Last updated on June 27th, 2023 at 03:38 pm

Cinque Terre, pronounced ‘Chink-weh Teh-ray,’ is a cluster of five coastal fishing villages in Northwest Italy (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Manarola). These villages are made up of colorful houses and some of Italy’s best vineyards nestled on top of steep hills overlooking the Mediterranean sea. Cinque Terre villages are recognized as a National Park by the Italian government. 

We visited in the off-peak season end of January, and the weather wasn’t terribly cold. The good about that was we didn’t have to fight those summer tourists in popular spots or restaurants. We had the entire place to ourselves. How often does that happen?! However, being winter, most of the local businesses (restaurants & shops) which thrive on tourists were closed for the season. And so were some of the hiking trails. Perhaps Spring and Autumn would be the best time to visit.

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About the five villages of Cinque Terre (and where to find the postcard views)

Going from South to North, here’s all you need to know about the villages –

Riomaggiore

This is the first village if you are coming from the South. As we mentioned above, these villages belong to a hilltop setting, which also means the houses are on top of hills as well. Unless your hotel or BnB is down by the marina. We had to climb fleets of steep stairs to get to our guesthouse, which I personally loved as it reminded me of my ancestral house in a Himalayan town. It really added a unique flavor to our Cinque Terre experience. It is one of the most photogenic villages of the five.

To get that Postcard view: Most people who get the postcard photo of Riomaggiore do it from a boat. But in the winter, when all the boats are docked, you take the stairs to get the same shot! 🙂 Read our captions in the photos below to get there.

Manarola

Our favorite village of the five, partly because of its setting. Clustered pastel houses seem to be playfully teasing the Mediterranean sea from up above. This view is meant to inspire painters and poets alike let alone photographers like us. We will let the pictures do most of the talking. The hiking trail from Manarola to Corniglia provides a higher a vantage point. Manarola is also home to Cinque Terres famous white wine which comes from the local vineyard behind these houses. Do taste some while you are there.

To get that Postcard view:  The hiking trail that starts from the marina is where this perfect postcard shot can be seen. The entire path to Corniglia might be closed in winter so don’t attempt to complete the hike without asking the visitor center. Read our captions in photos below to get to this spot.

Corniglia

Three hundred and eighty-two stairs above the train station will get you to the main town. The view from up here is phenomenal and the vineyards have a history to tell. But then I remember seeing a couple dragging their luggage up those strenuous stairs to get to their accommodation. Attempt only if you are traveling light and are looking for a secluded heaven for real.

To get that Postcard view:  Sorry to say this but the most photogenic part of Corniglia was the view of the bay from the top and not the village itself like others. Definitely one of the best aerial views of Manarola from a distance. Talking about putting things in perspective! Read our captions in photos below to get to this spot.

Vernazza

Vernazza seemed to be bustling with energy and tourists than the previous two villages even in winter. Located perfectly in between the five villages, this is the one offering opportunities to get lost in the maze of intriguing alleys. It also had the biggest marina square compared to the other villages. The street coming down to the marina from train station had a good selection of restaurants and shops.  We will certainly consider Vernazza as our base next time we visit Cinque Terre. And may I add, the best Gelato I had in Italy was right here.

To get that Postcard view: To get the aerial postcard shot you will have to get on the hiking trail up the hill. If you are taking trains between the villages or if the hiking trail is closed then just walk by the marina for the view above. Read our captions in photos below to get to this spot.

Monterosso

Finally northernmost and biggest of the five villages – Monterroso has a beautiful beach, which will get a ton of crowd in the summer. It is also the biggest of five villages with a lot more options for accommodation, dining, and shopping. I had the best seafood pasta in Monterosso during my Italy trip. If my talks about food are any indication, it’s how flavorful and homely the food and hospitality of Cinque Terre was!

To get that Postcard view: Monterosso is the only one with a beach and with a view of all the five villages from there. Can’t get prettier than that! The beach is right around the corner from the train station.

If this wasn’t enough convincing then here are 37 incredible photos to inspire you to visit Cinque Terre. On the other hand, if you are looking for another off the beaten path spectacular destination then consider going to Bellagio in Lake Como in Italy.

Where to stay in Cinque Terre?

This is a very important question and you must know a little bit about all the villages (read above) before making your choice. We narrowed down our selection from five to two i.e. between Manarola and Riomaggiore. Why?

Because after our research we came to the conclusion that those were two of the most picturesque villages. And you know it we will dig for photography! In the end, the most important thing that helped us decide was the fact that Riomaggiore was the first stop while traveling from the South. Logistics do matter and we didn’t want to haul our luggage around multiple villages.

TIP: Unless you have a way to get here by bus or taxi we would not recommend staying at Corniglia and arriving there by train. It was a painful sight to watch a couple drag their heavy suitcases up 300+ stairs to get to the village. Monteroso would be a good choice if you want to stay in a bigger town with multiple choices of food, beach, and shopping. Whereas we might opt for Vernazza next time we visit since it was picturesque and in the center of all 5 villages.

How to Get Here?

In Cinque Terre, we strongly recommend NOT to rent a car.  There tiny hilly roads are not broad enough to accommodate car traffic besides there aren’t many parking spots either. TIP:  Do not drive in Cinque Terre, trust us you will be better off taking the trains here. 

From South: If you are coming from a Southern city like Florence or Pisa by train then Riomaggiore will be your first village. The regional train will take you up to La Spezia (there are very rare direct trains to Riomaggiore). From La Spezia, you will have to change to Cinque Terre Express (which is also Trenitalia) in order to get to the villages. Watch out for train schedules from La Spezia to Cinque Terre. We reached La Spezia pretty late in the evening and decided not wait an hour for the next train. Instead, we opted for a taxi right outside La Spezia train station. The taxi took us to Riomaggiore in about 15-20 mins.

Related: Read about the top things to see and do in our Florence City guide

From North: If you are coming from a Northern city like Milan by train then Monterroso will be the first of Cinque Terre villages you will hit. However, you most likely will have to transfer to Cinque Terre Express at Levanto station. On that note, Milan was one of the cities we couldn’t visit on our Italy trip. But after reading these seven reasons to love Milan we definitely need to head out there soon.

Related: Read about visiting Pisa as a half day trip from Florence

Traveling Between Cinque Terre Villages

There are many different ways you can travel between these beautiful villages. TIP: In summer, mix and match all these different modes of transport to get a variety of views in these five villages.

Trains 

Cinque Terre Express which is Trenitalia’s local route runs between these five villages hourly.  Cinque Terre Express also connects to Levanto in the North and La Spezia in the South. Make sure to have the latest train schedule when you visit. You can find it at the visitor center or ask your guesthouse reception. TIP: Don’t forget to validate your ticket before boarding the train (this is true in most stations in Italy). 

Duration of Train Journey

• La Spezia to Riomaggiore: 9 mins
• Riomaggiore to Manarola: 2 mins
• Manarola to Corniglia: 4 mins
• Corniglia to Vernazza: 5 mins
• Vernazza to Monterosso: 5 mins
• Monterosso to Levanto: 5 mins

Hiking

All of these five villages are connected by beautiful hiking trails which is a big attraction in this region. TIP: Being a National Park, you will need to purchase the Cinque Terre Card in order to hike on these trails. You can find more information about purchasing Cinque Terre card here. Keep in mind that not all the trails are open at all times of the year, do a little research before you visit. We will certainly have to come back to do this hike!.

By Boat

Boats are locked, docked and left at the shore during the winter season. For you all traveling in summer you can hop on and off these ferries between villages.

By Bus

This is something new we learned recently, Cinque Terre has started a bus service, sort of hop on hop off kind of a tourist bus. You can find out more information about buses between Cinque Terre villages here.

Hope this post was helpful and you all enjoyed walking through these colorful Cinque Terre villages in photos with us. If you have any questions about visiting Cinque Terre, leave us a comment and we will do our best to answer.

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Happy Traveling!