Cinque Terre tips and tricks – 6 Things you need to know!
✅ Before starting the reading of Cinque Terre tips and tricks, we put below some really interesting links. Take a look! 😉
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6 really useful tips and tricks if you to visit and discover the Cinque Terre.
In this guide, we want to give you 6 useful and ESSENTIAL tips that you need for your trip or holiday to the Cinque Terre.
While reading, you will also find many clickable links that will allow you to discover and learn more about the Cinque Terre.
Before we start, let’s explain you something..
Some of these 6 useful tips for visiting the Cinque Terre are good also for visiting all the other places in Liguria, like Portofino, Camogli and Portovenere.
Treasure them: they can be really useful in other occasions!
You can also read: Why visit the marvellous Cinque Terre?
1 – Choose the RIGHT PERIOD!
The main advice of all is: choose the right period to visit the Cinque Terre.
If you can, absolutely avoid the long weekends of Easter, May 1st, June 2nd and August 15th.
In these periods, the Cinque Terre are truly a delirium. We leave you, below, a photo from Easter 2023 to give you an idea of what we’re talking about..
– What is the ideal period to visit the Cinque Terre?
The most beautiful months are before the summer season – late March, April, May and the first days of June – and those after summer – from mid-September to October and the beginning of November.
In these periods you will find all the shops, bars and restaurants open and, with beautiful sunny days, you can really enjoy the Cinque Terre!
As we said at the beginning, this advice also applies to all the other places in Liguria: Genoa, Portofino, Camogli, Portovenere and many others.
You can also read: When the Cinque Terre was built?
2 – DO NOT go by car!
There are many reasons about, starting from the particular conformation of the territory.
Meanwhile, to get to the Cinque Terre the narrow streets are full of twists and turns. It takes a lot of time to drive few kilometers from one village to the other, climbing up and down these winding small streets.
And THERE ARE NO parking spaces.
The only period you can get to the Cinque Terre by car, are the months of November, the first half of December and February.
As we will explain later, is a good idea to approach the Cinque Terre by car, arriving in a neighboring town and than, moving by train.
Therefore, to reach the Cinque Terre you have to take THE TRAIN or THE BOAT.
The TRAIN is the absolute best way to visit the Cinque Terre and to move between the 5 villages.
We advise you to get the CINQUE TERRE CARD for the train, which allows you to move easily and save money on the journeys (at full price, are rather expensive -5 euros each way).
If you want to take a day trip to the Cinque Terre, enjoying the journey and the incredible panorama you have from the sea, choose the ferry boat.
The boats depart from many locations on the Riviera di Levante and, in some cases, make real day tours of the Cinque Terre.
In our opinion, the prices of the boats are also very good: it’s and a highly recommended experience!
If you can, take both: maybe the boat to reach Cinque Terre and the train on the way back!
You can also read: How to visit the Cinque Terre by ferry boat – Complete tutorial
3 – Cinque Terre tips and tricks: where to sleep
We recommend you to organize your holiday according to your needs, your “physical shape” and the type of experience you want to have.
The Cinque Terre are a very particular territory, with 5 villages – despite being similar in identity – different from each other.
Just look at Monterosso and Corniglia: despite being just a few km away, they are completely different!
If you prefer sea, beach, comfort and relaxation, Monterosso is the right place for you.
Monterosso is the largest of the Cinque Terre, a real village on the coast, with many beaches and a beautiful sea.
Even Riomaggiore, the second largest, despite not having a beach, is a “quite comfortable” village. So is Vernazza too.
Manarola and Corniglia instead, are the two smaller villages, intimate and particular.
Corniglia, wonderfully perched on rocks and terraces, is the most “uncomfortable” of the 5 villages.
To reach Corniglia from the station, you have to climb a very beautiful staircase, which seems to go on.. forever.
Let’s recap
If you want more comfort, if you prefer the beach and don’t like strenuous treks, choose Monterosso. No doubt about it.
Alternatively, Vernazza or Riomaggiore can be a good compromise.
If you are more sporty and you have no problems about moving, if you are looking for uniqueness and want to experience the essence of the Cinque Terre – choose Manarola or Corniglia.
You can also read: 5 very interesting about the Cinque Terre
4 – Dress comfortably!
In the Cinque Terre, all the villages are a wonderful succession of ups and downs, with the typical carruggi. And to visit them all, you have to walk… A LOT!
So, one of the most useful tips for visiting the Cinque Terre is to dress comfortably, choosing suitable shoes and carrying a light backpack, with the necessary.
Everything else you may need can be found there, don’t worry!
Not just villages and the sea: maybe you don’t know that the Cinque Terre are the ideal area for lovers of trekking and walks.
The Cinque Terre are all connected to each other, by the Green Blue Path (Sentiero Verde Azzurro).
There are tons of trails (over 130km of trails!) for all tastes and abilities. If you love trekking and walking, here is the best place you can even imagine.
⚠️ The paths of the Cinque Terre Park are comparable to mountain itineraries to be tackled with awareness, footwear and trekking clothing.
Some advice for the paths of the Cinque Terre.
- Get the Cinque Terre card for the Paths, which gives you access to many services and advantages: it is a necessary tool for walks in the Cinque Terre.
- Look carefully at the maps, the signs and check the difficulty of the paths carefully. Some are really tiring and impervious.
- Remember that on the paths of the Cinque Terre it is not possible to walk with open shoes and/or with smooth soles. It is forbidden.
You can also read: The best restaurants in Cinque Terre
5 – Cinque Terre useful tips: calculate the days and book early!
The most common question is: can the Cinque Terre be visited in one day?
And the answer we want to give you, in all honesty is .. yes and no. Now we explain you what it means.
In winter and out of season, visiting the 5 localities quickly enough, giving yourself time for each village, it is possible to see them all in one day.
Let’s be honest: it’s a great tour de force, but it’s doable. Remember: only and exclusively in WINTER and OUT OF SEASON (calculating the times carefully with the trains).
In the summer, absolutely NO. It is not possible.
Both because, the Cinque Terre are always crowded, and because the beautiful days make you want to spend more time outdoors, walking in relaxation, perhaps stopping at the beach or on the piers.
In our opinion, 2 days are needed to visit the 5 Terre – in the right way.
Another really important thing:
plan your holiday ahead of time, especially if you prefer to have a few more comforts and be able to stay in a hotel, Bed & Breakfast or holiday home in the 5 villages.
If you do not book in advance, you will not find accommodation available and you will inevitably have to move to the neighboring towns to sleep.
When you’re on site, book the restaurants early too! They are always full.
You can also read: Where you can rent a boat in the Cinque Terre
6 – Best base for Cinque Terre (and ask the “Locals”)
Don’t limit yourself to the five villages, but to see your holiday in a broader way, also including the wonderful nearby towns.
This can also be a forced choice, since, as we said before, it is very difficult in summer to be able to stay in one of the 5 villages: they are usually already full of reservations for months.
What do you suggest to do?
There are tons of options.
For example, you can stay in Sestri Levante or Levanto which, in addition to being beautiful, have very convenient railway stations for reaching the Cinque Terre.
More to the east, it is an excellent idea to stop and sleep in La Spezia, or nearby. Going up to the central station of La Spezia, you will be in Riomaggiore in a few minutes.
And while you are in these beautiful places, take the opportunity to visit them. They are all wonderful!
One last valuable tip: don’t be afraid to ask the locals for advice and suggestions.
Even when you reach the chosen place to sleep, always ask your hosts for opinions and information.
Many structures have agreements with particular services or experiences in the Cinque Terre, which are worth trying!
Also ask for advice about where to eat well: local people ALWAYS know the best places..
You can also read:
RESTAURANTS
Riomaggiore – Corniglia – Monterosso – Manarola – Vernazza
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