Cinque Terre Village - a World Heritage Site
The Cinque Terre in Liguria, Italy is known as the 5 Lands and is the perfect mix of old world solitude and breathtaking nature that will help turn your dreams into reality.
When you step into the Cinque Terre region, you feel like you have stepped into a dream. The picturesque beauty, woven with old world charm cannot be found anywhere else in the world as it is found in Cinque Terre.
The Cinque Terre is located along the Riviera coastline within the Liguria region (Province of La Spezia) and is made up of the five villages of:Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore
You will find Cinque Terre nestled between Genoa and Pisa. Traveling to the Cinque Terre is like being transported back to classic Italy but with the modern luxuries of Europe’s best resorts, shopping, nightlife, excellent food and amazing hotels.
Every year, thousands of travelers seek out the unparalleled Cinque Terre for the atmosphere, majestic views, natural hiking, local flare, shopping and of course, the flavorful night life.
Italy has grown with the modern world and now incorporates corporate businesses and tourist attractions in order to lure more visitors to the country. The exception to this is the Cinque Terre. The 5 villages within Italy have stayed in keeping with their traditional roots and held onto their old world charms while surrounded by unmatched views.
The picturesque beauty and charm of the mountains and coastline have been the cause of thousands of travelers making the journey. Visitors even travel thousands for miles from around the world just to partake in the striking qualities and unique sights that make their Cinque Terre, Italy experience unmatched.
There are several options to stay within the Cinque Terre. You can choose from Cinque Terre Hotels and quaint Bed and Breakfast options. People often fall in love with the region so much that they extend their vacation and stay in the available Apartments and Villas.
Highlights of the 5 villages:
1. Corniglia has the highest elevation at 330 feet above sea level and is completely surrounded by rocky terrain with a short walk to a glittering white beach.
2. Manarola is marked with colorful houses making it look like a painting. This town is said to be from the early 14th century and is one of the oldest villages. The wineries and the famous Love’s Trail are the draws to this small village.
3. Monterosso al Mare is best known for its breathtaking beaches and stable climates. Count yourself lucky if you get to experience a wonderful sea storm.
4. Riomaggiore is famous for its Riomaggiore wine. People find themselves with a bottle of the famous wine taking in the colorful fishing boats, whales, dolphins, and kayaks.
5. Vernazza is an automobile free village with fishing as the main activity. This village produces one of the best tasting olive oils. Make sure not to miss visiting the Santa Margherita d’Antichia church.
Cinque Terre is a hiking paradise that caters to adventurers with clearly marked paths so hikers can customize their own hiking adventure. Hikers will enjoy walking their way through picturesque trails that often wind through vineyards and span all 5 villages.
Spending time in Cinque Terre in Liguria is a must and the surrounding areas should not be ignored on your journey. The Province of La Spezia and Province of Genoa are also a must see.
Get In
The main cities from which you can take trains to Cinque Terre:
Milan to Cinque Terre by train: Around 3h and price starting from 26€
Genoa to Cinque Terre by train: Around 1h and 20 mins, price starting from 6,30€
Florence to Cinque Terre by train: Around 2h and 30 mins
Rome to Cinque Terre by train: Around 4h and 20mins, price starting from 56€
Parma to Cinque Terre by train: Around 2h and 30 mins, price starting from 11,85€
Pisa to Cinque Terre by train: Around 1h and 15 mins, price starting from 8,50€
Get Around
By trails
Irrespective of the crowd that surrounds the region around the villages of the Cinque Terre, they remain astoundingly breath taking, charming, and usually very accessible to the tourists. Hiking here continues to be, the most popular on the ‘to-do’ list of visitors coming to Italy. This is also by far the only reason why so many people visit the Cinque Terre region. There exists a cliff-side trail that connects the Cinque Terre towns, allowing some beautiful views over the Ligurian Sea.
The option of train travel within these 5 villages is always there. Besides, this is the easiest way to get around. These are towns placed around the sea, so don’t stress, there are boats that can take you from one place to another. If you are looking at coming to this region in a luxury car or thinking of a nice drive – don’t even bother! It’s going to be more of a pain than fun!
Don’t ruin your holiday, just park your car at a parking spot in the town you are and get going in the public transport that connects Cinque Terre till you are done with your tour and on your way back – We strongly suggest!
Hiking around (complete hiking guide) really will come to rescue if you have planned your stay at either Manarola or Riomaggiore - the two southern-most villages. This is primarily due to the trail in-between them, which can barely be counted as a hiking trail since it is paved and flat easy for strollers too!
For a while now, that hike path along Cinque Terre has become a National Park hence the access is slightly limited than what it used to be. One must discount the probability of even that paved path in-between Manarola and Riomaggiore being open after you are done dining in either of the villages and want to walk back to another.
To add to this, if you are further more ambitious and seeking a tougher hike from your hotel to a dinner or back, you are seriously risking the possibilities of getting stranded, since the park has closed entries to the trail-heads. So all in all, while one of the trails is easier, walking from village to village is still not a viable option at all hours. Hike during the day – It’s safer and is a great way of cherishing the surrounding too!!
Tip
Cinque Terre Card
Once inside the Cinque Terre national park and the surrounding regions of Cinque Terre you can do a lot of activities or make some essential utility purchases. There are two major types of Cinque Terre cards.
1) The Cinque Terre Basic Card:
The card include:
Cinque Terre Basic Card Prices (2014): The prices to purchase a card will vary depending on how many days you would like to use the card.
(Prices may change. Check the official website for updated prices and information)
Since hiking all the marvelous trails is not recommended to be done all in one day, purchasing a multiple day pass is encouraged.
2) The Cinque Terre Train Card:
With the premium card, not only can you avail all the above services and benefits, you can also take unlimited number of trains to the route of La Spezia and Levanto. Besides these there are also some other access benefits to the card holders.
Cinque Terre Train Card Prices (2014): The train pass cards also vary in pricing and again there are deals for multiple day cards since there are lots of cities to travel in between.
(Prices may change. Check the official website for updated prices and information)
Where to Buy a Cinque Terre Card:
Important: It is essential that once you purchase your cards you validate them properly as each station on the hiking trails will check them. This involves filling out your full name and nationality. You will also want to validate your cards at each train station where you will find clearly marked yellow validation boxes that will stamp your card as you enter with the time, date and locale of the station you are porting.
When to travel to Cinque Terre
As amazing as the Cinque Terre is, this is one location where it is necessary to plan your trip around the seasons and weather. Visiting the Cinque Terre in the months of May through August will ensure that your vacation is all inclusive and you won’t run into some of the common issues such as exhibits and hiking trails being closed.
The winter and spring months bring about very cold temperatures and a lot of rain, which causes many of the hiking trails to shut down for safety and navigation reasons.
During the May-August months everything is alive here and you will be able to gain entrance into all the trails, walk through the wineries and visit all the museums and festivals. There are also a lot of restaurants which have verandas and the warmer weather allows visitors to eat outdoors and enjoy the scenery.
These months are most busy so booking accommodations ahead of time is essential.
September and October are also good months to book a vacation here and these months are a little less busy, but all the trails are generally open, the beaches can still be explored and most festivities are still abound. You may also find some good deals on lodging during these months.
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