What to expect from a visit to Cinque Terre and what activities will you do there?
Enjoy the breathtaking views
The Cinque Terre is all about the views, and the views are one of the reasons why the entire coastline is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The name Cinque Terre (Five Lands) comes from the medieval name for the village (terre) - the coast is adorned with 5 picturesque villages with colourful houses literally stuck to the rocks.
The rocky and very steep shores rising from the Ligurian Sea to heights of over 800 metres are the main reason why Cinque Terre offers the most beautiful views. Slopes covered with pine forests and interrupted by terraced fields of vines and olives only add to the romantic atmosphere of the place.
You don't have to look for the views, they will find themselves! Literally every corner has a view of the sea, the coast or the villages, just head to any of the towns on the coast. Check out the mini-guides to all the towns for details:
We include in this guide the town of Portovenere, on the edge of the coast, which is not formally part of the Cinque Terre National Park but is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the area.
Take a walk around Sentiero Azzurro
The entire Cinque Terre coastline is criss-crossed with a network of marked hiking trails, which can be followed for short hikes of a few dozen minutes or for multi-day walks along the entire coastline, always stopping in one of the towns.
The Sentiero Azzurro, about 12 km long, is the backbone trail, most of which has been rebuilt as a walkway with railings literally stuck to the rocks above the sea.
You can see the complete route, for example, on maps.cz.
Another very popular route is the Strada dei Santuari (visa map), which follows the coastline higher above the sea in densely wooded areas.
The comfortable forest road winds wildly through forests and vineyards, with breathtaking views of the Ligurian Sea every now and then. Because the Strada dei Santuari runs higher than the villages are located, always expect a steep climb from all villages.
Maps and routes
There are many official marked hiking trails along the coast, a detailed description and map of which can be found on the official National Park website at parconazionale5terre.it/Esentieri-outdoor.
All the routes outside the Cinque Terre National Park are also marked on the hiking maps on mapy.cz.
Entrance fees to the national park
If you want to walk the trails of the national park outside the villages, you will need to buy a Cinque Terre Trekking Card through the official app or at one of the sales points, see official information: parconazionale5terre.it.
- 7,50 eur - 1 day
- 14,50 eur - 2 days
Boat trips along the Cinque Terre
Enjoy the pithy coastline from a different perspective and go on a boat trip.
Cruises from all the towns are offered by many private boat companies at prices starting at 20 eur per hour on small boats, just come to the dock and choose from the many offers. No need to book anything in advance.
However, we would definitely recommend taking advantage of the significantly cheaper regular ferries that run along the coast on a daily basis. You'll see much more than on a cruise, you'll be on a larger and more stable boat, and you'll pay significantly less.
Regular public ferries are operated by the Consorzio Marittimo Turistico Cinque Terre-Golfo di Poeti (see official website). These run from the beginning of March to the end of October, as do the vast majority of other private cruises.
They operate several times a day on the route Levanto - Monetrosso - Vernazza - Manarola - Portovenere, from where you can continue on to either La Spezia or the resort of Lerici.
For detailed information on timetables and prices, see the Transport chapter.
The 10 best hotels on the Cinque Terre
Taste the wine of Sciacchetrà
The Cinque Terre is an area famous for its millennia-old tradition of grape-growing on terraced south-facing slopes that provide ideal conditions for wine. The local sweet white grapes are known as Cinque Terre Sciacchetrà wine, which has the DOC label, a denomination of controlled origin that means that this grape variety may only be grown in the historic villages of the Cinque Terre region.
If you are a wine lover, you must not miss a visit to a wine bar or restaurant when you visit the Cinque Terre. Ideally with a spectacular view of the coast.
Beaches and swimming
Although the Cinque Terre is not a famous beach destination due to its rugged and very rocky coastline, you can still enjoy a perfect day by the sea here. In particular, the resort of Monterroso al Mare, which is a direct part of the Cinque Terre, boasts beautiful beaches with full facilities and promenades with plenty of restaurants and cafes.
