Choose the right Cinque Terre trip
...and why you should dare to go there.
By Dahn
3 programs, 3 different experiences
Our blog series Jungle Help clarifies the differences between similar trips in our range. This time it's Cinque Terre's turn, the magically beautiful coast in northern Italy where you hike between the five villages – and not just that. At first glance, it can be difficult to discern the differences between our various trips to this breathtakingly beautiful coastline. We'll sort them out for you!
Isn't there too many people in Cinque Terre?
It's best to tackle this most common question directly, so that this doubt doesn't stand between you and experiencing this world-unique environment. The answer is absolutely yes, if you travel during the most popular periods and limit yourself to the easiest trails that are filled with non-hikers. But we have walked the entire coast dozens of times and these are our best tips:
- Via dell'Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola is short (20 minutes), flat and far too well-known for its own good. Everyone goes here, from hikers to lost beach tourists and instagrammers. Get it out of the way or skip it entirely.
- Our trips naturally include the classic coastal trail (Sentiero Blu) but also the slightly higher one (Sentiero Rosso) and several other coastal trails and villages that only hikers seek out. The higher and further away you get from the waterfront, the calmer it becomes.
When should you travel to Cinque Terre?
- May and September are fabulous months but also see the most hikers
- July and August are too warm for hiking and then the villages fill with regular tourists
- Secret period: Liguria is green year-round and therefore always equally beautiful. It rains most in November, but if you tolerate cooler weather, winter (December-March) is often sunny. A bad day can offer ten degrees and rain while you can get 15-20 degrees as soon as the sun peeks out!
Our hiking trips to Cinque Terre
Trip 1: Hiking in Cinque Terre
Level: 4 out of 5
Number of accommodations: 2 (Monterosso and Bonassola)
Suits you who want to see all five villages in Cinque Terre as well as quiet places to the west.
Highlights: all five villages (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore), Levanto and Portovenere.
Trip 2: Hiking from Cinque Terre to Portovenere
Level: 3 or 4 out of 5 (different options per day)
Number of accommodations: 2 (Monterosso and Portovenere)
Suits you who want to experience the five villages with a dramatic finale to the east.
Highlights: all five villages, Portovenere and the island of Palmaria.
Trip 3: Hiking Cinque Terre - Portofino to Portovenere
Level: 3 or 4 out of 5 (different options per day)
Number of accommodations: 3 (Camogli, Bonassola and Monterosso)
Suits you who don't want to miss any of Liguria's finest coast, from Camogli and Portofino in the west to Cinque Terre and Portovenere in the east.
Highlights: Camogli, Portofino, Sestri Levante, three of the Cinque Terre villages as well as Portovenere.
Comparison between the villages
Many wonder about the differences between Cinque Terre and the other villages in Liguria. Briefly from west to east:
Camogli is called the city of a thousand sails and carries an impressive maritime history. The name comes from the wives, "mogli", who ruled while the men were at sea. Today the small steep town offers a beautiful jumble of pastel-colored houses facing the sea – and a good chocolate praline (camogliese).
So which Cinque Terre trip should I choose?
- Cinque Terre if you want to combine the five villages with lesser-known gems
- Cinque Terre to Portovenere if you want to hike between the five villages with a dramatic finale
- Portofino to Portovenere if you want to see as much as possible over a larger area
The bonus trip: Cycling to Cinque Terre
