{"id":13431,"date":"2021-10-05T11:17:54","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T09:17:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cinqueterre.it\/2021\/10\/05\/the-ultimate-guide-to-visiting-cinque-terre-in-italy\/"},"modified":"2021-10-05T11:25:43","modified_gmt":"2021-10-05T09:25:43","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-to-visiting-cinque-terre-in-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinqueterre.it\/en\/2021\/10\/05\/the-ultimate-guide-to-visiting-cinque-terre-in-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Cinque Terre in Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Cinque Terre in Italy<\/h1>\n
\n
\"David\"<\/a><\/div>\n
David Johnston<\/span><\/a><\/span>
\n

Sitting along the Italian Riviera, the Cinque Terre is a stunning outdoor destination with plenty of magnificent coastal scenery. For those looking to stretch their legs after days admiring churches and museums in Florence<\/a> or Milan, visiting Cinque Terre can be a refreshing experience. It\u2019s ideal for those looking to hike in Italy, people who can\u2019t put their camera down and anyone who enjoys fresh seafood.<\/p>\n

One of Italy\u2019s most impossibly beautiful corners, here\u2019s our guide to the Cinque Terre, full of travel tips for the Cinque Terre and how to make the most of a visit.<\/p>\n

A Brief Background of Cinque Terre<\/h2>\n

The name Cinque Terre means \u201cFive Lands\u201d, referring to five beautiful villages<\/a> that sit along the coast of Liguria, often referred to as the Italian Riviera. Nestled within the hilly coastal terrain, these villages were quite remote for much of their lives. Over the centuries, locals built terraces into the hillside to help them farm against their steep hill backdrop.<\/p>\n

Although the villages overlook the Ligurian Sea, traditionally fishing was not the main trade for the villages of Cinque Terre. Instead, the main trade in Cinque Terre was growing olives and winemaking. These practices were only possible due to the manmade terraces, as they created the right conditions for the grapes and olives to grow.<\/p>\n

Today, the Cinque Terre relies a lot on the money brought in by tourism. The area around the villages and surrounding country with its many hiking trails has been made a national park and offers some of the best hiking in the world<\/a>. And, for its significant cultural and environmental importance, the Cinque Terre was named an UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/a> in 1997.<\/p>\n

\"View
Nattee Chalermtiragool \/ shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

How to Get to Cinque Terre<\/h2>\n

Situated on Italy\u2019s western coast in Liguria, the Cinque Terre is roughly halfway between the cities of Genoa and Pisa. As far as the closest airports go, flying to either Pisa or Genoa are your best bets. Both airports cater to many domestic and international destinations, although Pisa has a much bigger airport.<\/p>\n

This is because the Cinque Terre and the neighboring towns are simply too small to justify their own airport. Once in Italy, the best way to travel to Cinque Terre is by train. To reach the Cinque Terre by train, you first have to reach the town of Levanto along the coast to the north or the city of La Spezia to the east. These two places bookend the five villages of the Cinque Terre and are the last stops at either end of the Cinque Terre\u2019s local train. With La Spezia being the only city in the area, it tends to act as a local hub of sorts.<\/p>\n

Train travel is a popular way to get around Italy, and since you need seat reservations on the Le Frecce and Intercity trains, it\u2019s best to book in advance. Leave it until too late, especially in the summer, and all the seats may be taken. The other way to go is with the slower regional trains which don\u2019t have seat reservations.<\/p>\n

How to Get Around the Cinque Terre<\/h2>\n

When planning a trip to Cinque Terre, you\u2019ll need to decide how you\u2019re going to get around. That\u2019s because it will impact how long you need to see the region and where you choose to stay. The three main ways to get around the Cinque Terre are either by train, boat or hiking.<\/p>\n

1. By Train<\/h3>\n

Running from La Spezia to Levanto and stopping at each of the five villages is a regular regional train that takes 30 minute end-to-end. The more interesting and enjoyable way to explore the Cinque Terre though is to take the scenic coastal trails that link up the five villages.<\/p>\n

Working out the best train ticket will depend on how much you plan to take the train in the Cinque Terre. If you plan to go everywhere by train, then consider buying the 1 or 2-day Cinque Terre Card Treno<\/strong> at any station along the line for unlimited train travel. Otherwise, simply look at individual trip tickets, as they may be cheaper.<\/p>\n

2. By Boat<\/h3>\n

If you fancy seeing the Cinque Terre by boat, you\u2019re in luck, as ferry services link up the villages with neighbouring Levanto and Portovenere. This is definitely a more expensive option than the train, but a cheaper option is to take one boat trip between villages. Ferry timetables, routes and costs can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. By Car<\/h3>\n

As for seeing the Cinque Terre by car, it comes with some complications. Although it may be a fun and scenic drive for some, the roads throughout the national park are windy and quite technical. It also can be particularly bad for people who get car sick. Plus, the roads are often only wide enough for a single car, so you\u2019ll need to drive with caution.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve arrived in a village, only local cars may enter. Instead, you\u2019ll need to park on the edge of the village. Each car park has its own hourly or daily rates, generally ranging from 15\u20ac to 25\u20ac per day. Alternatively, parking in La Spezia or Levanto is typically cheaper and you can take the train in from there.<\/p>\n

\"Street
Kirk Fisher \/ shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Best Time to Visit the Cinque Terre<\/h2>\n

Working out the best time to visit Cinque Terre will depend on whether you want to hike, swim or just go sightseeing. If you\u2019d like to spend time at the beach and go swimming, then summer is when the water is warmest.<\/p>\n

The trouble is that the Cinque Terre is busiest in the summer months of July and August. What\u2019s more, the Italian sun can be quite strong then, and hiking in that heat can be rough. Then there\u2019s the matter that many things close down in August when Italians go on holidays.<\/p>\n

For comfortable weather and good hiking conditions, it\u2019s better to consider planning to visit Cinque Terre in the shoulder season months of April, May and September.<\/p>\n

Where to Stay in Cinque Terre<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re planning your first trip to Cinque Terre, you may rightly be wondering what the best town to stay in Cinque Terre is. After all, with five villages to choose from and other towns nearby, working it all out can be a nightmare. Essentially though, you have one main decision to make: whether to stay in one of the Cinque Terre villages or in a nearby spot like Levanto<\/strong>, Portovenere<\/strong> and La Spezia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Naturally, the first thought is going to be to stay in one of the five villages. When it comes to ambience and having everything at your doorstep, the villages are the best places to stay in Cinque Terre. But they\u2019re also likely to be the first accommodations snapped up and potentially quite expensive come high season.<\/p>\n

Towns like Levanto and Portovenere are in many ways very similar in look and feel to the villages of Cinque Terre. But since they\u2019re not actually part of the Cinque Terre, you should find them less booked out and potentially a little cheaper.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s La Spezia, a fairly unassuming city, but a great place to go for affordable accommodation and easy access.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.roadaffair.com\/visiting-cinque-terre\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Cinque Terre in Italy David […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13424,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[80],"tags":[262,374,375],"yoast_head":"\nThe Ultimate Guide to Visiting Cinque Terre in Italy » Cinque Terre Consorzio Turistico<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cinqueterre.it\/en\/2021\/10\/05\/the-ultimate-guide-to-visiting-cinque-terre-in-italy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Cinque Terre in Italy » Cinque Terre Consorzio Turistico\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Cinque Terre in Italy 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