The beautiful towns of Cinque Terre offer many things to see and do. You can easily spend 3 to 5 days in Cinque Terre without getting bored. Here are the top things to do in Cinque Terre.
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1. Hike from one town to another
Since you want to explore as much towns in Cinque Terre as possible, you’ll need to find some transportation to get from one town to another. The train will be the quickest and easiest way, however hiking the trail between the towns will allow you to enjoy the spectacular views of the entire coastline.
The Sentiero Azzurro hiking trail (also know as the Blue trail) connects the 5 towns and hiking the trail is a very popular thing to do as it allows you to see all the towns from a panoramic view. The entire route, from Monterosso al Mare to Riomaggiore, is 12 kilometres long and takes around 5 to 6 hours.
The trail has entry and exit points in each town, so you can still decide to walk from one town to another and then take the train further. Be aware that some parts of the trail might be temporarily closed due to constructions (check in advance). For example, one of the more popular ones, “Via dell’ Amore” which is located between Riomaggiore and Manarola, is currently closed and from what I’ve read, it won’t reopen until the Summer of 2024.
Note that you’ll need the Cinque Terre trekking card if you want to hike the trail. The card can be purchased in the train station of each town.
Price: €7,50 per person per day (prices in 2022). In low season (November until the end of March) the hiking trail is free of charge.
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2. Do a boat tour
A great way to explore the surroundings of the towns of Cinque Terre is via a boat tour. This is honestly so much fun as it allows you to see the towns from a different perspective. The towns of Cornelia and Riomaggiore are absolute stunning to see from the sea, while Vernazza looks less impressive compared to its stunning viewpoints on land.
Aside from the stunning views, there are many swimming and snorkelling opportunities during the boat tour. Plus, nothing tops sunbathing on the deck, right? We did a private tour with Cinque Terre Adventure and would totally recommend them. Our captain was the best!
We paid €250 for 2 hours (2021) and booked our trip in advance, which I would recommend in high season.
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3. Visit the best beaches in Cinque Terre
Visiting the beautiful and unique beaches is a must when you’re in Cinque Terre. From the sandy beaches in Monterosso al Mare to the secluded rocky beach in Cornelia: there is no shortage of swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing in Cinque Terre.
Check out this post to find out more about the best beaches in Cinque Terre.
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4. Explore all 5 cities
I highly recommend to visit all 5 towns as each one has its own vibes and charms. The easiest way to hop from one town to the other is by train, for which you’ll need the Cinque Terre Card. The Card can be purchased in each of the train stations.
- Visit Riomaggiore for sunset,
- Manarola for the views,
- Corniglia for authentic vibes,
- Vernazza for a refreshing swim in the small harbour,
- and Monterosso al Mare for a relaxing day at the beach.
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5. Watch the sunset
Watching the sunset in Cinque Terre is an activity on its own, which you don’t want to miss out on. I’ll share the two most popular sunset spots in Cinque Terre.
One of the best sunset spots is located in Riomaggiore. If you head over to the harbour area, there are a bunch of rocks you can sit on to admire a beautiful sunset. Bring a bottle of wine and a takeout pizza with you and have your own sunset dinner. This will be a priceless experience.
Manarola offers a great location as well. Head over to the harbour and continue to your right to find the famous spot, Punta Bonfiglio’s viewpoint. The views are so eye-pleasing, both by day and night. It’s is very popular place though, so chances are big there’ll be a crowd at sunset.
Another option is to do a sunset boat tour, which is very popular as well. I did a boat tour during the day, but I can imagine how beautiful the towns are from the water during sunset and at night. From what I’ve heard, this is well worth your time and money.
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Are you planning a trip to Cinque Terre? Definitely read this travel guide for all tips and info.