Cinque Terre is located in an area with the most pleasant climate in the Mediterranean.

The southern slopes falling into the Ligurian Sea and open to the sunshine mean that you will never experience an unpleasant winter here. Conversely, thanks to the presence of mountains, wooded slopes and narrow shady streets in the towns, you'll rarely experience truly scorching, uncomfortable heat.

In the Cinque Terre, you can expect warm summers of around 29°C, cooled by the ever-present gentle breeze, and mild, wet winters, when daytime temperatures don't drop below 11°C.

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Cinque Terre during the year

What is the weather like on the coast during the different months of the year?

Weather in January

Expect the coldest weather during January, with average temperatures around 11 °C, which can drop below 7 °C at night.

There are frequent showers, but all-day rains are rare. Cooler daytime temperatures are slightly warmed by air flowing in from the south.

Weather in February

February weather in the Cinque Terre is still typically wintry, with temperatures around 11 °C and frequent short-lived showers and warmer winds from the south.

Towards the end of February it starts to warm up and the first flowering plants appear.

Weather in March

Average temperatures of around 15 °C mark the onset of spring, but mornings and evenings can remain very cold. March is an average month for rainfall, with frequent but brief showers.

Weather in April

April in the Cinque Terre is marked by spring and typical April weather. Sunny skies are interspersed with frequent heavy showers and thunderstorms, but these have little effect on walking around the towns.

Expect temperatures of around 18°C, which will keep the whole coastline lush and green.

Weather in May

May in the Cinque Terre is a classic transition between spring and summer, with the air warming up to between 22 and 25°C, rainfall easing off significantly and sunshine in the sky for most of the day.

May is the best month for long hikes along the coast.

Weather in June

June temperatures are already regularly above 26°C, the sky is cloudless for most of the month but the landscape is still lush green thanks to nightly showers.

June is also the first month when you can swim in the sea, with water temperatures rising above 20 °C for the first time.

Weather in July

July is the hottest and rainiest month of the year on the Cinque Terre. While air temperatures often exceed 30 °C, the sea warms up to around 25 °C.

During July, only occasionally a short evening thunderstorm will occur.

Weather in August

August is also a typically Mediterranean summer month with temperatures regularly exceeding 30 °C. Storms often appear towards the end of the month, but these are usually very brief and do not affect life on the Cinque Terre.

August is by far the month when most people head to the area, mainly because of the holidays in most of Italy.

Weather in September

September in the Cinque Terre is considerably warmer than in the rest of the country, with temperatures above 25°C throughout the month and only sporadic showers and thunderstorms.

Even sea water temperatures above 23 °C still allow for comfortable swimming.

Weather in October

Autumn sets in in October, but only very slowly. The leaves are not yet turning colourful at this time of year in Italy and temperatures routinely rise above 20 °C, as do the sea temperatures.

Towards the end of the month, the grape harvest takes place.

The weather in November

November marks the start of the wettest period on the Cinque Terre. It rains very often, but usually only in short showers.

During November, it's not ideal to plan long hikes, but temperatures of around 15°C will be ideal for exploring the towns, and towards the end of the month the trees and vines turn golden and red.

Weather in December

Even during December, you don't have to worry about regular, prolonged rainfall; it does rain frequently, but again, mostly in showers. Normal temperatures in Cinque Terre in December are around 13°C.