20 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN CINQUE TERRE

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Cinque Terre is one of the most charming areas in all of Italy (and will not be due to lack of sites). So beautiful it is that since 1997 it is part of the Unesco Heritage. But what is Cinque Terre? Essentially it is a strip of coastline in the Liguria region, in which 5 small villages appear: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare.

Its main characteristic is the chromatic mixture, with the green of the mountains, the gray and brown of the rocks and cliffs, the blue of the Mediterranean and the bright colors of the facades of the houses. A truly magical place that we recommend to all types of travelers. Today we are going to tell you 20 things to see and do in Cinque TerreTake note of each one and you will enjoy this trip.

But first of all, to prepare your visit, read this post with the tips to travel to Cinque Terre

1. We started the tour in Monterosso al Mare. Here, in addition to getting lost in its narrow streets and entering the Church of San Giovanni Battista, you cannot leave without going up to the place where the statue of San Francisco de Asis is located. An extraordinary awaits you there lookout over the bay, with the Aurora Tower at your feet. See everything to do in the villages of Cinque Terre.

2. And if you travel between May and October… don't forget your swimsuit! Monterosso is the only town of the five that has a beach suitable for swimming. She's the pretty oneFegina Beach, with some very photogenic cliffs.

3. Take a train, travel a coastal path or go for a mountain trekking to get to Vernazza. The famous image of this town, with the impressive Church of Santa Margherita di Antiochia standing out among the colorful houses, is obtained from the end of the port. And if it's time for food, nothing better than enjoying this snapshot with a focaccia of pesto Batti Batti Focacceria.

4. Wait, wait, wait, have I read trekking? Yes, Cinque Terre is a Natural Park where there are a few walking trails, to each one more beautiful. The most famous is the Blue trail that unites all the villages in a route along the coast of about 12 km. Although there are others that climb the mountains and pass through monasteries, vineyards and panoramic points. Before putting on your shoes, check which of the trails are open on this website, or in the Pn5t plus app. Due to the torrential rains there have been landslides recently and some sections have been cut.

5. But if we have to mention a path in Cinque Terre, this is known as “Via dell 'Amore”, It is an easy road of 1 km that winds along the side of the cliffs between Riomaggiore and Manarola. Unfortunately, it is closed and its opening is not planned until April 2021, although the first 200 meters can be traveled in the part of Manarola.

6. The smallest of the Cinque Terre villages, Corniglia, also worth a visit. Ojito: from the station you have to climb about 370 steps of the Lardarina Scalinatato arrive, so, if you are not fit, you have the option of taking a bus from the station (free with the Cinque Terre Card) or arriving from Vernazza on foot (put to work out, let it be with good views!). In the village do not miss the Church of San Pietro, with its beautiful Genoese Gothic style, before reaching the highest point, where there is an amazing viewpoint of the bay.

7. Corniglia is the only town in Cinque Terre that has no port or exit to the sea, but in any of the others you can opt for take a boat (battello) and enjoy unforgettable views and different from Cinque Terre. There is an open one-day ticket that costs € 35 with which you can go up and down as many times as you want. Although beware, the service is only active from the end of March to the end of September. More information.

Other options to make the most of your visit to Cinque Terre from the sea are:

8. You will see that both Corniglia and the rest of the area is covered by fields of vineyards. Here they produce a wine designation of origin, so that any of its villages is a good option to try a glass of dry white wine, or if you prefer a liquor and sweet wine, try Sciacchetrà better.

9. The next town is Manarola, where the most beautiful sunset of Cinque Terre is contemplated. Whether at sunset or during the day, you will definitely enjoy the visit, especially if you walk the path that climbs from the port along the hillside towards Bonfiglio Point, which offers the perfect panorama!

10. And we arrive at the last village of Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore. Personally it was the town we liked the most, with some unique places like the old castle, the Piazza Vignaioli or the Church of San Giovanni Battista. But here the essential thing is to go down to the small port and photograph it from any point of view! And if it's sunny and hunger enters, catch a cone of fish fry in the Il Pescato Cucinato and eat it with one of the most iconic views of Cinque Terre.

Tired? There are still 10 things to see and do in Cinque Terre!

11. Ligura, the region where Cinque Terre is located, is famous for its pesto alla genovese, you can't leave without trying yes or yes a plate of pesto pasta, you know, accompanied with a glass of wine from the region. And another very typical product of the area is the lemon, with which they make the liquor limoncino.

12. And finally, there is no frozen richer than the one eaten in Italy, so take advantage! The best Cinque Terre ice cream says it's in Gelateria Vernazza (Via Roma 13, Vernazza).

13. Cinque Terre is not exactly the lowest cost area in Italy, but can be found good restaurants at decent prices. Check out our Cinque Terre restaurant post where you can eat well and cheaply (coming soon). Don't get your hands on your head ahead of time, we sincerely believed it would be more expensive!

14. A good place to have a drink and hallucinate with the views from your terrace is the restaurant Nessun Dorma, in Manarola. We discovered it thanks to an instagram photo of the guys from Living on Travel and wow, the views from there are amazing. We stay in your terrace but do not consume. By the way, if from Nessun Dorma you continue climbing towards “the mountain”, you will see that just above the place there is a picnic area with other spectacular views: if you want to save money, buy wine, bread and ham and make your own snack.

15. If your visit coincides during Christmas time, there is an extra reason for celebration:Present di Manarola. The mountain behind this town is filled with hundreds of figurines and lamps in a huge and curious nativity scene.

Shutterstock photo

16. At the points at the ends of the villages, where the paths arrive, there are usually some lookouts with sensational panoramas. Of course, be careful: some, like Vernazza's, which you will find on the way to Monterosso, it is not super safe to say.

17. If you have several days on your trip, we recommend you use one to get to know Genoa, a decadent city but with a certain charm, which in its day was the owner and sovereign of the Mediterranean. You arrive in just over an hour from La Spezia by train. In this post we tell you everything to see and do in Genova (coming soon).

18. And of course, La Spezia Not only is it the best place to make a base to explore Cinque Terre, we also found it a pleasant city where you have to take (at least) a walk through its center. It reaches the port area and if the day accompanies, the focaccia or pizza plan in the street is our favorite, there is a very good atmosphere!

19. Two other towns near here that are worth it if you have time are Porto Venere Y Portofino. We did not get to go but they told us that they are two small jewels.

20. Returns: those villages (and we would dare to say that area) hitch: with a visit you can only have a first impression of the Cinque Terre Natural Park, but there is much more to see, especially if you love inland villages and local tourism. Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore are the best presentation, but there is much more to discover. We will be back for sure!