Thinking of Going to Cinque Terre? Read This Before You Go!

Cinque Terre National Park is a storybook land complete with five little rainbow coloured villages. The steep cliffs that house these towns are ample with terraced gardens and stunning views of the Italian Riviera. Thinking of going to Cinque Terre? Read this before you go!

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The Park Card “Hiking Card”

There are two cards you can buy to explore the Cinque Terre. One is the Hiking Card and the other is the Train Card. The Hiking Card gives you access to the following services:

• Access to the Park’s area.
• Guided tours and excursions “Cinque Terre Walking Park” according to the schedule.
• Free pass for the bus service within the five villages, managed by the ATC.
• Free pass for the pay toilets (the pass is a must for this, otherwise you will be paying 1€ each time you need to use the facilities).
• CEA (Environmental Education Center) workshop according to the schedule.
• Use of Internet Wi-Fi in the Park Hot-Spot (don’t get too excited about this… it didn’t work).
• Reduced-fee entrance to the Civic Museum of La Spezia.

The Park Card “Train MS Card”

We chose the Train Card when we explored the Cinque Terre. Both cards can be purchased at Cinque Terre Point Information Centers located in each village. The train stations at La Spezia and Levanto also sell the card. We purchased the card at the La Spezia train station on platform 1. There is a one-day option and a two-day option. You will need two days if you plan to visit all five villages. Line-ups are long to purchase the card. Cinque Terre is famous and attracts a vast amount of travellers. The card includes the following services:

• All services included with the “Hiking Card”.
• Free access for the second-class train travel on all the regional trains between Levanto and La Spezia and return. This is essentially a hop-on-hop-off service that takes you between the towns as often as you wish.

We chose the Train Card because two of the paths between the villages were closed during our visit. Hiking the Cinque Terre paths are a dream for some people. Due to our health, the hike between paths would have been out of the question. Both Darryl and I had come down with a nasty illness after leaving Rome as a result of our room containing mould. Darryl’s cough was so violent that he blew the blood vessels in his eyes. I had broken out in hives from the mysterious mouldy substance. Gratefully, there are pharmacies on nearly every corner in Italy with knowledgeable people willing to help sickly travellers.

Bus Service

The villages of Cinque Terre are built on cliffs and in valleys, which means a lot of walking uphill. If you desire, a bus service will take you from the bottom of the villages to the top. We didn’t use the bus service but did notice the signs indicating pick up and drop off zones. The schedules change so check www.atcesercizio.it for updates. The bus service is valuable for those with mobility issues. Bus access is included in both the Hiking and Train Card.

The Cinque Terre National Park

Established in 1999, The Cinque Terre Park is the smallest National Park in Italy covering 3,860 hectares. At the same time, it is the most densely populated with about 4,000 residents in the five villages; Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare.

The natural environment has been deeply altered by human interaction. For centuries, the inhabitants of the villages dissected the steep slopes of the hills and cliffs that delve into the sea to obtain strips of arable land. The residents cultivate and take care of the land while at the same time tracing and rediscovering the ancient practices of their forefathers. This legacy has caused Cinque Terre to be in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Park Authority purpose is to promote a new culture to communicate the uniqueness of Cinque Terre to the traveller and provide visitors with a high level of quality in all stages of their visit and stay.

The Footpaths

There is ample hiking in Cinque Terre. Before going, check to see what paths are open. As stated earlier, two paths were closed between villages on our visit. Good footwear is suggested and good hiking practice is a must. The paths are like mountain trails often without protection. Considerable differences in height exist and there are also points with exposed danger. The ground can be bumpy and vary depending on weather conditions. Children must be accompanied by adults and carefully supervised. If you want to go on guided walking tours of the National Park, email visiteguideate@ati5terre.it for info and reservations.

Where to Stay

The Five Villages

Riomaggiore

Riomaggiore was established along the steep valley of the stream Rio-Major. The marina is magnificent: from there, the colourful tower-houses seem to rise from the sea to meet the green hills. At the top of the village is the church of San Giovanni Battista. All Cinque Terre churches are accessible and free to enter. You may want to stop and get a panini or a snack nearby and enjoy the view and the architecture. After all, you’ve made it to Cinque Terre! Take your time and enjoy it. When you buy the park pass, you will receive a booklet with a history of the towns as well as maps so you can make your way around the winding streets. The villages are small making for easy navigation.

Manarola

The most photogenic of the handsome little towns is Manarola. Vineyards and olive trees frame the multi-coloured houses. Adventurous types can dive off a cliff into the azure waters at the marina. We watched one not-so-brave soul take at least 15 minutes before she finally took the big leap into the refreshing waters below. As you make your way down to the marina, stop for gelato at Gelataria Enrica. The price is reasonable and the gelato is delicious. If you have never had gelato in Italy, you are in for a treat. Flavourful and creamy, there is nothing like it on a hot day. Flavours come in almost any combination you can imagine from fruits to espresso to tropical twists.

At the top of Manarola is Chiesa di San Lorenzo, another tiny church that watches over the community. A clock tower across the square provides shade on a hot day. Certainly, it is quieter at the top of the village since the vast number of tourists head down and stay at the marina. If you want peace and quiet, make sure to hike to the top of each village. Here is where you will find empty streets and can enjoy the pastel buildings rolling over the landscape.

Corniglia

The smallest of the five villages, Corniglia was our favourite. It has difficult access to the sea; therefore, no beach and no throngs of tourists. This quiet, charming community won us over immediately. Built upon a cliff, the views of the Italian Riviera are unobscured. Corniglia is visible from the other four villages making it unique.

We stopped for lunch at Ristorante Terra Rossa, a little terrace restaurant with no indoor seating and no Wi-Fi. No Wi-Fi added to the charm with everyone needing to be in constant contact these days. We ordered the charcuterie board accompanied with two glasses of wine. Darryl doesn’t like wine so I helped myself to both glasses as we drank in the view of the sea. The food was delectable. The marinated pearl onions were to die for. Steeped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, the wee onions of joy will make your mouth sing. We didn’t want to leave this serene little village, but alas, we only had two days to explore this extraordinary area.

Vernazza

Vernazza sits on a modest but enchanting bay, with crystal waters mirroring the church of Santa Margherita d’Antiochia. Incredibly, the medieval church still has the original altar inside. From the ancient lookout fortress on the marina, you can see the entire Gulf of Cinque Terre.

Small-Town Travel Tip: Don’t worry about buying bottles of water for your hike or visit. Fresh, potable water is in the main square just outside the church. Make sure to fill your water bottle before you continue. When the water is not potable at fountains, it will be signed as such.

Monterosso al Mare

By far, this is the busiest and most touristy of the five villages. The massive beach area attracts sun worshipers. The village appears to be divided into two areas. On one side, is the commercial area, beach and all the tourists. On the other side, as you hike along the waterfront, is the quieter (yet still hectic!) area with winding streets, a square and quaint shops. The Church of San Giovanni Baptista is located on the calmer side of the village. This is the prettiest of the churches in Cinque Terre with its black and white striped marble walls.

Prosciutto and melon are a must while in Italy so we stopped for a break before heading back to the train and the ride back to La Spezia. Our time in Cinque Terre had come to an end.

Thinking of Going to Cinque Terre?

Now that you have some information on how to enjoy this astonishing region, you can book your flights and head to the Italian Riviera. We stayed in La Spezia but there are options to stay in Cinque Terre as well. We came across some lost, sweaty travellers hauling their suitcases up and down the streets trying to find their accommodations. They stopped to ask someone for directions to which they got the reply, “You are staying here? That’s brave.” I am not sure what the comment meant. I am also not sure how long it took the young men to find their place of rest either. I do know we thoroughly enjoyed this fantastic location. Cinque Terre is as beautiful as the pictures portray.

All pictures in this post are taken by Charlotte, yours truly, as always, unless otherwise stated.