Cinque Terre, Italy

Coast · Italy

Cinque Terre

Five colourful Ligurian villages cling to cliffs above the Mediterranean, linked by trains, footpaths and unforgettable sea views.

Travel by Ildy tip

Hidden places

Walk from Volastra towards Corniglia for high vineyard terraces and quieter coastal views.

Best time to visit

Best time to travel

May to June and September are ideal for warm weather with fewer peak-summer crowds.

Travel tips

Travel by Ildy tips

  • Buy the Cinque Terre Treno MS card to ride regional trains between Levanto and La Spezia as often as you like and use the park’s services. Validate it at the station machine before boarding and carry ID, as the card is personal.
  • Try anchovies from Monterosso and ask for the local dessert wine Sciacchetrà instead of stopping at generic seaside dishes.
  • From 8 December through the Christmas season, look up at Manarola's illuminated nativity: since 1961 the hillside above the village has glowed with figures of lights created by retired railwayman Mario Andreoli.
  • Corniglia is the only one of the five villages not directly on the sea: it sits on a promontory about 100 metres high, ringed by vineyards, with a terrace looking to all four neighbours.

Travel by Ildy recommends

Follow the rhythm of the place first, then shape the journey around the experiences that feel most like your own.

Location

Cinque Terre on the map

Italy

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Where to stay

Stay ideas — Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre, Italy

Italy

Cinque Terre