Visiting Cinque Terre in One Day: Itinerary & Travel Guide
Taking a day trip to the Cinque Terre is a great way to experience a bit of each village. You can see all five towns, enjoy a swim in the sea, take a boat tour, and experience one of Italy’s most beautiful regions.
You can absolutely visit all of the Cinque Terre in just one day, especially if you’re staying nearby or in one of the villages.
The villages are small and easy to explore in a short amount of time, trains quickly take you between each village, and you can book tours that will organize your itinerary for you to get the most out of your Cinque Terre day trip.
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What Are the Cinque Terre?
The Cinque Terre (pronounced in Italian: cheen-kway tare-aye) translates literally to “five lands” in English.
These “five lands” are five fishing villages on the west coast of Italy in the Liguria Region. They became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997 and a national park in 1999.
The Cinque Terre villages are considered to be some of the most colorful places in the world! Although the villages are all known for their colorful buildings on the coast as a whole, each one has its own personality.
Monterosso Al Mare
The best beaches in Cinque Terre are in Monterosso. It’s famous for its long coastline with sandy beaches and turquoise waters.
Many people sell prints of this incredible view and it’s easy to see why — it’s stunning! We were on a short timeline and skipped hanging out at the beach, but I’m happy we got to see this beautiful spot and walk up and down the boardwalk..
Monterosso is the largest of the Cinque Terre and has a lot more to explore than just the coastline, though the sandy beach is the star of the town since it’s the only one in the Cinque Terre.
Monterosso Al Mare
Corniglia
Corniglia is the only town we didn’t make it to on our trip and also the only town that isn’t at sea level like the others — it’s up on a cliff! We got great views of this town from the water during our boat trip.
Since it isn’t right at the seaside, fewer tourists visit it, so you’ll likely get a more authentic experience with smaller crowds.
Corniglia
Vernazza
Voted one of the most beautiful villages in all of Italy, Vernazza might be the most picturesque of all the Cinque Terre.
By the time we arrived in Vernazza, we were running out of time to get back to Riomaggiore for our boat ride, so we regrettably did not get to spend much time here. Luckily we got amazing views of it from the boat!
A hiking trail called Blue Trail connects to Corniglia in the north and Manarola in the south. From this trail, you can get some elevated views of this beautiful town without having to walk too far.
If you have time and want to swim, Vernazza has a long concrete dock that is a popular spot to lay out a towel, hang out, and jump into the sea.
Vernazza
Manarola
The village of Manarola is lovely and has a small piazza above the main street, where you can watch people as they head down to the seaside. The piazza leads down to the main street where you can walk between the lovely buildings towards the sea with everyone else.
There are tons of small shops and many restaurants serving fresh seafood along the street (we could smell them as we walked by!).
Every single town in Cinque Terre is photo-worthy, and Manarola is no exception. It was packed with people by 10am when we arrived and was getting more crowded by the minute.
Manarola
Riomaggiore
The southernmost town of the Cinque Terre is Riomaggiore. It’s one of the more popular towns due to the picturesque views of the colorful buildings by the water.
It has lovely views of the colorful buildings that the Cinque Terre are known for, as well as boat tours, kayak rentals, a swimming hole, and a cute town.
I didn’t know until after we visited that Riomaggiore is considered one of the most romantic villages in the Cinque Terre, which makes sense! It has a very romantic atmosphere.
Riomaggiore
How to Get Between The Cinque Terre
There are a few ways to get between the villages. The option you choose depends on how much walking you’re up for.
Train
The best and easiest way to travel between each town is the train. The ride is just 5-10 minutes between each village. You can purchase a Cinque Terre Train Pass for the day that allows unlimited rides between the towns.
Hike
If you are fit and enjoy hiking, there are hiking trails between the towns. These are not easy trails and are not flat — you’re essentially hiking through the mountains with elevation gain and no shade in many areas.
While many non-hikers can and do walk these trails, be prepared for some difficult hiking. Ensure you are wearing proper attire, bring plenty of water, wear sun protection, and start early!
Drive
You can drive between the villages, but parking is scarce and you will likely walk much more than if you took the train.
I do not recommend driving, except if you’re coming from an area outside of the Cinque Terre villages like we did. In that case, arrive before 8am to get a parking spot in whichever first village you visit — Riomaggiore is ideal if you’re coming from the south and Monterosso is ideal if you’re coming from the north.
How to Buy Cinque Terre Train Tickets/Passes
On the Trenitalia App
Open the Trenitalia app.
Tap the menu icon in the top-left corner.
Select Services.
Scroll down and select 5 Terre Card.
Choose your ticket type, date, and number of tickets.
Carta 5 Terre AD: For adults under 70 years old. Choose for 1 or 2 days (GG).
Carta 5 Terre RG: For children between 4 and 12 years old. Choose for 1 or 2 days (GG).
Carta 5 Terre Over 70: For adults over 70 years old. Choose the ticket for 1, 2, or 3 days (GG).
Carta 5 Terre Famiglia: For families with two adults and one or more children, choose the for 1, 2, or 3 days.
Accept the terms.
Tap Purchase.
From here, follow the instructions to enter passenger details and payment information.
On the Trenitalia Website
Visit the Trenitalia home page.
Click on Advanced Search above the search bar and select either of the options (Note: neither of these are the options for Cinque Terre, it just gets you to the Advanced Search page <- this link should also take you directly to the page).
Select the Offers and Regional Services tab.
Click the Multiservice Cards button.
Choose your ticket type, enter the date, and choose the number of tickets.
You will have the same options for ticket type as listed in the app instructions above.
Follow the instructions to enter passenger details and payment information.
Tips for Visiting The Cinque Terre
You can visit the Cinque Terre in one day without a ton of planning, but a bit of research ahead of time will make your day trip much smoother.
I learned a few things during our day trip to Cinque Terre that I hope will make your trip easier!
Get There Early
The towns are popular and get incredibly crowded by 10am. Despite each of the Cinque Terre being tiny, quaint towns, thousands of people pour through them every day.
July and August are peak times, but even in September the crowds get unbearable by 11am. The earlier you can get out and start exploring, the more enjoyable the experience will be as the crowds won’t be out yet.
We got there by 8am, and even by 9am it was starting to get busy as the trains and ferries brought people into the towns by the hundreds.
Buy a Cinque Terre Train Pass
Even if you plan to hike, a train pass is great to have for quick and unlimited transportation between the Cinque Terre villages. The train pass can be purchased on the Trenitalia app, on the Trenitalia website, or at a station.
We could not figure out how to buy the pass at the self-service stations and neither could anyone else — it took each person a long time at the self-service station and it seemed they were only able to get individual train tickets, not the day pass that allows multiple train rides.
If you plan to buy at the station, go inside and purchase it from an employee (unless you know how to purchase from the machines).
We purchased our tickets on the Dell’Amour website since we also bought the tickets to walk the Dell’Amour walkway. If this is closed, it’s simple to purchase the pass on the Trenitalia app.
Bring a Day Pack
Pack a backpack with everything you will need for the day, including a swimsuit, lightweight towel, sunscreen, snacks, etc.
There are opportunities to swim in the sea and if you want to swim, a swimsuit is a must! I also always bring a Turkish Towel since they’re lightweight and plenty absorbent.
It gets hot and there isn’t much shade in the towns, so sunscreen and a hat are great to have for sun protection.
Pickpockets can be an issue in areas where crowds are dense and slow. I traveled with my anti-theft backpack where the zipper is on the back and it worked perfectly! I brought this backpack everywhere and traveled with it daily in Italy without any issues.
Make Reservations for Lunch/Dinner
The restaurants are not able to accommodate the sheer number of people who visit the Cinque Terre. Unless you have a reservation, certain towns will not have any availability for walk-ins.
We were able to get a table in Monterosso at Lapo’S3 Restaurant, where we got some pizza and drinks. It’s possible we just got lucky with finding a table (there were four of us), but there may also just be some restaurants that have more space than others.
The restaurants close seasonally, so many may be closed if you visit outside of April-October.
Take a Boat Tour From Riomaggiore
This is my best tip. We had an incredible boat tour in the late afternoon and found it to be the nicest way to explore the Cinque Terre.
I cover more details about this boat trip and who we booked it through further down in this post!
Cinque Terre Day Trip Itinerary
Visiting all the Cinque Terre villages is a fun day trip packed full of exploring, swimming (optional), and enjoying these gorgeous little towns.
You can start from any town, but I recommend either starting at Riomaggiore (the southernmost town) or Monterosso Al Mare (the northernmost town). This will make it easier to see all five villages without too much back-and-forth travel.
Start in Riomaggiore
You can either drive or take the train to get to Riomaggiore. If you’re staying in one of the Cinque Terre, you may prefer to start your day in the town you are staying in to make it easier!
We drove from Lerici, which is where we stayed and where I highly recommend staying to avoid the crowds in Cinque Terre during your trip. I recommend arriving in Riomaggiore before 8am for the best experience.
From there, the drive is about 45 minutes to Riomaggiore and you can park in a paid parking lot just up the hill from the main area of town. It’s a max of $35 for the whole day and we parked there for 12 hours, but you can park even longer if needed!
Riomaggiore is most famous as a sunset spot, so early morning was less crowded and still made for incredible views and photos! You can grab water bottles, coffee, and something to eat at one of the restaurants or shops in this area before continuing to the next town.
Walk to Manarola
For a limited time, the Via dell’Amore Trail opened to walk from Riomaggiore to Manarola, the next town north. You must get timed tickets — something they were testing out when we visited.
This trail suffered damage and was closed in 2012 for major restoration. When we visited, it was only temporarily opened for the first time since then but has since been damaged again by a small landslide. You can visit their website to keep up to date with when the trail is opened/closed.
If this walking trail is not open, then you can take the train to Manarola instead.
Manarola is a lovely town and I loved the small piazza above the street. It was a nice place to stop when we first got into town and take in all the views of the town from a higher vantage point. It’s a nice spot for a quick photo as well!
As you walk through town, you’ll pass by stores, restaurants, and other shops.
We stopped at a fully gluten-free gelato shop called Gelateria Cinque Terre where my mom and sister got some delicious gluten-free crepes. They also have lactose-free ice cream and some vegan ice cream.
After exploring Manarola, hop on the train to Monterosso!
Take the Train to Monterosso
Monterosso is one of the most popular towns because of the gorgeous beach here.
It’s a famous spot for photographers and beachgoers alike due to the picturesque coastline lined with colorful umbrellas and a magnificent rock jutting out of the sea close to shore.
As I mentioned earlier, this view is often sold as prints and may look familiar!
I recommend making this your third stop after Manarola so you can get here early and avoid as many crowds as you can. If you want, you could visit this first before Manarola, depending on your priorities.
There’s a long walking path above the beach with shops, restaurants, and the best views. This is a good area to stop for lunch if the timing is right for you! The pavement along the esplanade gives off quite a lot of heat, so it’s best to get here before it’s hot out if you’re visiting in summer.
If you want to enjoy a beach while visiting Cinque Terre, the best one (and only sandy one) is in Monterosso! Enjoy a few hours at a beach chair for a fee or just on the sand and cool off in the sea.
Don’t forget a Turkish towel and a wet bag for your swimsuit if you plan to swim.
Monterosso to Corniglia
Corniglia was the one town we didn’t have time to visit, but it is the nearest town to the south and your next stop if you plan to visit all five towns from south to north.
The train ride from Monterosso to Corniglia is just about 7 minutes — a quick ride on the regional train.
Since it is on a cliff instead of at the seaside, there are 382 stairs you will need to walk up to reach the town. We overheard a tour guide telling her group about these stairs and the bus you can take. The line for the bus can be long and it should only be used for people who are physically incapable of walking up the stairs.
Being the smallest and most difficult to access of the Cinque Terre villages, it is unsurprisingly the least visited. I regret not having time to visit Corniglia, as I would have loved to have a more authentic experience.
Corniglia to Vernazza
After a stop in Corniglia, hop on the train again and head to Vernazza. This town is similar to the others with colorful buildings and a lovely downtown.
If you want some of the best views and don’t mind a walk, there’s a hiking path called the Blue Trail where you can take in the whole picturesque town. This is a popular spot to view Vernazza from and a common view you’ll see in many photos and artwork!
There’s a jetty that fills up with people lounging in the sun and hopping in and out of the sea. It’s a great spot to swim if you want to take a dip.
Back to Riomaggiore
Once again, take the train from Vernazza to Riomaggiore where you started.
We made a mad dash to our car to grab anything we needed for the next activity (a boat ride!) and then headed down to the small harbor to check-in. If you have some extra time, there are nearby shops you can pop into to grab some snacks or drinks if needed.
Being on Italian time, we planned to have dinner around 8pm when we got back to Lerici so we didn't have dinner in any Cinque Terre villages.
Boat Tour from Riomaggiore
The absolute best way to view the Cinque Terre is by boat! You avoid all the people, get to see a view that is impossible to see from land, and jump off a boat into the sea (if you want to!).
We booked a boat tour with Cinque Terre Dal Mare via WhatsApp the day before we wanted to take the tour. It was a somewhat last-minute decision and thankfully they had availability, but I highly recommend booking further ahead if you can — especially if you’re visiting in July/August.
They have a range of different tours, including group tours during the day and at sunset. Since we were a group of seven, we booked a private tour where we could pick the time and duration. Plus, it gave us more flexibility to stop when we wanted to get out and swim!
It was €200/hour before 6pm and €300/hour after 6pm. We did a 3-hour tour from 2-6pm for a total of €600 split between 8 of us, which was perfect. A sunset tour would be amazing as well if the weather is nice.
They provide a cooler with water bottles and a bottle of wine, but you can also bring any food or drinks that you want! We brought even more water bottles and some beers.
Our boat captain was great and local to the area. He graciously answered all the questions we bombarded him with about Cinque Terre, Italian culture, his thoughts on other countries he’s visited, etc.
He was happy to stop any time we wanted to hop out and swim (or pee 😄) and ensured we had a great time. Thanks Filippo!
Where To Stay in Cinque Terre
We debated whether or not to stay in one of the Cinque Terre villages, but ultimately decided not to and it was the best decision!
Instead, we stayed in the nearby town of Lerici in the Bay of Poets. This town is typically visited by other Italians and not many other tourists outside of Italy. It was quiet, gorgeous, and one of my favorite towns we visited.
Europa Grand Hotel was also my favorite stay of the whole trip! The included morning breakfast is unlike any I have ever seen, with sweet pastries, yogurt parfaits, typical savory breakfast items, cookies, desserts, and freshly made-to-order coffee (I got a cappuccino each morning).
Lerici is about a 45-minute drive from Riomaggiore and makes for an easy day trip to see the Cinque Terre villages. We loved exploring Lerici and enjoyed slower days there, especially after the crowded day trip to Cinque Terre!
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