Cinque Terre is one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in Italy — five colourful villages dramatically sitting along the rugged Italian Riviera. If you’re short on time, you might be wondering: can you really see Cinque Terre in one day?
The answer is yes, but with the right plan.
This Cinque Terre in one day itinerary shows you how to visit all 5 towns of Cinque Terre — Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare — using the easiest route between them.
While the itinerary works best if you stay in or near Cinque Terre for two nights, I’ve also included tips for doing it as a day trip.
Keep reading to learn how to visit all five villages efficiently and make the most of your time in Cinque Terre on your Italy trip.
- What are the 5 towns of Cinque Terre?
- When is the best time to visit?
- Is one day enough to see Cinque Terre?
- How to reach Cinque Terre?
- Where to stay in Cinque Terre?
- Is it possible to do a day trip?
- How to Travel Between the 5 Towns
- Passes to buy
- Route at a Glance (Riomaggiore to Monterosso)
- Cinque Terre in One Day Itinerary
- Tips and Must-Knows
What are the 5 towns of Cinque Terre?
Cinque Terre, meaning “Five Lands,” is a cluster of five picturesque fishing villages along the rugged Italian Riviera. This entire area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its delicious seafood, gorgeous coastline, colourful houses, scenic hiking trails, and terraced vineyards.
The villages are:
1. Riomaggiore: Colourful harbour and sunset views
2. Manarola: Iconic postcard view of Cinque Terre
3. Corniglia: Cliff-top village not by the water
4. Vernazza: Beautiful harbour and lively piazza
5. Monterosso al Mare: Has the only sandy beach in Cinque Terre
When is the best time to visit?
Cinque Terre is best visited in late April, May, June, and September for good weather and fewer crowds.
In the peak summer months of July and August, it is too hot and humid to enjoy Cinque Terre. We were there in July and the heat and humidity were absolutely unbearable. In October, Cinque Terre gets a lot of rain, which will dampen your plans. Between November and March, a lot of hotels and restaurants close down and the trains run very infrequently.
Is one day enough to see Cinque Terre?
Yes — one day is enough to see all five towns of Cinque Terre. The villages are very close to each other and connected by frequent trains, so it’s completely possible to visit them in a single day.
However, I recommend spending two nights in Cinque Terre if your itinerary allows it. Staying two nights means you’ll have one full day to explore the villages, while also getting to experience Cinque Terre in the quieter early morning and evening hours — after most day-trippers leave. This is when the towns feel far more relaxed and magical.
How to reach Cinque Terre?
To reach Cinque Terre, take a train to one of these towns- Levanto, La Spezia, and even Monterosso – as these are the only towns that is served by long-distance trains.
Then from there, you can get to any of the five towns of Cinque Terre by the local Cinque Terre Express.
If you’re coming from the north—Milan or Genoa: Take an intercity train directly to Monterosso or Levanto. From there, take the local Cinque Terre Express to any of the five towns.
If you’re coming from the south—Florence or Pisa: Take an Intercity train to La Spezia and change for a local Cinque Terre Express to any of the five towns
Check out the most convenient train routes here.
Tip: It is best not to drive to Cinque Terre. The villages are all small and built on cliff sides, so cars are not allowed inside them. Your hotel, in all probability, will not have parking space. You’ll have to find a parking lot to park at, which might be very far from your hotel.
Where to stay in Cinque Terre?
This is the most confusing part: deciding which town in Cinque Terre to stay in!
Let me make it easier for you:
- If you’re looking for lots of beach time and relatovelye easy access, choose Monterosso al Mare
- If you’re looking for the best vibes, stay in Riomaggiore (this is where we stayed) or Venazza.
- If you want good connectivty and cheaper stays you can opt for La Spezia. This is not in Cinque Terre but close enough.
However, please do not get hung up on any one village. Hotels and airbnbs in Cinque terre are generally expensive and sell out fast. Look at accommodation in any of the villas or even La Spezia and Levanto and book whatever fits your budget.
Here are some hotel and Airbnb options for you to consider and book!
La Spezia: Affordable room close to train station | Apartment with 2 bedrooms
Riomaggiore: Hotel with an amazing view | Affordable apartment| Apartment with the perfect view | Room with sea view
Monterosso al Mare: Hotel near the beach| Room near main beach | Apartment near Old Town Beach
Vernazza: Affordable room 1 | Affordable room 2 | Apartment with sea view
For more options, look at the listings on this map!
Is it possible to do a day trip?
I would recommend staying in a village closer to or in Cinque Terre for 2 nights to make the most of your time here and experience Cinque Terre once the day trippers leave, it is possible to do a day trip.
However, be warned that you’ll likely arrive during the busiest part of the day and miss the charm of Cinque Terre once the crowds thin out.
Independently by Train
A day trip to Cinque Terre can be done by train from cities like Milan (3-hour train ride), Florence (3-hour train ride), Genoa (1.5-hour train ride), and Pisa (1.5-hour train ride).
If you want to do a day trip independently, then ensure that you take an early morning train to Cinque Terre and a late evening train back so that you can see as much as possible. Try to be here by 7 AM and leave by around 8 PM. If you arrive late, then skip the town of Corniglia and see only 4 towns. It’s best not to rush your time here too much.
Check out train schedules and book them here.
Day Tour
If you’re keen on letting someone else handle all the logistics so you can sit back and relax, then the tour mentioned below, which starts in Florence, is an excellent option.
Florence: Cinque Terre Day Trip with Optional Hike: On this tour, take a 2-hour bus from Florence instead of a train, which saves you an hour each way. Then you travel within Cinque Terre by train (since road traffic is non-existent), do a boat ride, and have the option to hike between two villages. So, basically, you get to see all five villages from different viewpoints and experience all the major things that Cinque Terre has to offer, along with information from a guide. It makes for a fantastic, well-rounded, and fun experience!
How to Travel Between the 5 Towns
There are three ways to get around Cinque Terre!
Hike
You can hike between all the Cinque Terre towns in one day. Start in Monterosso al Mare and end in Riomaggiore, crossing all the other towns. The views of the coast, vineyards, and villages are absolutely gorgeous on the hike. This hike, called the Blue Trail, is 11 kilometres long and is a solid option for major hikers.
If you’re not a hiker, I would still recommend hiking at least one section, preferably, Via dell’Amore or Lover’s Lane which is an easy 1 km walk between Riomaggiore and Manarola.
However, note that often there are landslides and some sections are closed for hiking. You can check the route details here and plan your hike accordingly.
If you plan to hike, you will need either the Cinque Terre Trekking Card (only trekking) or the Cinque Terre Train Card (trekking + trains)
Train
This is a very popular and inexpensive way to get around. The Cinque Terre Express trains run every 20 minutes between the towns of Levanto and La Spezia from mid-March to early November. They run once to twice every hour during the winter months. The cost of a train ride between any of these towns is usually €5, but this is subject to change. Please check the latest prices on the Trenitalia website.
If you want visit all towns by train and not hike at all, then you can either buy individual train tickets or get the Cinque Terre Train Card.
Ferry
The ferry runs between the villages from late March to early November. They take a bit longer than the train to go from one village to another but they give a different perspective. You can buy a one-day ticket and jump on and off the boats as often as you want. The ferry does not stop in Corniglia since this village is on top of a cliff and doesn’t have water access. For this itinerary, the ferry might not work due to the timing of the ferries. Please check them here.
Passes to buy
There are two passes available for seeing Cinque Terre in one day:
- The Cinque Terre Trekking Card: This is for the paid hiking paths between Monterosso to Vernazza and Vernaza to Corniglia, free use of toilets at the stations, and free use of buses. This costs euro €7.5 in low season and €15 in high season.
This card is perfect for you if you plan to hike a lot of a sections of the Blue Train and use trains rarely.
If you also want to hike the Via del’Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola. You will instead need to buy the Via dell’Amore + Trekking Card and reserve your slot to walk it as entry is limited. You can find all the info and tickets here.
- The Cinque Train Card: This includes all of the above plus unlimited train travel on the La Spezia-Cinque Terre-Levanto railway line. It costs from €19.50 to €32.50 for a one-day card, depending on the season. Ferries are not included. This pass is valid until midnight on the day of usage.
In Cinque Terre, you will need to take atleast 4-6 train rides to see all towns and that amount to €20-€30 if you buy individual tickets of €5 each. Incase you also want to hike any section, you will be paying another €7.5-€15.
Do the math yourself based on which season you’re travelling in, whether you’re hiking or not, and how many train rides you’ll be taking. In all probability, getting this pass will save you some money. We purchased the Train Card for ourselves as we hiked, didn’t take any ferries and didn’t want to stand in line at the train station again and again.
On this website, you’ll find all the required information and purchase links for the passes.
If you also want to hike the Via del’Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola. You will instead need to buy the Via dell’Amore + Train Card and reserve your slot to walk it as entry is limited. You can find all the info and tickets here.
Route at a Glance (Riomaggiore to Monterosso)
This route enables you do you all the major activities in Cinque Terre like the Via dell’Amore hike, a pesto making class and a sunset boat ride!
- Train from your town of stay to Riomaggiore
- 1 km easy hike from Riomaggiore to Manarola (if the route is open); otherwise, take the train.
- Train from Manarola to Corniglia
- Train from Corniglia to Vernazza
- Train or hike from Vernazza to Monterosso
- Train from Monterosso to your town of stay
If you’re staying in La Spezia, you also have the option of doing a full-day tour by boat which looks like a ton of fun!
We did the route the other way round, starting in Monterosso and ending in Riomaggiore because during our time the Via dell’amore hike between Rimaggiore and Manarola was closed. So we decided to do the section between Monterosso and Vernazza instead and wanted to conquer the hike first thing in the morning.
This route is perfect if you want to hit the beach early in the morning when the crowds are less and do a wine tour in Manarola in the evening and finally reach Riomaggiore around sunset.
Cinque Terre in One Day Itinerary
7:30-8 AM: Riomaggiore
Start in Riomaggiore! It is on the southernmost end of Cinque Terre, close to La Spezia. It is a really picturesque town and according to us, it is the most beautiful of the 5 towns of Cinque Terre, with solid competition from Manarola.
After reaching Riomaggiore, head towards the Vista Panoramica di Riomaggiore for astounding views of the village.
If you’re up for it, you can go cliff jumping. There are warning signs mentioning that you shouldn’t cliff jump but everyone was doing it anyway. If you don’t want to cliff jump, you can simply hang out over here and observe the cliff jumpers.
Riomaggiore also has a beach, albeit a rocky one. Go to Spiaggia di Riomaggiore for a nice walk and some time in the water.
9 AM-Then hike to Manarola through the route – Via dell’Amore. It’s a 1km easy walk with breaktaking views of the coastline and can only be done one way from Riomaggiore to Manarola and not the other way round. You just cannot miss this hike if it is open.
To do the Via dell’Amore hike, you will instead need to buy the Via dell’Amore + Train Card and reserve your slot to walk it as entry is limited. You can find all the info and tickets here. You can only start walking this trail at 9 AM (first slot) do this itinerary is designed around this timing.
10 AM: Manarola
Manarola perhaps has the best view in all of Cinque Terre—a view that is the postcard image of Cinque Terre. You simply cannot miss it!
To get there, enter Manarola Overlook Viewpoint in Google Maps! Simply follow the narrow walkway from the harbour for a few minutes. You don’t need to walk all the way to the viewpoint—just enough to see this stunning view shown in the image below.
Manarola has a very famous restaurant where you can dine with this view: Nessun Dorma! They offer light eats like bruschetta, meat & cheese platters and wine. Because it is so popular, there is always a long queue outside, and you’ll have no option but to wait, which is exactly why we didn’t go. But it’s a huge bucket list spot for many.
10:30 AM: If you want to go without the queue, I highly recommend booking a Pesto-Making experience with them. This is a 2-hour experience with two timings- 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m- and also includes a meal. I highly recommend doing the 10:30 AM one to follow this itinerary and see all 5 towns. Do prebook this the moment you decide you want to do it, cause it may sell out.
If you’re not interested in heading to Nessun Dorma or doing the experience, I would still recommend using your time in Manarola to try some local wines Cinque Terre is famous for like Cinque Terre DOC (a dry white), Costa de Campu di Manarola, Costa de Sera of Riomaggiore, and the Sciacchetrà DOC ( a sweet dessert wine). If you do not like wine, get any drink of your choice at a bar and enjoy the view.
1 PM: Corniglia
Take a train to Corniglia. From the train station, you can choose to walk the 383 steps up to the village or, better yet, take the bus. A lot of people will be waiting for it, so don’t worry; just follow them or ask around. This bus is free to use if you have any one of the Cinque Terre passes, otherwise, it costs €1.5.
Corniglia is the only one of the 5 towns of Cinque Terre that does not have access to the beach or water at it is on top of a cliff (hence the steps to go up to the village)
It is a small village, but I found it to be quite different from the other villages, which is why I kind of liked it. It is quiet and there are quite a few quaint, picturesque spaces. There is a terrace from which you get spectacular views of the sea and you can even spot other villages along the coast.
While you’re here, savour a gelato, walk around the village for a bit, and then get going.
If you’re hard pressed for time for any reason, skip visiting Corniglia.
2 PM: Vernazza
Take a train to Vernazza. This is another stunning village by the coast that for us was no.3 in terms of beauty right after Riomaggiore and Manarola. But for most, it is the prettiest!
In Vernazza, walk around and soak in the old-world charm of this village.
If you’d like to grab a bit, just know that Vernazza and the whole of Cinque Terre have only a few restaurants and some are really badly rated, so we had a tough time selecting where we wanted to eat and simply went to the restaurant closest to where we were at the time. We still enjoyed our food.
However, having done some more research, here are a few options for eateries. I recommend marking them on your Google maps for easy reference.
Pippo a Vernazza: Super inexpensive
Ristorante La Torre: Has a stunning view
After you’re done eating, it’s time to burn it off by hiking for 15 minutes to this viewpoint. If you’re also done the Via dell’amore this morning, you can simply walk up here. If not, you will need one of the Cinque Terre passes to go to this spot (Google Maps location).
If you’ve got time on your hand and are up for another hike, you can continue hiking forward to Monterosso. This is the section we hiked. It is not the easiest and you will need hiking shoes (flat shoes and open shoes are not allowed anymore on hikes in Cinque Terre), but the views are gorgeous.
Else, walk back to the train station in Vernazza and head to Monterosso by train.
4 PM: Monterosso al Mare
Monterosso al Mare is the largest town in Cinque Terre and the only one with sandy beaches.
As you exit the train station, head right towards Statua del Gigante – a 100 year old statue representing Neptune built into the cliffside.
If you’re looking to swim and spend time at the beach, you can do so near the statue, at the small free section of the main beach (Spiaggia di Fegina) keep walking towards the start of the hike. After you cross a tunnel, you’ll spot a small beach. It is absolutely free and not crowded at all.
Then go on a sunset boat tour in Monterosso at 5:30 pm- the perfect end to your evening. It has drinks and snacks onboard and takes you along the coastline so you get views of all 5 towns of Cinque Terre from a different, super stunning perspective.
After Monterosso, you can eat dinner in Monterosso itself and take the train back to your town of stay!
Tips and Must-Knows
- Dinner timings: If you’re someone who eats dinner early, then know that you might not find the better dining spots open until after 7 or 8 PM. You will have to make do with street food!
- Food and drinks to try: Monterosso anchovies (marinated, fried, stuffed, achovy sauce, bangun), pesto pasta, sea food, Cinque Terre wines.
- Flying a drone in Cinque Terre is prohibited: Cinque Terre is a no-fly zone. While we are usually very careful about such things, we did not know this and flew our drone from Riomaggiore. Thankfully, we were not caught!
- The Cinque Terre Express trains are usually late: There are a tonne of strikes happening all the time. If you have to take a pre-booked long-distance train out of La Spezia or Levanto and need to take the Cinque Terre express to get there, then arrive extra early to account for any delays. We were about to miss our train to Milan because of this.
- Travel Light: Pack only as much as you can carry on a staircase. Nearly all the accommodations, in Cinque Terre will require climbing a narrow flight of stairs. Additionally, your hotel might be high up in the town, away from the train station. You will also have to climb uphill or take stairs to your hotel. Some Airbnb owners might help you with luggage if you ask for it, but its better not to rely on that.
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