Cinque Terre Day Trip – Explore the Best of Italy’s 5 Seaside Villages

Plan a Cinque Terre day trip in Italy and get a chance to visit five centuries-old seaside villages, which are perched along Italy’s rugged Italian Riviera coastline in just one day. Each of the 5 towns has colorful houses, vineyards clinging to steep terraces, and harbors are filled with fishing boats. Cinque Terre is famous for its coastal hiking trails that offer sweeping sea panorama.

A day trip to Cinque Terre exploring the trails, passing through, pastel-colored buildings, rocky hills, and secluded beaches will convince you to extend your day trip. 

Though you can rent a car or campervan to reach Cinque Terre, to explore seaside villages, the main means of transportation is a boat ride. You can even visit Cinque Terre on foot. Isn’t it just cool?

Cinque Terre Day Trip Guide

Start Your Day at Monterosso

Monterosso al Mare is one of the five villages in Cinque Terre situated in Northern Italy. This town is the biggest in the Cinque Terre and also the best one if you want to spend time on the beach. Besides the beaches, Monterosso has many cute little shops and restaurants. Some of the popular attractions in the village that are worth a visit include the Churches of San Giovanni Battista, San Francesco Church, The statue of the Giant, and the Soviore Sanctuary, which dates back to the 17-Century.

From Monterosso head to Vernazza

Next, visit Vernazza, which is a small fishing village and one of the most visited and beautiful towns in Italy. The town is rather small with its narrow alleys, the main square, and the main road where you will find many restaurants and just one small beach. Most of the tourists visiting this area consider it to be the most beautiful village in the Cinque Terre. Located just by the seaside, in the main square of the town, there are many tourist spots, beautiful berths, and plenty of restaurants. Vernazza is actually a tourist mecca of the Cinque Terre.

Onto a Small Fishing Village of Corniglia

Corniglia is a small village up on the hill. It is the smallest and the highest of the Cinque Terre villages. Situated at an altitude of 100-meters above sea level, you can access the area via the footpath called Lardarina with 377 stairs. If you want to avoid taking up the stairs, then you can take the shuttle bus from the train station or walk from Vernazza as it is just a 1hour walk. Corniglia has a very beautiful panoramic view overlooking the entire coastal line, which is worthy of attention. Spend a couple of hours to fully enjoy the charm of this small Italian village.

Explore the Charming Village of Manarola

Manarola is one of the best and the oldest of the five villages in Cinque Terre. Most of the houses in Manarola are bright and colorful. With a population of 353, It is the second-smallest of the famous Cinque Terre villages often visited by tourists. Besides its natural beauty, Manarola is also famous for its hiking trails, vineyards, sweet Sciacchetrà wine, celebrated by Gabriele D’Annunzio in one of his amazing poems and paintings by Antonio Discovolo.

Riomaggiore

The last of the five villages in Cinque Terre is Riomaggiore. It is a part of the string of five villages that make up the Cinque Terre, a UNESCO Heritage Site. It’s also one of the most sought-after travel destinations in all of Italy. This village could be a starting point of your journey as it is the first village of the Cinque Terre when coming from La Spezia. Though the village is small, there are some interesting attractions that you can visit. The town is known for its colorful stone houses and harbor filled with traditional fishing boats.

Where to Stay in Cinque Terre day trip

The best time to see Cinque Terre is in the evening and early in the morning when there is less crowd. So, extend your day trip and plan a night in one of the villages. Below are a few hotel recommendations.

  • Pension Erema Della Maddalena (Monterosso al Mare)
  • Albergo Barbara (Vernazza)
  • Hotel CA’ D’Andrean (Manarola)
  • Aparthotel la Posada (Corniglia)
  • Hotel Due Gemelli (Riomaggiore)

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