Cinque Terre Beach: The Ultimate Guide
/Cinque Terre: The Ultimate Travel Guide
Cinque Terre Guide / WHERE TO STAY
If you’re visiting Cinque Terre, it’s most likely that you will want to see many of the towns while you’re here. Although that’s totally feasible, I do recommend choosing one town as your home base and then visiting the other terres during the daytime. The towns are all quite hilly, and it would be quite challenging to change location with luggage every day. Since the towns are so close, you can easily visit them via the train, boat, or even by hiking.
We chose to stay in Riomaggiore. Visually, Riomaggiore is my favorite of the five terres and because it is rather small, the town never gets as crowded as the other terres. We stayed in a beautiful airbnb, with incredible sea-view and a small balcony to enjoy the sunset. I highly recommend it! You can check it by clicking here.
Cinque Terre Guide / HOW LONG TO STAY
I really recommend staying at least 3 nights in Riomaggiore to get the most out of your visit and enjoy the different villages, especially if you would like to set some time aside to enjoy the sun, swim or go on a short hike.
Cinque Terre Guide / HOW TO GET THERE
First advice: ditch the car. I am not writing this only because it’s more environmentally friendly, but also because it will make your life so much more simple. It is possible to reach the terres by car, but parking can be quite a hassle and the roads are narrow and hard to navigate. The train is easier since it stops directly in each town.
Depending on which direction you’re arriving from within Italy, you’ll connect to the regional Cinque Terre train line in either Levanto or La Spezia. You can book tickets in advance online but you can also just buy them directly from the counter once you make it to the station. The terres are all about 5 to 10 minutes apart and the ticket costs 4 euros each time you hop on, regardless of where you’ll hop off.
All the towns are pedestrian friendly and I can guarantee you’ll enjoy strolling around much more than attempting to drive through streets that cannot fit two cars side by side. The towns are also connected by boat, and although it’s more pricey than the train, the coastal views are best enjoyed from the sea.
Cinque Terre Guide / GETTING AROUND
Getting from town to town is fairly easy and there are three ways to do so: by train, by ferry, and by hiking.
Train: This is the quickest and cheapest option for traveling between villages. The local trains run every 20 minutes during the summer months and every hour outside of the summer period. One way fares cost 4€ each way.
Ferry: The more costly but scenic option. A day pass for the ferry costs 25€ and a short trip to the next village costs 5€.
Hiking: The most popular trails are labelled blue trails and they connect each village. If you’d like to hike these trails, you’ll have to purchase a Cinque Terre Card. These can be purchased from the local train stations.
Green Wanderlust tip: Be mindful that the distances between each village can be deceiving. The train cuts through the mountains, but as a hiker, you’ll be following the hilly coastline all throughout and some terres are far from one another. Be sure to check a map before you embark on this adventure!
MONTEROSSO AL MARE
Monterosso, the largest town of the five villages. Renowned for its turquoise waters, rocky beaches dotted with colorful umbrellas, the town has a modern resort vibe. In comparison with other villages, Monterosso is more spread out and less quaint but has the largest number of accommodation options.
Jake and I only spent a morning there but we loved the up-beat vibe of the town! The only drawback to Monterosso is that there are only a few public beaches and that the rest is all privatized with sun beds. During peak season, the private beaches fill up quickly and it’s pretty much impossible to get a spot after 10am. I’ve been told most people make reservations the night before.
Monterosso does have wonderful gelato though, so make sure you find one before you leave town.
RIOMAGGIORE
Riomaggiore is the hidden, rustic gem of Cinque Terre. Out of all the towns, Riomaggiore definitely has the most authentic feel to it and that’s why we decided to stay here! One of the best thing to do in town is to grab a pizza from Krepis, and enjoy the sunset on the rocks facing the port.
Since Jake and I stayed there for 3 nights, we got familiar with the activities in town and I’ve written a full What to Do in Riomaggiore Guide that you might find helpful. Check it out here.
VERNAZZA
Vernazza was my second favorite terre! Lined with pastel colored houses, the town opens up on a beautiful piazza right on the sea. Some of the best views of this town can be enjoyed when hiking up about 15 minutes towards Monterosso. The trail will lead you to an incredible viewpoint that overlooks the entire village. This hike is part of the paid hiking trail so make sure you have your Cinque Terre Card with you. Although, if you arrive after 6 pm, the checkpoint is often closed and you won’t have to pay.
My other special recommendation while in Vernazza is to have lunch at Belforte. It is on the pricer range, but if you’re looking to splurge at least once during your stay, this is the time to do it! Belforte has a magnificent view over the water and while the restaurant specializes in seafood, they also serves delicious traditional foods such as lemon and pesto trofie pasta.
If you’re feeling adventurous and are looking for some easy and safe cliff-jumping, head to the end of the port and take a left just after Belforte. There’s a small cove there and you’ll see plenty of locals and tourists jumping from the rocks facing the marina. Very fun!
If you found this guide helpful or if you’d like to see me write about something in particular please let me know in the comments!
NOTE: All the photos in this article were edited with the presets from the Not Just Colour Folk Collection Pack available for sale here. Get -$5 OFF on your next purchase with code: FINDYOURTONE2020.
Check out this shot edited with ‘Wildflower’ from the Folk collection
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MORE GREEN WANDERLUST IN ITALY
Levanzo and Favignana are less than half an hour by hydrofoil from Trapani, which makes them the easiest islands to visit in Sicily. Favignana is the largest of the three Egadi islands and its serrated coastline shelters incredible coves such as Cala Rossa and Cala Azzurra. The island is also famous for its tuna, and you’ll find plenty of wonderful restaurants to give it a taste—I’ve recommended a few of my favorite just below!