Your Guide to Cinque Terre
The color-blocked houses sitting on the hills that hug the Italian Riviera… in all the places I went in Italy, Cinque Terre was one of my favorites.
Cinque Terre basically means “five lands” or “five towns” in Italian, because Cinque Terre is made up of five little villages – and you get to each of them via train, which takes around 2-4 minutes from one village to the next.
These five villages are known as Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.
View of Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre, Italy; July 2018
Should I visit Cinque Terre in the summer?
Traveling to Cinque Terre in the summer can be rewarding as the weather will be optimal to enjoy refreshing drinks under the sun, long-beach days, and speed-boat outings.
However, if you’re planning on going in the summertime like I did, beware… it gets busy. The trains get packed. The weather gets hot.
One of the trains flew by us so fast and so close, that all the moms in my little group for the day claimed we were, “trying to avoid becoming scrambled eggs”.
We also got stuck on the train one time. All of the power went out, and in that July heat… it got toasty in that train.
However, we lived: clearly, as I’m writing this blog post for you – but I will say that if you like comfort and punctual timing when you travel, that this region of Italy maayyyy not be for you.
Which order should I visit the villages in Cinque Terre?
Now, if you’re down for the potential chaos and indescribable, idiosyncratic beauty that is Cinque Terre, and your goal is to tackle all five towns, this is what I recommend you do: start at the top, and work your way down.
This way, once you get to the end of the villages, you’ll be closer to your accommodation – which is likely to be outside of one of the five villages of Cinque Terre itself.
We were staying in La Spezia, which is just outside of the first town, Riomarggio. We opted to take the train all the way up to Monterosso al Mare first, and slowly make our way back to our hotel in La Spezia.
What are the differences between each the of villages in Cinque Terre?
Here’s a breakdown of the differences between the five different villages in Cinque Terre to decide which one may be worth spending the most of your time in:
| Village | Key Offerings |
|---|---|
| Monterosso al Mare | Resort-style vibes like Capri, biggest beach, ideal for beach days and relaxing on the Italian Riviera. |
| Vernazza | Smaller beach with excellent seafood restaurants overlooking the water; home to “The Lunchbox” for vegetarian and vegan options. |
| Corniglia | Famous for the shuttle bus viewpoint; no direct access to the sea, restaurants, or shops – serves primarily as a lookout point. |
| Manarola | Authentic fishing village atmosphere, perfect for seafood lovers; swimming possible but watch out for jellyfish. |
| Riomaggiore | Most aesthetically pleasing with classic colorful houses; best starting point for boat tours to all villages and photogenic spots. |
I’m going to break down each of the five villages, so you’ll know which are the best villages in Cinque Terre, exactly what to expect when you visit when visiting each one, how to plan your Cinque Terre itinerary accordingly:
Village 5: Monterosso al Mare
This is the village in Cinque Terre that’s the highest up. It feels a lot like Capri: sleek, chic, and resort style. This one has the biggest beach, thus – making it one of the busiest and most popular of the five villages.
The white fences and vibrant florals in Monterosso al Mare reminded me of Capri.
Which Cinque Terre town has the best beach?
If you’re looking for a beach day, and only want to come to Cinque Terre with the intent of relaxing on the Italian Rivera – Monterosso al Mare is the village you’re going to want to spend your time in.
The most popular beach is known as Fegina beach, and while adorned with sunbeds and parasols – it is also private, meaning you’ll have to pay if you want to relax on this Monterosso al Mare beach.
The beach in Monterosso al Mare in Cinque Terre, Italy; July 2018
Ultimately, Monterosso al Mare is best for:
Relaxing in Cinque Terre
Beach time
Italian wine tasting
Village 4: Vernazza
View of Vernazza from the water in Cinque Terre, Italy; July 2018
Vernazza has a smaller beach, but a lot of good food.
If you’re into seafood, Cinque Terre is the place to be trying it. There are several restaurants that overlook the water that you can eat at here… but my group and I were craving a break from the endless pasta and pizza, so – we opted for a little hipster sandwich shop, The Lunchbox, with vegetarian options.
If you’re also looking for a break from Italian cuisine while on your trip to Italy, I can recommend the Lunchbox! They have really good panini’s and all sorts of other healthy-millennial-gluten-free-dairy-free-stuff to try. I had a lemonade there that also hit the spot… well, it was a detox juice with cucumber, lemon, and ginger.
Like I said, it was a hipster café kind of place.
The ‘Super Vegan’ panini at “The Lunchbox” in Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy; July 2018
The only con I can think of is that the seating is sparse, so if you’re trying to sit a group of more than four – you could be waiting a while.
View of Vernazza from the train station in Cinque Terre, Italy; July 2018
Additional things to do in Vernazza include:
The Guglielmo Marconi Square
Via Roma
The Doria Castle
Hike the Blue Trail
Village 3: Cornigila
Cornigila is the village famous for the shuttle bus that you can take to get the best picture of all the villages.
What is there to do in Cornigila?
The Cornigila train stop serves as an in-between transit spot on the way to the view of Cinque Terre All that’s here when you got off at the train is the shuttle. No restaurants, shops, or access to water. It’s only a gateway to take the shuttle bus up to the town.
I was in a group of people and I was the only one who really wanted to go up, and it was hot, and time was of the essence… so I skipped it…
… but it’s okay. I have no doubt that the view must be fantastic, but waiting for that bus up and down in the heat does require an ample supply of water and sufficient time management.
I made up plenty for missing out on the famous Cinque Terre photo opportunity later, and I’m going to suggest you did what I did instead as well.
Village 2: Manarola
Manarola is the “fishing village” of the five of them. This is the place you want to go eat at if you’re a seafood fanatic.
Can I go swimming in Manarola?
There is no traditional beach in Manarola, but there is a small harbor with deep waters suitable for swimming.
Ultimately, you can go swimming in Manarola, but beware of jellyfish.
View of Manarola from the water; July 2018.
Additional things to do in Manarola include:
Manarola Scenic Viewpoint
Nessun Dorma Cantina for wine tasting
Piazza Papa Innocenzo IV
Village 1: Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore was my personal favorite of the five.
Why?
The photo opportunities before my eyes were the exact ones I had always dreamed of taking.
Riomaggiore is where you’ll find the cliche colorful houses you’ve been looking for in Cinque Terre.
Things to see and do in Riomaggiore include:
Castello di Riomaggiore
Church of San Giovanni Battista
Renting a private boat
Is Riomaggiore the best Cinque Terre Village?
While the answer is subject to personal preference, I found Riomaggiore to be the most approachable village of the five Cinque Terre towns –with something for everyone such as boat rides, photo opportunities, or sun-bathing.
This village is definitely the most aesthetically pleasing of the five, and the easiest one to take boats from.
Right here, this is where I made up for skipping the shuttle bus in Cornigila.
Several members of my tour group & I all chipped in to rent a boat tour, where we would jet across all the villages via water for the views, and let me tell you…
… it’s worth it.
On a speed boat in Cinque Terre, Italy; July 2018
Those boat rides also take you by the little coves with the coolest and clearest pockets of water.
Yes, it is that amazing in person.
Just be careful when booking. If your goal is to end up back at Riomaggiore, to make sure that you book a two-way boat ride. Otherwise, they’ll drop you off back at the top in Monterosso al Mare, which will defeat your purpose of starting at the top in the first place.
I hope this gives you an idea of the vibe of each of the villages in Cinque Terre.
If you’re looking for other things to do in Italy, click here.
Last updated: May 31, 2025