HOW TO CONQUER CINQUE TERRE IN ONE DAY

By
Jessie Torres

March 9, 2021

On my second trip to Pisa I wanted to take advantage of exploring the Ligurian coast between Porto Venere and Monterosso. This area is known for its landscape and amazing scenic and cultural value that it became a UNESCO site in 1997. Two years later Italy declared it a National Park.

This coast is better known as Cinque Terre, Five Lands. It demonstrates how human settlement in the region has shaped the surrounding landscape while overcoming the disadvantages of the steep uneven terrain over the centuries.

If you ever find yourself in Liguria or in Tuscany try to make it to this park so you can enjoy the rising towns coming from the Mediterranean Sea.

GETTING THERE

Cinque Terre is not relatively accessible. These coastal villages were settled and built into jagged cliffs. Below are various transportation methods that can help you get there.

Car

Its is very hard to get access by car to the villages. It is recommended that you park in La Spezia or Levanto. From here you can take the Cinque Terre Express train. I recommend you get the day pass so you can get on and off the train throughout the day. If you plan to stay longer get the two to three day pass.

Train

If you are traveling from Pisa, make your way towards the Pisa Centrale station. You can take the “regionale” (regional train; no reserved seating) or the “Frecciabianco” (intercity train; reserved seating).

If you are outside of Pisa work your way through the train system to Pisa. This will be the easiest way. Once in Pisa you can make your way to the Cinque Terre Express train.

Boat

This is how I traveled to Cinque Terre. From March through October, there are daily boat rides to Cinque Terre. These boats depart from the towns of La Spezia, Lerici, Levanto and Portovenere.

I departed from Portovenere and as the boat took route between the Island of Spezzino and Portovenere you will see the Church of Saint Peter sitting on a cliff.

Saint Peter's Church Porto Venere Cinque Terre

NAVIGATE CINQUE TERRE

Once you arrive there you will have a few options to get around Cinque Terre’s beautiful coast.

Train – The Cinque Terre Express Train
Boat – Operated like a Hop-on, Hop-off bus a Day pass will get you on the boat
Hiking – Before trains or roads came about, walking was the method of transportation. If I was to make it back to Cinque Terre, I would want to do it this way.
Bus – This is a newer method. Implemented in 2016 a small bus can take you to all the towns with a day pass.

THE CINQUE TERRE

Riomaggiore

This is the southernmost town and was the first one I landed on. This place is known for having more of a night life compared to the others. You can expect outdoor DJ nights and some concerts.

The beach is rocky with some crystal clear waters. You can explore it further by hiking up at the hill for about 50 minutes to a sanctuary.

Manarola

Corniglia

Corniglia sits right in the middle of the five and it happens to be the smallest of the five towns.

This town is also the least accessible compared to the others. It has no beach or marina. Therefore I didn’t stop at this one from the boat. Try the bus, train, or a hike to access this town.

Vernazza

Vernazza is one the towns in cinque terra that is fun to stop at. It has sandy beach making it one of the hot spots during the summer months. Its picturesque marina attracts a lot of tourist.

Its little beach doesn’t have a lot room. But it can be fund to explore the narrow alleyways throughout the town.

Monterosso

This town is one of the most popular ones due to it having a sandy beach that is bigger than Vernazza’s.

This town is fun to explore. It has two parts to it, the New and Old town. You can find quite a few hotels to stay here if you are considering a longer stay than a day.

CONCLUSION

Italy has a lot of beauty and one can spend a lifetime to enjoy everything it has to offer. Cinque Terre is a beautiful scenic coast that should not be missed. If you are going to be in Liguria make the effort to see this cultural wonder. Though I recommend a few days stay there, You can see it all in a day.