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Cinque Terre

Italy travel guide

What to see in the Cinque Terre

Five colourful villages clinging above the Ligurian Sea, linked by train and by paths through terraced vineyards.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 6 must-see places
  • Best time: from March to June and from September to November
  • Typical food: Pesto alla genovese
Photo: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves. Feel free to use my photos, but pl · CC BY-SA 4.0

Cinque Terre highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Monterosso al Mare

    The largest village, with the longest sandy beach.

  2. Vernazza

    A tiny harbour with its castle: the most famous postcard.

  3. Corniglia

    The only one not right by the sea, high up on a headland.

  4. Manarola

    Colourful houses on the rocks, best at sunset.

  5. Riomaggiore

    The southernmost, with its little harbour between tall houses.

  6. Blue Path (Sentiero Azzurro)

    The coastal path linking the villages; some stretches close due to landslides.

Day trips from the Cinque Terre

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to the Cinque Terre

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to the Cinque Terre are from March to June and from September to November.

  1. Jan with warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec with warnings
  • from December to February

    Winter

    Cold and fog in the north (Milan, Verona, Bologna) and the coast in low season, with many hotels and boats out of service.

    What to do: A good time for museums and cities with fewer people; for the coast and the islands, May to October is better.

  • July, August

    Heat and high season

    In July and August it’s very hot in Rome, Florence and the south, and the art cities and the coast get packed.

    What to do: Start your visits early, book tickets and keep the middle of the day for resting.

Typical food of the Cinque Terre

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to the Cinque Terre from your kitchen).

Pesto alla genovese
Photo: Ɱ · CC BY-SA 3.0

Pesto alla genovese

Liguria’s sauce: basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, pecorino and oil, pounded in a mortar. In the Cinque Terre it’s eaten with trofie or trenette.

  • Serves 4
  • 20 min

Ingredients

  • 50 g fresh basil leaves (no stalks)
  • 30 g pine nuts
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 60 g grated Parmesan
  • 30 g grated pecorino
  • 100 ml mild olive oil
  • Coarse salt
  • 400 g trofie or trenette

How to make it at home

  1. Pound the garlic in the mortar with a few grains of coarse salt.
  2. Add the basil little by little and grind it with circular movements, without pounding, until it releases a green liquid.
  3. Add the pine nuts and then the cheeses, grinding all the time.
  4. Drizzle in the oil until you have a creamy sauce.
  5. Cook the pasta, drain it and mix it with the (uncooked) pesto and a spoonful of the cooking water.

The trick: If you use a blender, chill the jug in the fridge first and pulse: heat darkens the basil.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: a trattoria. The dishes you can’t miss are in the Italy guide.

Frequently asked questions about the Cinque Terre

What to see in the Cinque Terre?

Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore and Blue Path (Sentiero Azzurro).

What to see in the Cinque Terre in one day?

Don’t miss Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore and Blue Path (Sentiero Azzurro). To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

What’s the best time to travel to the Cinque Terre?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to the Cinque Terre are from March to June and from September to November.

What day trips can you take from the Cinque Terre?

From Florence, By boat and Portovenere.

What is the typical food of the Cinque Terre?

Pesto alla genovese. Liguria’s sauce: basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, pecorino and oil, pounded in a mortar. In the Cinque Terre it’s eaten with trofie or trenette.

What is the Cinque Terre Card?

It’s the national park pass that gives access to the paid trails, such as the Blue Path; there’s a version that also includes the regional train between the five villages and La Spezia. It’s sold at the stations and on the park’s official website.

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Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.