Hiking Cinque Terre: 2024 Trail Tips & Itinerary

Cinque Terre is a magical destination with great opportunities for scenic hiking on the coast of Italy. Although several of the main trails are closed until 2024, you can still fulfill the dream of hiking Cinque Terre.

This post covers everything you need to know about visiting Cinque Terre to hike in 2024.

Updated: July 2024. Originally published: Nov 2019.

What to know about Cinque Terre

Where is Cinque Terre, Italy?

Cinque Terre is a popular vacation destination and National Park in Italy, located on the Western Coast between Pisa and Genoa. It consists of five villages on the cliffs of the Italian Riviera, overlooking the Ligurian Sea.

Florence to Cinque Terre (La Spezia station) takes about 2 1/2 hours by direct train, or as quick as 2 hours 10 minutes transiting through Pisa.

Here’s a quick video to give you a glimpse of our hiking trip to Cinque Terre in October 2019:

What does Cinque Terre mean?

The name literally means “five lands,” which refers to the 5 villages in Cinque Terre. 

How many days should hikers stay in Cinque Terre?

If you’re planning a self-guided walking holiday, you might wonder how long to spend in Cinque Terre. Technically, you could see Cinque Terre as a day trip from Florence, Pisa, or Genoa. However, we think the best way to see Cinque Terre is to explore on foot and stay at least one night.

For serious hikers, or those just wanting a slow and relaxing vacation, you could easily stay several days or weeks.

Cinque Terre has 48 different paths, ranging from easy to skilled.

To walk from village to village on the blue tourist path, it would normally be 12 km or 7.5 miles. However, due to trail closures, today’s hike distance would be more like 16 km or 10 miles taking the alternate paths, which are more difficult. Therefore, how long it takes to walk Cinque Terre depends on your route.

For the majority of visitors who enjoy a moderate hike and have limited time, we recommend doing the parts of the blue path that are open.

While walking Cinque Terre in a day is entirely possible, it gets more and more challenging when it’s crowded. Best to plan for one or two morning hikes, plus time for walking around the towns. (More details in our hiking itineraries below.)

When to visit Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre’s official “low season” is November 4 to March 15, so any other time you can expect crowds to be a significant factor, especially in the afternoon. With the narrowness of the coastal trail, expect additional wait time for people to pass each other in some sections. 

Weather is another factor to consider. Hiking the trails of Cinque Terre is not much fun in the rain and mud. In the summer, it can get quite hot without much shade, which is also not ideal. 

Our recent visit was in mid-October and we highly recommend this time of year. We were fortunate to have flexibility to watch the weather and avoid rainy days.

Early morning on the tourist trail was blissfully quiet with cool temperatures. The trail and the towns got more and more crowded as the day went on. Even in October, it really warmed up by noon, so we were glad to be off the trails before then.

---

Getting to Cinque Terre

Train station in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre

If you’re deciding how to visit Cinque Terre, we recommend taking the train and doing the rest on foot. Cars are not allowed in most parts of the villages. Parking in Cinque Terre is therefore on the outskirts of each village and fills up quickly in high season.

The closest city with a train station is La Spezia. You can book train tickets to La Spezia direct from Florence, Pisa, Genoa, etc.  Each of these cities also have an airport, with Pisa International being the largest.

From La Spezia, you can continue by train to Cinque Terre for 4 euros or by ferry boat from the marina for 18 euros. 

Cinque Terre Train Tickets

By train from La Spezia station, you would then get on the Cinque Terre express trains which stop at the five villages. Each village is only a few minutes ride from the next. Current train prices are 4 euros per trip, regardless of how far you go. 

These tickets can be purchase at the ticket counter or from machines in each station. Validate the ticket before boarding your train by inserting it into the little green boxes found inside the station.

If you plan to use the Cinque Terre express train several times in one day, take a look at the Cinque Terre Card options which we cover below.

---

Hiking Cinque Terre: 2024 Trail Tips 

The best hikes in Cinque Terre can be found along the coastal trail, also known as the blue trail. The blue trail (sentiero azzuro in Italian) is the most popular with tourists because it’s generally the easiest hike and boasts some of the best views in Cinque Terre.

To do any hiking in Cinque Terre, you will need to purchase a Cinque Terre card. This is essentially a day pass. More on that soon.

Traveler tip: Both Monterosso and Vernazza offer great viewpoints on the trail before you reach the trail checkpoint. This means you can do the initial part of the hike (just 10 minutes), enjoy the scenery, snap a picture, and return the way you came without needing a Cinque Terre card. If you’re not able to do the full hike for whatever reason, don’t miss seeing these overlooks for free!

Finally, it’s important to know that not all of the trails are currently open. Be sure to check on trail status to found out what hikes are open.

We’ll cover trail closure details in the 2024 Cinque Terre Trails section below.

What to wear hiking in Cinque Terre

We recommend wearing light-weight layers. Most importantly: wear good walking shoes!

These trails are not suitable for flip flops or heels. In fact, you could potentially get fined for having inappropriate footwear.

Since we started early in the morning, I was happy to be in jeans and a light hoodie, as it was chilly. As we kept moving and the sun came up, I changed into light-weight capri pants and a breathable shirt by mid-morning. We both wore our water-proof running shoes.

What to bring on your Cinque Terre hike

We shared a day bag backpack between the two of us, so we could carry our jackets, water, camera, etc.

Bringing sunscreen is highly recommended. A water bottle or two is a must, and you can refill them at public water fountains in the villages.

Jedd with our day pack and water bottle, refilling at a public water fountain

Cinque Terre Pass

As mentioned there is an entrance fee required to hike in Cinque Terre. This comes in the form of the “Cinque Terre card,” of which there are two main options: a trekking card and a train card.

The Cinque Terre card can be purchased at the Welcome Centers, usually near the village train stations, or online.

The regular Cinque Terre card allows one person hiking access within the park. At the time of this writing, a one-day adult trekking pass is 7.50 euros, valid for one calendar day.

Heads up: the card price now doubles on peak days. Find the price schedule here.

There are also 2-day options, child tickets, and senior tickets. 

The Cinque Terre Treno card includes hiking access as well as unlimited rides between villages on the train and bus. At the time of this writing, the train card is 16 euros for one calendar day. If you’re hiking and plan to take three or more train rides the same day, it’s worth getting the train card.

There will be a booth at the start of each trail where you will present your card and may be asked to show ID as well. You cannot buy Cinque Terre cards at these trail checkpoints, so be sure to do so ahead of time.

Both versions of the card also provide access to public toilets (normally 1 euro per use), guided walks, and some discounts to museums.

Cinque Terre Hiking Trails Guide

Cinque Terre Hiking Map

Here’s our Cinque Terre walking map to give you an overview of the route for the recommended hiking itineraries we describe below.

2024 Cinque Terre Trails: What’s Open and Closed?

The most important thing to know here is that a portion of the blue trail between Manarola and Corniglia is completely closed off into 2025 for repairs and prevention of landslides. Only the first 950 feet are open from the Manarola side.

After a long closure for reconstruction, the Via dell’Amore (Way of Love) from Riomaggiore to Manarola fully reopens on July 27, 2024. Access to this section requires a separate ticket, bookable online or at the park’s ticket booths, with capacity limits at 400 hikers per hour.

Your Cinque Terre trekking in 2024 can still include the blue trail from Corniglia to Vernazza to Monterosso (it reopened after maintenance as of March 2024).

During certain periods in 2024, you may only walk one-way from Monteresso to Vernazza between 9am – 2pm on the blue trail.

There are also more challenging, less frequented trails that go up the mountain from each of the villages.

Other Cinque Terre walking trails may be temporarily closed from time to time, due to weather or other hazards. You can check path closures and trail conditions here.

In the case of orange or red warning levels, the park will actually stop selling the Cinque Terre card, though the trail may not be blocked off.

There was a last minute orange warning issued when we were visiting. However, park employees allowed us past the check points “at our own risk.” We did not notice any hazards, neither did the hikers we encountered coming from the opposite direction.

---

Cinque Terre Itinerary Ideas for Hikers

Overlooking the marina in Riomaggiore

Best Town to Stay in Cinque Terre

Staying in any of the Cinque Terre villages is pretty special. We chose Riomaggiore, the southern-most village.

Since the blue trail to Riomaggiore is currently closed, this allowed us time to explore Riomaggiore thoroughly and watch the sunset the night before our village-to-village hike. We were very happy with this choice.

If we had to choose the best village in Cinque Terre to visit in general, we would go with Vernazza. Meaning: if you can only make one stop, this should be it.

However, with the itinerary we suggest, Vernazza is right in the middle of the hiking route, so it doesn’t really make sense to stay there in this case.

Overlooking Vernazza from the blue trail

Best of Cinque Terre Walking Tour in Two Days (with 2024 trail closures)

After thorough research and first hand experience, I believe I’ve found the best way to hike Cinque Terre in 2024. 

I recommend the following:

Day 1: Settle in and explore – La Spezia & Riomaggiore

Arrive to La Spezia and walk the pedestrian street Via Fiume/Via del Prione to Parco Salvador Allende and the marina.

From here, you may take a ferry boat to Cinque Terre. Or return to the train station for a quick train ride.

We picked up some snacks and a picnic dinner from the Coop supermarket in La Spezia as well.

Exploring La Spezia on foot

Check in to your accommodations mid-afternoon. We recommend staying in Riomaggiore and exploring all the alleyways and stair ways leading to the castle, beach, marina, and other nice views of the sea.

We enjoyed watching the sunset from the sentiero panoramico, a little hillside pathway that went on much further than we expected.

Day 2: Morning Hike – Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso

I highly recommend starting your hiking tour first thing in the morning. Check the train time table and choose one around sunrise.

For us, the train left at 7:14am from Riomaggiore, and there were just a handful of tourists on board. We got off at Corniglia, the second stop (just 6 minutes). 

From Corniglia there is a walking path from the station that leads to a serious series of stairs up to the village itself. You can also take a shuttle bus (included with the Cinque Terre treno card). The stairs offer a nice view and, though many, they’re not too steep. It took us no more than 15 minutes to climb.

We wandered the main pedestrian street of Corniglia toward the sea and popped into a cafe for coffee. Then we headed toward the blue trail, making a brief stop to admire St. Peter Church and the views from the town.

The Corniglia to Vernazza hike on the blue trail is moderately challenging. Not easy if you’re out of shape but not difficult if you’re a hiker. The official recommendation is to allow 2 hours for this hike.

We left Corniglia at 8am and arrived to Vernazza around 9:15am. We took one small snack break in this time.

The trail winds through gardens, olive groves, and vineyards with several stretches with views of the sea. About 3/4 of the way, there are a few cafes and bars on the trail where you can have a drink and enjoy a view of the sea.

When we arrived to the marina of Vernazza, Jedd had clocked 8,300 steps and 58 floors.

Vernazza is incredibly scenic. The blue tourist trail allows you some nice views overlooking the village from behind, as you descend steps around an old hillside tower.

Take a left on the main pedestrian road in town to reach the Vernazza marina. From here, you have a nice view of the water and the colorful village with vineyards above. 

The Vernazza to Monterosso hike is the most strenuous of all the blue trail footpaths. The hiking difficulty is mostly because there are even more steps to climb up and down than the Corniglia section.

*From 9am to 2pm on popular holidays, you may only allowed to start in Monterosso and walk towards Vernazza.

If you have knee problems, you might want to avoid this one. I will say that we were happy to be going the direction we chose, as the reverse (Monteresso to Vernazza hike) seemed a steeper climb.

As you start the ascent from Vernazza, there’s a great overlook of the village from the trail checkpoint.

The official recommendation is to allow 2.5 hours for this hike. We left Vernazza at 9:50am and arrived at the main square of Monterosso by 11:20am.
*Note: As of May 2024, from 9am to 2pm on popular Italian holidays, you may only allowed to start in Monterosso and walk towards Vernazza.

As we started our descent to Monterosso, there were long stretches of stairs. People coming up the opposite direction were clearly struggling. Once we made the full descent, we understood why!

(Please be realistic about your fitness level and wear appropriate clothing for this hike. Don’t be that tourist who has to get emergency evacuation from the trail.)

With the steps being so steep and narrow, plus more people on the trails later in the morning, we had to stop to let folks pass several times. And you’ll see in the photo that there is some mud even with clear weather, but it’s usually easy to avoid.

Monterosso is the largest and most visited of the five Cinque Terre towns. The blue trail descends on the marina and beach in front of the Old Town section of Monterosso. On the other side of a hill is the newer part of town, more beach, and the train station.

We walked around the narrow alleys until our restaurant opened at noon. San Martino Gastronomia was our choice for its high ratings from both locals and visitors, plus reasonable prices. Seating is limited inside and outside, but you can also order take out from the counter. Our two pastas and small water came to 21 euros (bread was included, with no coperta charge).

It was great!

Depending on how much time you have, you could take the train directly to La Spezia and onward to your next destination.

We had time in the afternoon to visit the fifth and final village in our walking tour of Cinque Terre: Manarola. So we hopped on a train from Monterosso to Manarola (3 stops, 9 minutes).

The highlight for us in Manarola was Gelateria 5 Terre which is entirely gluten-free and even offers some lactose-free and vegan gelatos. Their cones, cups, and spoons are all made from gluten-free cookie so there’s less waste. Ice cream cones start at 3 euros for a small. It was delicious!

Of course, after walking all day and the night before, we were pretty exhausted. We checked out the entrance to Via dell’Amore from behind the Manarola train station, but it wasn’t really worth the extra effort. (As mentioned before, the blue trail was completely closed off from either side of Manarola.) 

We made our way back to La Spezia by train, picked up a picnic dinner from a supermarket, and then caught our onward train back to Tuscany.

We ended day 2 in Cinque Terre with 22,274 steps and 134 floors climbed.

Cinque Terre Hiking Day Trip from Florence

Is hiking Cinque Terre in one day your goal? If you’re hoping to do a hiking day trip from Florence or Pisa, for example, here’s what I would recommend.

First, you’ll want to take the earliest possible train to arrive in La Spezia and get to Cinque Terre in the morning. The earlier you can get started, the fewer crowds and mid-day heat you’ll be contending with.

Head straight from La Spezia to Corniglia or Vernazza by train. For most people with average fitness, I would recommend doing the Corniglia to Vernazza hike. If you’re a big hiker and want more of a work out, then do the Vernazza to Monterosso hike. Allow 2 – 2.5 hours to get from one village to the next.

Don’t forget to save time for walking around the villages as well. Depending on what time you need to get back, you can always take the train to the other villages, then explore by foot from town.

I would not recommend attempting to hike between all five villages of Cinque Terre in one day unless you’re a trained athlete. Of course, half of the main trail is closed so it’s not currently possible on the easiest route.

If you do decide to take on more than one village-to-village hike on a day trip, be prepared for the mid-day heat with plenty of water, sunscreen, and a change of clothes. Allow extra time when crowds increase on the trails as the day goes on.

 

Like this post? Save it for later or share with friends!