day by the sea.

In upper Manarola, there is a small medieval church called Chiesa di San Lorenzo on a little piazza. Manarola’s two main streets, Via Renato Birolli and Via Antonio Discovolo, ascend from the harbor to the cliffs and are where all the shops and restaurants are located.

Because of its small size, I wouldn’t recommend Manarola as a place to stay long-term during your visit to Cinque Terre. Still, it’s the perfect destination for a day trip and a great place to rest and grab a meal. Its beauty is unmatched, and the rawness of the cliffs and ocean juxtaposed against the cute little shops and stores give it a magical feel.

QUICK LINK: Browse accommodations in Manarola

Riomaggiore: The Romantic & Lively Gateway to Cinque Terre

Riomaggiore is the quintessential Cinque Terre town, with cute, colorful houses nestled among rocky cliffs looking out over the aquamarine waters of a small harbor. The setting is stunning, and this town is considered one of the most photogenic of the five Cinque Terre towns.

Like Vernazza and Manarola, Riomaggiore is comprised of a main street called Via Columbo that descends from the hillside toward the marina. The street is lined with small shops, bakeries, restaurants, and delis. Lemon trees grow in large pots beside family-owned stores. As with all the towns, most homes don’t have central air, so laundry drys on lines outside open windows.

Riomaggiore is a little larger than Vernazza or Manarola, so you have a few more options for places to eat and drink. Across the five towns of Cinque Terre, Riomaggiore is known as the best place to watch the sunset and a favored spot for couples to head back to for dinner. Its very southern peninsula by the marina is a popular place for people to experience the magic of sundown across the Ligurian Sea. It’s said that on a clear day, you can see the outline of the Alps in the distance.

There are a few special things to see and do in Riomaggiore, including visiting the local Castle of Riomaggiore. The 13th-century castle was initially designed to defend the town from pirates and was later converted into a cemetery. It is now a cultural center and convention hall. If you’re willing to embark on a 45-minute steep climb up the hillside, you can see the Sanctuary of Montenero, a monastery built in the Middle Ages. However, it’s not always open to visitors. The Church of San Giovanni Battista of Riomaggiore, a catholic church originally founded in 1340, is another popular destination in town.

QUICK LINK: Browse accommodations in Riomaggiore

Where Should You Stay In Cinque Terre?

Taking everything into consideration, I would say that Monterosso is my top choice to stay with a family. The smaller towns might be good for a night or two, but most families with younger kids will run out of things to do and see fairly quickly. For couples, any of the towns make a great choice, as you are much more mobile and can easily day trip anywhere, eat where you like, explore freely, and generally set your schedule.

Families with kids will enjoy Monterosso’s bigger size and shopping amenities, as well as its large sandy beaches, while also experiencing the romantic medieval vibes of Old Town. Here is a map of the area with various accommodations marked so that you can get a good idea of what’s out there!

Planning Your Italy Vacation Itinerary

We absolutely loved our week exploring the other-worldly beauty of the Italian Riviera. Staying there for so long gave us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the area and learn the unique and diverse character of each of the five towns of Cinque Terre. Each town is beautiful in its own right, and staying at any one of them is an absolute treat.

It is surprising to me that so many people do Cinque Terre only as a day trip. That feels like it would be incredibly overwhelming and not allow one to savor these charming coastal communities. As I mentioned above, the towns of Cinque Terre get very busy mid-day with day trippers. The magic is in the early mornings and the evenings when you have the communities to yourself. It would be a shame not to get to experience that!

I would recommend dedicating at least three to five days of your vacation itinerary to Cinque Terre. We spent five nights, and it was plenty of time to get a good feel for the area, relax, and just enjoy our time there. We stayed for so long because I wanted ample time to take it slow before heading to Rome and Venice for the next eight days.

When in Cinque Terre, be sure to get out on the water and consider chartering a boat for several hours. This was our favorite activity, and I can’t believe we jumped off the boat into the sea! The coastal views of the five towns of Cinque Terre from the Ligurian Sea are simply beyond words and remain some of the best memories of our entire Italian vacation.

seeing the five towns of cinque terre by boat

More Italy Travel Trips & Inspiration

If you enjoyed this post about the five towns of Cinque Terre, you’d really like reading the rest of my Italy travel content. Of course, you can always visit the European Travel section of my blog to read about all of our adventures in Europe. However, here are some direct links to my most popular Italy Travel blog posts!