Cinque Terre things to do
Cinque Terre is one of the most beautiful regions of Italy.
The colourful houses displayed on steep cliffs, the turquoise waters of the sea and the tasty food made from this region one of the most visited areas in the entire country.
The best way to explore the area is by foot.
Hike along the trails and get the most beautiful views of the Italian coastal area!
Grab your camera with you for many perfect Instagram photos!
The area is pretty large so let me tell you which are the best things to do around Cinque Terre:
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1. Hike to Monterosso
In the area, there are many hiking trails.
You even can go on foot from one village to another using these hiking trails.
The scenery is amazing and you will get many wonderful memories and photos from your hike.
Cinque Terre Italy Overview
But there is a certain trail which I like most: the hike to Monterosso.
The hike from Monterosso to Vernazza lasts for about 2 hours and is not very difficult.
It is true, there are many stairs to climb, but once you reach the top the view is amazing! Worth the effort!
The descending is also very steep with many stairs, but overall is one of the best hikes from the area!
Bring water with you as you need to stay hydrated all the way!
2. Walk to Vernazza
One of the most interesting Cinque Terre things to do is to walk around Vernazza town!
It is a small and charming town with narrow and paved streets, the favourite spot for many tourists.
The colourful houses, the small sandy beach, the piazza with coffee shops and restaurants and the tiny boats from the harbour makes this town an idyllic place!
3. Watch the sunset in Riomaggiore
Watching a sunset in Cinque Terre is something you must do when visiting this area.
It is one of the most romantic and beautiful things from the whole trip.
Seeing the sun setting and the village dressed in amazing colours is something indeed unique!
If you want to get some really good shots with the village and the sun setting at the same time then go on a little square located on your way to the ferry or to the rocky beach!
4. Visit the churches from Corniglia
Corniglia is one of the 5 villages from Cinque Terre and is the only one without sea access. It is located high up on the cliffs and is the smallest from all 5.
All the villages from the region have a patron saint and some very beautiful churches. But the churches from Corniglia have something unique.
Let’s take from example St Peter’s Church. This monument was built in 1334 on an existing building
. You will easily notice the Baroque, Ligurian and Gothic elements of the construction.
It is an architectural masterpiece which should be on your Cinque Terre things to do list.
5. Climb the tower at Doria Castle
Located on top of a hill overlooking the sea on one side and the small town of Corniglia on the other side, Doria castle is a top attraction in the area.
The castle was built in the XI century and is one of the best observation points in the area.
To get to the castle you need to go to the centre of Corniglia and from there follow some narrow and beautiful streets up to the stairs which lead you to the fortress.
For about 3 euro’s you can visit the fortress, which is open daily from 9 to 5.
6. Take a boat tour
I’ve always thought that you have different perspectives over a place when visiting it from the sea than from the land.
And it looks like I am right! Things are the same with Cinque Terre province.
It is wonderful to hike and walk along with the small towns and the steep cliffs but when you see it from the sea you’ll get a completely different perspective!
You will easily understand why this place is considered one of the most beautiful provinces in Italy!
The colourful houses climbed on steep cliffs, the small beaches and the lush vegetation from around makes an incredible picture and you just can’t get enough of it!
My recommendation and one of the best Cinque Terre things to do is to take a boat tour at sunset!
The light show over the villages is amazing! Cinque Terre Sunset Boat Tour leaves from Monterosso up to Riomaggiore and Punta Montenero. It is a 3 hours tour with Italian “aperitivo” and drinks included, and for those looking for some activities, you will find onboard snorkelling masks.
Cinque Terre Sunset Boat Tour
7. Try the local wine and seafood
Last but not least when in Cinque Terre try the local food and wine! It is absolutely amazing! Italian food is tasty and great and besides the traditional Italian food, you will find here seafood!
I mean really fresh seafood fished from the sea in the morning! You definitely should try some squid ink pasta, anchovies or simply some seafood pasta.
Such tasty food should be accompanied by great local wine! Many restaurants wine by the carafe bought directly from local wineries.
Sciacchetrà is the Cinque Terre wine.
It is more a dessert wine with 18% alcohol.
Now that you know which are the best Cinque Terre things to do, let me tell you where to sleep:
1.Hotel Al Terra Di Mare Cnque Terre is located in Manarola, the first of the 5 towns from the area. The rooms are spacious and clean overlooking the valley or the sea.
2. Alla Marina Affittacamere Riomagiore is a beautiful hotel from Riomaggiore town. The hotel is located in an old building completely refurbished in 2011, just 4 minutes walk from the train station.
Book your accommodation
We always use Booking.com as they have the best price-quality ratio and they offer a wide range of hotels, guesthouses, apartments, and villas to choose from.
You will find here all types of accommodations, from the cheapest ones to the most luxurious.
Don't forget travel insurance
We never leave home without HeyMondo Insurance or Safety Wings Insurance as they offer the best services and a good value for money.
When we go for longer trips around the world we get Globelink Insurance as it offers a good cover for an affordable price.
Travel insurance will always protect you against unexpected costs caused by medical events like illness, injury, theft, or travel cancellation.
We never go on any trip without travel insurance and there were many cases when we had to use it.
Renting a car
We like to explore a country on our own and a car gives us the mobility and freedom to do that.
We always rent our car from Discovercars as they have free cancellation 48 hours prior to starting date and a wide range of car rental companies and options to choose from all over the world.
Tours and attractions
When we are looking for some adventure or we simply want to break up the monotony and discover new places, we always use GetYourGuide.
We love it because we always find the most amazing experiences, with free cancellation and a large variety of activities and tours to choose from.
Airplane tickets and holiday packages
Expedia is our ally when searching for the best price for airplane tickets as it works as an aggregator for a huge number of airlines and we always find the best price for our flights.
Travel tip: use Expedia when you are searching for holiday packages as they have many last-minute offers and great discounts for hotels, flights, and even the whole holiday packages.