Cinque Terre: “Five Lands. Trip to Cinque Terre, Italy How to get to Cinque Terre from Rome

14.02.202427.05.2017

Famous national park in Italy. It is located in the province of La Spezia, administrative region of Liguria. UNESCO included the park on the World Heritage List in 1997.

The Cinque Terre region (Italy) is located five kilometers from the city of La Spezia. It consists of five fishing villages - Monterosso, Corniglia, Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza. In all of these localities, cars are prohibited, except for Monterosso, where traffic is limited.

This is atypical for there are no monotonous hotels and numerous restaurants and cafes. Italians themselves and lovers of a quiet and relaxing holiday from all over the world come to Cinque Terre. Italy never ceases to amaze with its amazing holiday destinations. This piece of paradise is proof of this.

National Park

Fishing villages in these places appeared in the 11th century. The most beautiful of them is the village of Vernazza, which has only 1,000 inhabitants. All the houses in it are one-story. This gives it a unique flavor.

The second village - Manarola - is even smaller. It is inhabited by 450 inhabitants. It became famous for its amazing tower houses. The image of the village became the “face” of the Cinque Terre. Italy carefully preserves unique architectural monuments that have been preserved in this place since the Middle Ages.

The tiniest village in the region is Corniglia, where only 245 people live. It is located on the rocks, at an altitude of eighty meters above sea level. Naturally, there is no beach in the village, but you can easily get to it if you go down 337 steps. Corniglia has picturesque nature that attracts tourists here.

Monterosso, the only one of the five villages, allows limited traffic. 1500 people live here. This place is famous for its magnificent beaches.

The largest village in the region is Riomaggiore. It is inhabited by 1,750 inhabitants. Everyone who wants to see the Cinque Terre comes here first. A map of Italy shows that it is from here that it is most convenient to start traveling to other villages.

How to get to Cinque Terre

From Genoa, all local trains stop in the villages of Cinque Terre (Italy). How to get from one village to another? Either by train or on the “green bus”, that is, on However, the most pleasant thing to do here is to take a walk. The longest journey through these picturesque places from one village to another will not take more than 2 hours.

What to see in the Cinque Terre

The villages are connected by paths of extraordinary beauty. Some of them are simple and completely flat, others are complex, rising high into the mountains. Anyone who climbed them will never forget the stunning panoramic views of the Liturgical Coast and the coastal landscape. The most difficult trail to climb is 40 km long; tourists overcome it in about 12 hours. The easiest is the Azure Trail. Traveling along it, you can walk around all the villages in this area in five hours.

The most popular attraction that everyone who comes to Cinque Terre (Italy) strives to see, a photo of which you see in this article, is the Path of Love. It connects Manarola and Riomaggiore. This trail, the length of which does not exceed two kilometers, is covered with a beautiful legend of love. In the middle of the path you will see a monument to lovers who died because of the hatred of the inhabitants of two villages and remained together forever.

In Riomangiora, tourists can see the ruins of a castle, which was built to protect the village residents from Saracen raids. It's a pity, but nowadays you can only see two towers.

Monterosso

There is a lot of interesting things in this village. This, of course, is a monument to Neptune, who sits on a rock and holds a huge shell on his shoulders - once there was a dance floor, but during the war the area was damaged by bombing, and later storms took their toll. Tourists who have visited the Cinque Terre leave admiring reviews. This majestic statue still impresses visitors to the Cinque Terre.

The second attraction of the village is the Aurora Tower, which has been preserved from a fortress built in the Middle Ages. The tower is located on the border of the new and old city. From here you can observe the ruins of the castle and the panorama of the sea. Nearby is the Church of St. Francis and the Capuchin Monastery. Here you can see many unique paintings of religious themes by famous Italian masters.

Wine Museum

In Manarola, those interested can visit the museum, which is located in the birthplace of white wines. It was created as a monument to chaquetre - an exquisite wine made from amber grapes grown on terraces that overhang the sea. Here you can trace the history of the production of this wine, buy a bottle, and take part in a tasting. Nearby there are wine cellars where tastings of the best wines produced in the Cinque Terre are held. Italy is famous for its wines, but in these places they are special.

Beaches

The coast in these places is steep and rocky. Therefore, the beaches here are pebbly, with the exception of Monterosso, where the beaches are sandy. Not far from Corniglia is located which can be reached through an abandoned railway tunnel.

Cinque Terre hotels

In such a small area there are quite a lot of hotels - these are inexpensive and cozy hotels and luxury apartments designed for the most discerning guests. Many of them are located in ancient castles and houses built on the coast itself. You can admire magnificent views from the terraces and balconies.

Cinque Terre is a national park in Italy, which includes 5 small settlements on the coast of the Gulf of Genoa in the province of La Spezia.

The Cinque Terre includes 5 fabulous cities: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso. 5 truly the most beautiful and romantic cities on the planet.

Where is the best place to stay in the Cinque Terre and what to see...

How to get to the Cinque Terre.

The nearest large cities from which you can easily reach the province of La Spezia are Genoa, Florence, Milan, Verona. There are flights from Russia to the cities of Milan and Verona. From Verona only 3 hours by car.

Where to stay in the Cinque Terre.

Despite the fact that all these cities are located on the coast, not all are equipped for a beach holiday. It is best to stay in Monterosso or even Livorno. In Livorno there is a paid beach with umbrellas and sun loungers, as well as a free beach with small pebbles right next to it, for those who are not willing to pay 35 euros.

You can also rent an apartment through

If you come to Livorno by car, pay attention to the availability of parking at the hotel or the opportunity to leave your car for a couple of days, since you definitely won’t need it here.

Inside the settlements, except for Monterosso, car traffic is prohibited, and in Monterosso it is extremely limited. Therefore, you can travel between these cities on foot (for desperate tourists), or for everyone else there is a train. Travel time from one town to another is 5-7 minutes.

What to see in the Cinque Terre.

We depart from Levante station to the first town along the way, Monterosso.

Monterosso is one of the largest cities of the “five lands”. Home to 1.5 thousand people. In addition, it has a fairly large beach.

Everyone earns their sausage for pasta as best they can.

Statue of Francis of Assisi in front of the Capuchin monastery.

The charm of the streets of old Italian towns, practically untouched by modern civilization.

Pay attention to the door elements.

The local population is predominantly of retirement age.

Unfortunately, the weather is not conducive to sunbathing and water bathing. There is practically no one on the beach.

A couple of hours is enough to walk around Monterosso and move on to Vernazza.

Part of the station platform is located in a small tunnel. If you are waiting for a train there, you must stand in special passages, otherwise there is a risk of getting run over by the wheels with the flow of incoming air.

Vernazza is simply wonderful.

Together with Manarola, these are two of the most beautiful cities of the Cinque Terre.

One of the main activities of the residents is fishing. Very early in the morning a fish market is held on the embankment. And during the day you can try the freshest seafood in one of the local restaurants. Pasta Frutti di mare mmmmmmm.

You can also fish from the shore during the day.

An interesting solution for the entrance of the first and second floors.

Waiter at a family restaurant.

For lovers of hiking, you can return back to Monterosso.

Vernazza is so beautiful that you should definitely return here at sunset. In the evening it is even more beautiful.

The central town of Corniglia. Unfortunately, I stayed for the next trip, because due to heavy rain we spent almost half the day in a cafe. And as soon as the clouds parted slightly, they immediately rushed to Riomaggiore.
And as soon as we left the station, it started happening again. All that remained was to catch the lightning.

The three days allotted to the Cinque Terre were quickly coming to an end. We leave Riomaggiore and Corniglia for next time and go to Manarola.

A beautiful place must have a beautiful legend.

A long time ago, during a great drought, the residents of Manarola and Riomaggiore had to use one stream, which flowed near the neighboring village of Riomaggiore. So, day and night, the boys and girls of Manarola went to the stream with jugs, but often received severe rebuff... Once a guy from Manarola went to the stream to fill a jug with water and saw a young girl from Riomaggiore there. The young people fell passionately in love with each other and began to meet secretly.

The girl's brothers found out about her sister's secret meetings and locked her in the house, but the girl was able to escape and ran to meet her lover, and in the meantime he was running towards her.

In the middle of the road they met and embraced each other, but fate played a cruel joke on them. They accidentally slipped and fell from the cliff, and by morning the lifeless body of a young Riomaggiorean washed up on the shores of Manorola. The body of a young man from Manarol was found off the coast of Riomaggiore.

The residents of both villages were ashamed of their enmity and decided to live in friendship, and the path on which the young couple secretly met was called “The Road of Love.”

Of course, in such a romantic place you can’t do without hanging locks.

Cinque Terre is a national park in Italy. Cinque Terre translates to “five lands”. The park unites five small ancient cities located between the sea and the cliffs: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare, home to about 4,000 inhabitants.

In the 11th century, during the time of the great Romans, according to historical facts, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare (they also say simply “Monterosso”) appeared, and only then the other three villages.

The settlements developed, then fell into decline, but in the 19th century a rise began due to the construction of a railway line from Genoa.
If you look at the map, you can find Cinque Terre in northwestern Italy, in the Liguria region, in the region of La Spezia.

Location of Cinque Terre on the map of Italy

Nowadays the Cinque Terre park is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

How to get to the Cinque Terre, this most interesting corner of Italy?

The first step is to arrive, of course, in Italy.

Then, in, which is a transit point on the way to the Cinque Terre, this can be done both from Genoa, Milan, Florence, and from any major city.

It is from here, from La Spezia, that there are several options and ways to get to the Cinque Terre National Park:

By car. If tourists wishing to visit the national park come by car, they leave the car in the parking lot in La Spezia. Then, using another means of transport, you can get to any of the five towns of Cinque Terre. The fact is that car traffic in the Five Lands is prohibited. Rail, local "green" buses and water boats are allowed. Only in Monterosso are some categories of citizens partially allowed to drive;
By suburban train. The most affordable and most convenient option is to come to Cinque Terre by local train. Each city has a stop at the central station. Communication between the towns themselves is also possible by train. The price of the trip varies from 4.00 to 16.00 euros.
As of July 1, 2016, a convenient transport card system has been introduced for all five cities, which are offered to guests staying one or more days in the Cinque Terre.

Train 2 days for adults 26.00 instead of 29.00 euros; train 3 days for adults 35.00 instead of 41.00 euros;
By sea. The second option is a ferry or boat. Considering that the water side offers incredibly beautiful views that cannot be seen by arriving by train, we can recommend arriving in Cicque Terre at least once this way! The ticket costs a little more than the train, depending on the end point you choose - 7-32 euros.
It is also possible to travel between the cities of the park by boat.

For lovers of hiking, special brochures have been issued that describe in detail the routes of the trails connecting the “Quinque Lands”; they can be purchased at any station or stop in each of the cities of the Cinque Terre.

Towns of the Cinque Terre

Let's tell you a little about each town of the Cinque Terre

Manarola

Manarola is the oldest city of the five. Known for its colorful tower houses on the cliffs.
The facades were painted in bright colors so that captains could see the town from the sea even without a lighthouse.

Manarola is the second city of the Cinque Terre

Main attractions of Manarola:

From Manarola comes the famous "Path of Love", which leads to Riomaggiore.
In the town, during the Christmas holidays, it is organized the largest Nativity scene in the world;
Antique small St Lawrence Church, built in 1338. With a Gothic facade, a rose window in the pediment, decorated with marble lace. An antique bell tower of the 14th century was erected near the church. The whole ensemble against the backdrop of green mountains is conducive to calm contemplation and admiration of antiquity;
In Manarola there is a small rocky beach;
There is an opportunity to visit interesting Italian cuisine courses, in several languages, including Russian.

Where to stay in the oldest town of the Cinque Terre?
The best hotels, according to tourists:

Hotel Marina Piccola— 3-star hotel on Via Renato Birolli, 120;
Da Baranin— apartments on Via A. Rollandi, 29;
Ca' D'Andrean— 3-star hotel at Via Discovolo, 101.

Riomaggiore

The first town from La Spezia is divided into three parts due to a tunnel and a sea pier.

The largest of the five cities.

Here you can see antique church of St. John the Baptist(Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista), which was built in 1340 and painted with frescoes, inside it there is a mechanical organ from 1851. You should also look here Riomaggiore Castle(Italian: Castello di Riomaggiore), a preserved city fortification, the adjacent square offers an amazing panorama of the sea.

Very beautiful church of San Giovanni Battista

This town of Cinque Terre has a small pebble beach.

Where to stay in Riomaggiore:

Hotel Affittacamere Le Giare on Via di Loca, 19017, 500 meters to the train station;
Hotel Locanda Ca Da Iride on Via del Santuario, 162. A small hotel with 6 rooms, there is a bus stop five minutes from the hotel;
Hotel Scorci Di Mare at Via San Giacomo, 82. Luxurious location 3 minutes from the beach, in a 14th century building.

Vernazza

The town is considered the most comfortable of the five.

A large number of local restaurants in a large area in the city center.

Usually Church of St. Margaret of Antioch(Italian: Chiesa della Santa Margherita di Antiochia), tourists really like it. The Gothic style built in 1318, 40 meters high, is popular among tourists.
Belforte Tower and Doria Castle(Italian: Castello Doria) was built in the 11th century for defense purposes, as a security bastion.

The Doria Castle in the vicinity of Vernazza was built in the 13th century, although the first of the towers was founded in the 11th century

Unusual, but many people are interested in visiting cemetery Santuario di Nostra Signora di Reggio.
Vernazza has an excellent sandy beach.

Where to stay in Vernazza:

Villa Accini 3-star hotel on Via Molinelli. 2 minutes to the beach, old family mansion. A few meters from the Monterosso al Mare train station;
Camere Giuliano on Localita Capanna 1. The hotel, the rooms in which are decorated with notes of the Middle Ages, used wood and stone. Delicious food, flowers all around, it’s not for nothing that this small hotel is considered one of the best.

Corniglia

The smallest town in the Cinque Terre. It is located at 100 m above sea level, so if you arrive by train you will have to climb 382 steps.

For people unprepared for such an ascent, there is a city bus.

Here lies the most beautiful Spiaggione beach, with huge rocks where sunbathers love to lie and look at the crystal clear water. There is a nudist beach "Guvano".
Sights to see St. Peter's Church, it was built in 1334, inside you can see statues and a baptismal font.

St. Peter's Church was built in 1334 on the site of an ancient chapel from the 11th century

Also Chapel of St. Catherine, located in the central square of the city. Behind the chapel there is a large terrace with stunning views of the Riviera.
Hotels recommended by travelers:

Guest House Affittacamere Arbasia De Ma on Via Fieschi, 214. Simply stunning views from the windows and balconies of the hotel! 3 minutes to the beach, train station is 10 minutes walk;
Guest house Il Timone 3 stars, on Via Solferino 28. Pets allowed. And again - an amazing view;
There are many in Corniglia apartments and flats, which can be rented.

Monterosso al Mare (Monterosso)

The largest (about 1500 inhabitants) and oldest (1056) of the Cinque Terre settlements.
Worth a look here Church of Saint Giovanni Batista(Italian: Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista), it is located in Piazza don Giovanni Minzoni, next to the sea.

Built in the 13th-14th centuries, in the Gothic style, it has a striped façade.

Next to the Battista Church is Chapel of Mortis et Orationis(Italian: Oratorio della Confraternita dei Neri Mortis et Orationis), the name means “Brotherhood of Death and Prayer”, the facade of the church is the same striped as that of the Church of St. Giovanni Batista.

The Church of San Giovanni Batista was built back in 1340, it is one of the oldest buildings in the Gothic style

Another attraction is the famous Capuchin Monastery on a hill. Built in 1619-1622.
Monterosso has the largest and most beautiful beach, and therefore is the most visited town. In addition, the beach is located very close to the station, which makes the trip to the sea very convenient.
The old town also has a beach, but much smaller.

Evening entertainment is more popular here than in the other four cities.

Monterosso has a huge number of hotels, apartments and apartments that can be rented. Be sure to do this in advance, online.

I would like to especially note some hotels:

Da Vice Rooms, on San Pietro 5, located 200 meters from the beach;
Hotel Zia Letizia Bed And Wine, on Via Buranco 4. From the hotel you can see the rocky coast or the rooftops of houses. The name speaks for itself about the hotel, translated from Italian “Aunt Letizia, bed and wine.”

Cuisine in the Cinque Terre

Typical Cinque Terre cuisine is based on seafood and vegetables grown in remote areas. In ancient times, common dishes were simple vegetable soup, polenta with pesto sauce, anchovies, and octopus. Foods low in fat.

One of the traditional Italian dishes

Modern dishes retain the basic principles of dishes from the past.

The traditional cuisine of the Cinque Terre most often consists of a varied assortment of fish and seafood dishes. Anchovies, sea bass, squid, cuttlefish, and octopus are used in many dishes. A large amount of herbs are added, such as oregano, thyme and marjoram. The use of olive oil is absolutely natural.
Flour products also have their place in local cuisine. Pea flour focaccia looks like a simple flatbread or flatbread, with a filling of cheese, herbs, etc. wrapped in it.

Pizza made from pea flour, with the addition of olive oil, is always baked in a stone oven.

Also in Monterosso you can serve rice cake, which is prepared in honor of the feast of Our Lady of Soviore, August 14th. It is made from puff pastry with the addition of various fillings - from boiled rice and eggs to cheese and mushrooms. Baking with goat cheeses creates crazy smells!
In Corniglia, you simply must try the typical local gelato (ice cream), made exclusively from natural products with the addition of local honey.
We can't help but mention the wine. Vineyards are everywhere in the Cinque Terre, which is why ancient recipes for Sciacchetrà, a sweet golden wine, are very popular all over the world.

Cinque Terre in one day

What if a traveler only has one day to do everything? What's the best way to do it? Buy a one-day tour? Or rush around the cities of Cinque Terre in the hope of visiting every imaginable excursion?
Perhaps you need to plan this “one” day at home, before the trip:

The most convenient way to arrive from La Spezia is by train to Riomaggiore, buy a Cinque Terre Card and start your “fast” journey with tunnel, leading to the city. Walk through those places of the city that are interesting, have lunch at some restaurant to feel the local atmosphere;
To the next city Manarola, you need to travel either by train or walk over the hill along the “Beccara road”.
Although it may seem difficult and time-consuming, what photos can be taken along the way!

In Manarola, you should definitely take a photo in front of the famous houses with colorful facades hanging over the sea. Well, if your stay falls during the Christmas holidays, then of course, see the largest Nativity scene in the world;
The next stage is traveling by train or walking along the “Azure Trail” to Corniglio. But with the trail closed until 2018, the only option left is the train. Corniglia, as already mentioned, is the highest town in the park. You will have to climb the steps or get to the center by bus. Eat local honey ice cream, go to Church of St. Peter, buy or just look at amazing souvenirs in the Mg5terre store;
Another train. Corniglia – Vernazza(the journey is only 3-5 minutes). There is a beautiful pier, many restaurants near the sea, in the central square. For beach lovers, the local sandy one is suitable;
Vernazza – Monterosso– and this time only 3 minutes! It is absolutely necessary in these three minutes to examine, or better yet, capture the amazingly beautiful seascapes! Go to both churches in vests and admire the perfection of the beaches. Wait until evening and see the city in the night lights!

Advice: If you still need an organized tour in the Cinque Terre, you should contact a company that sells or organizes tours; you can choose a company based on reviews from tourists who have visited Italy, the Cinque Terre.

You can see more detailed information about the history and attractions of the Cinque Terre in the video:

So what is this Cinque Terre? These are wonderful places that connect ancient culture and history with our modern world, in a hurry to live. These are rocks where rare birds live, these are rare trees and plants, this is wonderful food and wine.

Whenever a trip to the Cinque Terre happens, in July, when crowds of tourists are rushing between beaches and restaurants, or in March, when everything is just starting to smell sweet, but there are few tourists and prices are still not high, the trip will always be full and memorable!

The first settlements appeared in these areas already in the era of the Roman Empire. But the houses that are in these towns now, churches, terraces, cultural monuments date back to the Middle Ages.

So, let's get to know Italy better - the Cinque Terre color reserve in all its glory!

If you look from the outside, the small colorful towns, closely stuck on the coastal cliffs, give the impression of toys. In some towns, car traffic is completely prohibited, while in others travel is allowed only on special eco-friendly buses.

But this fact does not upset tourists too much: There are many hiking trails between all five towns. If you walk along the longest path, you can get around all the villages in a maximum of 12 hours, and if you choose the shortest path, then in 4.5 - 5 hours.

On the map of Italy

Cities and photos

Until the beginning of the 20th century, these places were known only to local residents, but with the development of road and rail communications, tourists discovered the Ligurian coast. And if earlier the inhabitants of Cinque Terre made a living from winemaking, fishing and crafts, then Now the main source of income is tourism.

Due to the inaccessibility of the city, the Cinque Terre has retained an almost original appearance.

Narrow streets with laundry constantly drying on lines, homemade frescoes in niches of stone walls in alleys, street cafes and sunny embankments - all this imbued with the real spirit of Italy.

Vernazza

Boats depart daily from Vernazza harbor to the nearest islands of Palmario and Tino. In the town, ancient medieval villas coexist with modern houses, but this juxtaposition does not spoil the local flavor.

Among the attractions one can note the Church of St. Margaret of the 11th-12th centuries, a palace with galleries where local residents organize traditional meetings.

Monterosso

This town, home to just over 1,300 residents, is the only one of the five where vehicular traffic allowed. True, not in all areas.

In the town there is the Church of St. Francesco, where the painting “The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ” by the Flemish artist Antonio van Dyck has been preserved to this day. Here, in Monterosso, is located the largest and most organized beach(and its bottom is not rocky, like in other villages, but sandy).