The Cinque Terre is not a single destination but five distinct villages connected by coastal trails, railway tunnels, and ferry routes. Most visitors spend their time hiking between villages, swimming off rocky outcrops, and eating seafood with a sea view. This guide covers the best activities across all five villages, from the classic Sentiero Azzurro trail to lesser-known detours that reward the effort with empty viewpoints.
See also our Cinque Terre weather by month for more trip planning information.
See also our best time to visit Cinque Terre for more trip planning information.
See also our Cinque Terre events and festivals for more trip planning information.
See also our Cinque Terre neighborhoods guide for more trip planning information.
See also our where to stay in Cinque Terre for more trip planning information.
See also our Cinque Terre travel tips for more trip planning information.
Things to Do in Cinque Terre: Hiking the Coastal Trails
Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail)
The Sentiero Azzurro, or Trail SVA, is the most famous coastal path in Italy. It connects Riomaggiore to Monterosso in four segments totalling roughly 12km. As of 2026, the status is: the Via dell Amore segment (Riomaggiore to Manarola, 1km, easiest) reopened in July 2024 after a 12-year closure and now requires a timed entry ticket costing 10 euros. The Manarola to Corniglia segment (2.8km, moderate) is open. The Corniglia to Vernazza segment (3.5km, moderate to difficult) is open with steep sections and panoramic sea views. The Vernazza to Monterosso segment (3.2km, moderate to difficult) is the most challenging and rewarding, with vineyard terraces and sweeping coastal views. A Cinque Terre Card, costing 18.20 euros for one day or 33 euros for two days, covers trail access and unlimited train travel between La Spezia and Levanto. Buy it at any village train station or the Park Information offices in Riomaggiore and Monterosso.
Alternative Hiking Trails
When the coastal trail is packed or partially closed, use the higher sentiero network. Trail 509 from Volastra to Corniglia passes through terraced vineyards 350 metres above the sea with views across all five villages on clear days. The hike from Monterosso to Levanto (Trail 509/1, 6km, moderate) follows the coastal ridge and ends at Levanto long sandy beach, a fine reward after a 2.5-hour walk. The Santuario trails, which climb from each village to its hilltop sanctuary, offer steep but rewarding half-day walks: the Monterosso to Soviore sanctuary climb gains 450 metres in 2km and passes through holm oak forest with glimpses of the sea between the trees.
Things to Do in Cinque Terre: Swimming and Beaches
Monterosso al Mare Beach
Monterosso has the only proper sandy beach in the Cinque Terre, a 500-metre stretch of coarse sand and pebbles divided into paid lido sections (15 to 25 euros for two sunbeds and an umbrella) and a free public section at the eastern end. The water is clean and shallow for the first 20 metres, making it the best village for families with young children. Showers, changing cabins, and beachfront bars are available from May through September. Arrive by 9:00 AM in July and August to claim a spot on the free section.
Vernazza Harbour Swimming
Vernazza has no beach but offers one of the most dramatic swimming spots in Italy: the small natural harbour on the western side of the village. You enter the water from the rocks below the castle or from the slipway next to the piazza. The water is deep, clear, and refreshing, with the pastel-coloured houses of Vernazza rising directly above you. Swim out 50 metres for a view back at the village that fills Instagram feeds. Afternoon sun warms the harbour until about 4:00 PM, when the cliffs cast shade. The rocks can be slippery; water shoes help.
Rocky Swimming at Manarola and Riomaggiore
Manarola swimming spot is the rocky inlet on the northern side of the marina, where locals and visitors jump off the dark rocks into deep, clear water. There is a small boat ramp and ladder for getting out. At Riomaggiore, the rocky waterfront below the Castello on the southern side of the village is a popular swimming and sunbathing area with a boat ramp. Both spots are free and get afternoon sun, but neither has sand or facilities beyond the village itself.
Things to Do in Cinque Terre: Village Hopping
Riomaggiore: The Southern Gateway
Riomaggiore, the southernmost village, climbs a steep valley in stacked pastel houses painted in the traditional Genoese palette of ochre, terracotta, and pale yellow. Walk up Via Colombo for views down the main street to the sea, then climb to the Castello di Riomaggiore, a 13th-century fortress with a terrace overlooking the harbour. Entry costs 1.50 euros. The rocky waterfront below the castle is a local swimming and sunbathing spot. Riomaggiore has the most working fishing fleet of the five villages, and you can watch boats being hauled up the slipway in the late afternoon. The Enoteca Internazionale wine shop on Via Colombo stocks local Sciacchetra dessert wine and Cinque Terre DOC white, with free tastings.
Manarola: The Iconic Viewpoint
Manarola is the postcard image of the Cinque Terre: a cluster of rainbow-coloured tower houses cascading down a dark rocky promontory into the sea. The classic photo is taken from the Punta Bonfiglio headland on the northern side of the village, reached by a 10-minute walk up a paved path past the marina. At sunset, the houses glow pink and orange. Nessun Dorma, the canteen-style bar perched above the village, serves Ligurian snacks and Aperol spritzes with the iconic view; download their app to join the virtual queue, as wait times can exceed an hour at sunset. The Manarola presepio, illuminated from December 8 through January, uses hundreds of figures across the hillside.
Corniglia: The Clifftop Village
Corniglia is the only Cinque Terre village without direct sea access, sitting 100 metres above the water on a rocky promontory. The 382-step Lardarina staircase connects the train station to the village; alternatively, a shuttle bus runs every 15 to 20 minutes (included with the Cinque Terre Card, 2.50 euros otherwise) from the station car park. Corniglia is the quietest of the five, with narrower lanes and fewer day-trippers. The terrace at Santa Maria Belvedere, behind the church, gives a panoramic view west toward Manarola and east toward Vernazza. Gelateria Alberto, on the main street Via Fieschi, serves basil gelato made with local basil, alongside more conventional flavours.
Vernazza: The Harbour Village
Vernazza curves around a natural harbour with a small piazza opening directly onto the water. The Doria Castle, a cylindrical stone tower on the headland, costs 2 euros to climb and gives the best overhead view of the village distinctive waterfront. Vernazza has the most vibrant evening scene of the five villages: the piazza fills with diners at sunset, and the waterfront restaurants serve trofie al pesto and fresh anchovies until late. Climb the narrow stepped alley behind the church for a view looking down onto the piazza, the harbour, and the sea beyond. The small sandy beach next to the harbour is usable but crowded in summer; the better swimming is from the rocks on the northern side of the castle headland.
Monterosso al Mare: The Resort Village
Monterosso is the largest and most resort-like of the five villages, split into two sections: the historic old town (Centro Storico) on the eastern side of the San Cristoforo headland and the newer Fegina district with the beach to the west. The old town contains the most substantial historic architecture in the Cinque Terre, including the striped marble Church of San Giovanni Battista (1307) and the Oratorio della Confraternita dei Neri with its macabre painted skeletons. A pedestrian tunnel through the headland connects old town to Fegina in a 3-minute walk. At the western end of Fegina beach stands Il Gigante, a concrete statue of Neptune built in 1910 and partially destroyed by storms in 1966, now a landmark for sunset photos.
Things to Do in Cinque Terre: Boat Tours and Kayaking
Coastal Ferry Service
The Cinque Terre ferry service, operated by Navigazione Golfo dei Poeti, runs daily from late March through October, connecting La Spezia, Portovenere, and all five villages (except Corniglia, which has no landing stage). A day pass costs 35 euros for adults (2025 pricing) and allows hop-on hop-off travel. The ferry gives the definitive sea-level view of the villages, and the 20-minute stretch between Riomaggiore and Monterosso shows every cove, vineyard terrace, and pastel facade from the water. Ferries run roughly every hour from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM in high season but are cancelled in rough sea conditions.
Sea Kayaking the Cinque Terre
Kayak tours launch from Monterosso beach and typically cover the coast to Vernazza and back in 3 hours (40 to 50 euros per person, including guide and equipment). Paddling into Vernazza harbour from the sea, with the village opening up in front of you, is a different experience from the train or trail. Operators include Cinque Terre Kayak (based at the Monterosso beachfront) and Outdoor Portofino, which also runs tours from Levanto. Morning tours (8:30 AM start) catch calmer sea conditions before the afternoon breeze picks up. No prior kayaking experience is needed for the standard tour.
