The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It is in the Liguria region of Italy. "The Five Lands" comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Over the centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea. Part of its charm is the lack of visible corporate development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside. The Cinque Terre area is a very popular tourist destination.
Take a train from Milan Centrale to Monterosso (it is is northernmost and largest city of Cinque Terre).
The journey takes about 2 hours 45 minutes and for a journey of this length, it is better to get a 1st class ticket with more spacious seats for a more comfortable journey. On certain trains, there are enclosed cabins in 2nd class 6people to a cabin. If you are in luck, you may just get the entire cabin to yourself.
The first stop is Monterosso. The town is divided into two distinct parts: the old town and the new town. The two areas are divided by a single tunnel that caters to pedestrians and the very few cars in the town.
The beach at Monterosso runs along most of the coast line and is well used by tourists and locals. The beach is the only extensive sand beach in the Cinque Terre. Monterosso is a small town that in the summer months is overrun by tourists. When I was there, it was the end of winter coming towards spring, and was quite a quiet town.
Manarola is the oldest of the towns in the Cinque Terre, with the cornerstone of the church, San Lorenzo, dating from 1338. The local dialect is Manarolese, which is marginally different from the dialects in the nearby area. The name "Manarola" is probably dialectical evolution of the Latin, "magna rota". In the Manarolese dialect this was changed to "magna roea" which means "large wheel", in reference to the mill wheel in the town.
Manarola's primary industries have traditionally been fishing and wine-making. The local wine, called Sciacchetrà , is especially renowned; references from Roman writings mention the high quality of the wine produced in the region.
Lunch at Marina Piccola. It was just by the seaside and the interior is heated during the cold seasons. It is one of the trip advisor featured restaurants.
Walk towards the hill from the restaurant to get a panaroma view of the village by the sea.
Closeup of the rocks formation caused by the natural elements of the earth.
This is one of the most famous and iconic view of Cinque Terre with the colourful buildings of Manarola. It would be especially beautiful during the nightfall where lights from the town are on.
The last village is Riomaggiore.
The village, dating from the early thirteenth century, is known for its historic character and its wine, produced by the town's vineyards. Riomaggiore is in the Riviera di Levante region and has shoreline on the Mediterranean's Gulf of Genoa, with a small beach and a wharf framed by tower houses. Riomaggiore's main street is Via Colombo, where numerous restaurants, bars and shops can be found.
The Via dell'Amore is a path connecting Riomaggiore to its frazione Manarola, also part of the Cinque Terre.
Riomaggiore is the most southern village of the five Cinque Terre, all connected by trail. The water and mountainside have been declared national parks.
Over the centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea. Part of its charm is the lack of visible corporate development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside. The Cinque Terre area is a very popular tourist destination.
Getting to Cinque Terre
Take a train from Milan Centrale to Monterosso (it is is northernmost and largest city of Cinque Terre).
The journey takes about 2 hours 45 minutes and for a journey of this length, it is better to get a 1st class ticket with more spacious seats for a more comfortable journey. On certain trains, there are enclosed cabins in 2nd class 6people to a cabin. If you are in luck, you may just get the entire cabin to yourself.
Cinque Terre Travel Route
The train from Milan stops at Monterosso, and there is a train that runs from Da Genova to La Spezia, and stops at the different villages according to this Sequence. Monterosso -Vernazza - Corniglia - Manarolo - Riomaggiore. It would be better to plan the journey either starting from Riomaggiore to Monterosso or the other way round. It takes only 3-4 minutes between each stop. While you can also hike from one village to another, it will take around 1hour at least!
The beach at Monterosso runs along most of the coast line and is well used by tourists and locals. The beach is the only extensive sand beach in the Cinque Terre. Monterosso is a small town that in the summer months is overrun by tourists. When I was there, it was the end of winter coming towards spring, and was quite a quiet town.
Parish church of St. John the Baptist
Vernazza
Manarola is the oldest of the towns in the Cinque Terre, with the cornerstone of the church, San Lorenzo, dating from 1338. The local dialect is Manarolese, which is marginally different from the dialects in the nearby area. The name "Manarola" is probably dialectical evolution of the Latin, "magna rota". In the Manarolese dialect this was changed to "magna roea" which means "large wheel", in reference to the mill wheel in the town.
Manarola's primary industries have traditionally been fishing and wine-making. The local wine, called Sciacchetrà , is especially renowned; references from Roman writings mention the high quality of the wine produced in the region.
Lunch at Marina Piccola. It was just by the seaside and the interior is heated during the cold seasons. It is one of the trip advisor featured restaurants.
Walk towards the hill from the restaurant to get a panaroma view of the village by the sea.
Closeup of the rocks formation caused by the natural elements of the earth.
This is one of the most famous and iconic view of Cinque Terre with the colourful buildings of Manarola. It would be especially beautiful during the nightfall where lights from the town are on.
The last village is Riomaggiore.
The village, dating from the early thirteenth century, is known for its historic character and its wine, produced by the town's vineyards. Riomaggiore is in the Riviera di Levante region and has shoreline on the Mediterranean's Gulf of Genoa, with a small beach and a wharf framed by tower houses. Riomaggiore's main street is Via Colombo, where numerous restaurants, bars and shops can be found.
The Via dell'Amore is a path connecting Riomaggiore to its frazione Manarola, also part of the Cinque Terre.
Riomaggiore is the most southern village of the five Cinque Terre, all connected by trail. The water and mountainside have been declared national parks.
