Cinque Terre
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Latest update: 3 November 2024
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By Dion Protani
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The Cinque Terre is one of Italy's most famous attractions. The name literally means "Five Lands" and relates to the five villages within the coastal area between Portovenere and Levanto on the Riviera di Levante in Liguria.
Each village has its own unique character from Monterosso al Mare with its long stretch of beach and old town, to the hill top location of Corniglia. The remaining villages: Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore have similarities; clusters of multi-coloured buildings surrounding a narrow main street and an attractive port. |
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Scenic landscapes
The Cinque Terre, along with the nearby town of Portovenere and the three islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto, have been inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1997, cited for their landscapes of scenic and cultural value. Until the 1970's, the villages went largely unnoticed by tourists before word got around and their fame spread rapidly.
Occupying a stretch of coastline with crystalline water, rugged cliffs and vineyards, it's easy to understand how the area has become so popular in modern times. As something of a paradox, it is the slight difficulty to reach the Cinque Terre that has added to its allure. The only traffic here is restricted to the locals and consists of small agricultural vehicles or cars. The roads in the area are narrow, steep and not suitable for large numbers of vehicles and this has helped preserve the special character of the villages.
Occupying a stretch of coastline with crystalline water, rugged cliffs and vineyards, it's easy to understand how the area has become so popular in modern times. As something of a paradox, it is the slight difficulty to reach the Cinque Terre that has added to its allure. The only traffic here is restricted to the locals and consists of small agricultural vehicles or cars. The roads in the area are narrow, steep and not suitable for large numbers of vehicles and this has helped preserve the special character of the villages.
The five villages
Heading south-east from the town of Levanto, the first of the five villages is Monterosso al Mare, the largest and most populous. It's split into two distinct areas comprising a beach resort called Fegina, and the beautiful old town of Monterosso with its picturesque bay around a headland topped by a convent.
After Monterosso al Mare comes for many people the jewel in the crown of the Cinque Terre: Vernazza. Historically, this was the most successful trading town in the area, largely due to its natural harbour. You can enjoy the sights of Piazza Marconi with the beautiful Chiesa di Santa Margherita di Antioca from a number of vantage points throughout the village, including the hilltop Castello Doria.
After Monterosso al Mare comes for many people the jewel in the crown of the Cinque Terre: Vernazza. Historically, this was the most successful trading town in the area, largely due to its natural harbour. You can enjoy the sights of Piazza Marconi with the beautiful Chiesa di Santa Margherita di Antioca from a number of vantage points throughout the village, including the hilltop Castello Doria.
Hilltop Corniglia
Continuing south-east from Vernazza is a very different village: Corniglia. The other four villages each have a little port where boats can dock but Corniglia sits on a hill top and is a favourite stop for hikers as it's roughly the halfway point for one of the trails.
Beyond Corniglia lie the beautiful fishing villages of Manarola, followed by Riomaggiore. In both villages, you can step off the train and follow the main street down to the water-line, passing those distinctive high-sided/multi-coloured buildings along the way before arriving at a fishing port of bright blue water and an array of traditional boats.
The five villages are all connected via a series of hiking paths of varying degrees of difficulty. You can for example walk from Monterosso al Mare to Riomaggiore (or vice-versa) in around five hours, using the Sentiero Azzurro. This is the "Blue Path" for which you can buy a ticket but there are other paths of varying distances to suit all levels of difficulty.
Beyond Corniglia lie the beautiful fishing villages of Manarola, followed by Riomaggiore. In both villages, you can step off the train and follow the main street down to the water-line, passing those distinctive high-sided/multi-coloured buildings along the way before arriving at a fishing port of bright blue water and an array of traditional boats.
The five villages are all connected via a series of hiking paths of varying degrees of difficulty. You can for example walk from Monterosso al Mare to Riomaggiore (or vice-versa) in around five hours, using the Sentiero Azzurro. This is the "Blue Path" for which you can buy a ticket but there are other paths of varying distances to suit all levels of difficulty.
Access to the Cinque Terre
During the summer months, four of the five villages are accessible by boat, not only from the other villages but also from the larger towns of Levanto, La Spezia and Rapallo. The other favoured option for visiting the Cinque Terre is to take the train, starting either from La Spezia to the east or Levanto to the west. The trains run every half an hour or so and the distance between each stop is small enough that you can just about manage to see each of the five villages in a single day if you so wish.
The convenience of the train line means the towns of Levanto and La Spezia have become very attractive bases from which to explore the Cinque Terre. Apart from Monterosso al Mare, the villages themselves have very few accommodation options and this, allied with the difficulties of travelling by car mean the area is mainly visited by day-trippers.
The convenience of the train line means the towns of Levanto and La Spezia have become very attractive bases from which to explore the Cinque Terre. Apart from Monterosso al Mare, the villages themselves have very few accommodation options and this, allied with the difficulties of travelling by car mean the area is mainly visited by day-trippers.
Cinque Terre
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Portovenere, Cinque Terre and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)
Year: 1997
Portovenere, Cinque Terre and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)
Year: 1997
Vernazza
Vernazza, Cinque Terre
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Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre
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Monterosso al Mare
Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre
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Manarola
Manarola, Cinque Terre
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Corniglia
Corniglia, Cinque Terre
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