Beautiful string of five old colorful fishing villages on steep terraces of rugged Italian
Riviera were only accessible by mule tracks and boats, until recently. And as a tour guide,
I can't wait to show you the best things to do in Cinque Terre, Italy. Now there are three ways
to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site. First is to hike the trails, second option is
to use a ferry boat available every spring and summer and the third option is to take a train.
Starting from La Spezia the first village is Riomaggiore. Its main street is a covered
canal under which runs a creek, which gave the village its name. Street runs down to the sea,
where a small harbor is framed by lovely pastel painted houses and filled with brightly
colored fishing boats. Colorful tower houses are linked to each other and rise on three
or four floors. All of them have a front and a back entrance at the upper floors to allow
residents to escape in the event of an attack from the sea. Side streets are made of stairs
and stairways connecting vertical landscape with surrounding wine terraces. In the upper
part of the village is a gothic church from the 1300s, although today's appearance is from the
late 1800s. Three nave interior is dominated by the alternating black and white colors,
typical for the area. Church is decorated with various art pieces, including ancient
carved panels and marble pulpit dating to the 1600s. Above the village rises a small castle
from the 1200s built for defensive purposes by the Republic of Genoa, who dominated the area for 700
years. During the French domination of Napoleon Bonaparte, the fortress was filled with earth and
destined to be a cemetery. Today it is used as a cultural center and offers a magnificent view.
The only beach of Riomaggiore is a rocky pebble beach. It can be reached by the
narrow concrete path between the rocks from the marina. People also use the rocks
of the small port to jump into the water from and a place to relax and sunbathe.
Hiking trail that connects Riomaggiore to neighboring Manarola village is known
as Via dell'Amore. Start of the trail is at the Riomaggiore train station,
but unfortunately it is closed due to a landslide and reopening is scheduled for July 2024.
Next village is Manarola, built on a dark rock 70 metres above the sea. It has a tiny
scenic harbor enclosed between two rocky spurs. Here is a tiny square lined with
picturesque multi coloured houses rising above the sea. Uphill from the harbor runs the main
street made by covering the stream. From the main street a series of narrow stone-paved
alleys rise uphill to the vertical landscape with houses and panoramic views. With little
space inside the old village there is a pedestrian tunnel that leads to a nearby
train station. On the top of the village is a Gothic style church from the 1300s. Its local
sandstone facade bears a Gothic arch portal and a marble rose window. The interior is covered
in Baroque style and near the baptismal font there is an ancient marble measure to check
the quantity of grains with a coat of arms of the Republic of Genoa. Opposite to the church
stands a self-standing bell tower from where you can admire a great panorama.
With little space available, Manarola waterfront is also too small for a real beach. Instead the
rocky area around the harbor is used as the main sunbathing and swimming spot of the village. But
there are some spectacular view points like the area above the harbor with a lovely park and a
line of bars offering the best panoramic view of the village. Here is also a starting point
of a hiking trail to the neighboring village of Corniglia which takes about two and a half hours.
The village of Corniglia is different as it is elevated 100 meters or 330 feet above the sea.
As it is the only seaside village without direct access to the sea it's also the
least visited of the five. On three sides it's surrounded by terraces planted with wines. The
smallest of the five villages has a long and rich agricultural tradition, yet it appears
to be more refined than other villages with more architectural details. The reason comes
from the late middle ages when the village was the residence of a noble Genovese family. The
most comfortable way to get to Corniglia is by train. From the train station you have to
go up the Lardarina, a long brick staircase with 33 ramps and 382 steps. Alternatively,
there is a road with a shuttle bus. In the upper part of the village is a Gothic style church
from the 1300s. The facade is built with local grey stone and decorated with a Carrara marble
rose window. The interior with three naves is decorated in a Baroque style. There is also
a beautiful altarpiece made of eighteen panels depicting the Mysteries of Faith. Hiking trail
to the neighboring Vernazza village is one of the most popular ones and includes a hiking fee
covered by the Cinque Terre Card. It takes about an hour and a half and offers spectacular views.
Vernazza is one of the most popular places of Cinque Terre, as it is also considered
to be one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Above the harbor rises a rocky ridge
with a 15th century castle and a tower. The origin of the village is ancient as it has the
only natural port of Cinque Terre. The village developed along a now covered stream transformed
into the main street. Steep and narrow paths lead down to the main road that ends with a
small square located in front of the marina full of small fishermen's boats. The centerpiece of
the village is the beautiful waterfront church dating back to the 12th century. Legend has it
that in ancient times a small wooden box was found on the beach containing the bones of a finger of
Santa Margherita's hand. A decision was made to build a church dedicated to the saint in another
place in the area. But the relic disappeared and reappeared sometime later on the same beach
as the first time. People finally understood the message and built the church on the spot. One of
the landmarks of Vernazza is its castle tower that can be visited. The tower stands in the middle of
the castle terrace and is the oldest part of the fortification. It was used as a lookout
fortress to protect the village from pirates. To reach the tower you must climb steep stairs,
but you will be rewarded with great 360 views. The castle was built by the Republic of Genoa,
who controlled Cinque Terre for about 700 years. The castle is now used as a cultural center. There
are also two small beaches. First one can be found in the harbor next to the church. There
you can take a swim and use nearby flat rocks for sunbathing. The harbor surrounding the small
dark sandy beach allows the water to remain calm. There is also a slightly larger stone and pebble
beach on the east side of the village, but it is accessible through a small cave that was closed
at the time of my visit. As the village is in the heart of Cinque Terre it's also the perfect
starting point for hikes with beautiful views. The hike between Vernazza and Monterosso will
take about an hour and half and includes a hiking fee, so you should buy the Cinque Terre Card.
Monterosso is the last and the largest of the five villages. It's also easily accessible by
car. This is the only flat village great for those who don't want to climb a lot of stairs. In the
middle of the village is a hill with a convent and a church, that divides the old and the new
part of Monterosso. Old part of the village was built along the banks of now covered stream and
remained virtually intact with typical narrow medieval streets and multi-coloured houses.
There you'll find the main square and a Gothic style church from the 1200s with a beautiful
rose marble window. The interior holds a painting of the Madonna del Rosario and
a fresco depicting the baptism of Christ. The bell tower was originally a medieval watchtower,
part of the fortifications built by the Republic of Genoa. Right next to the
church is an interesting oratory, a small chapel built in a similar style and intended for private
worship. On the hill separating the two parts of the village is the convent of the Capuchin
Friars. Beautiful panoramic paths climb the hill meeting at a statue of Saint Francis,
one of the most photographed landmarks of the Cinque Terre. You should take a quick
look inside a small church of Saint Francis, decorated with beautiful works of art. Also,
don't miss the walk around the cemetery located in the old castle on the very top of the hill, as it
offers spectacular views. The second part of the village, known as Fegina is a modern residential
neighborhood along the sea promenade with sandy beaches. There you'll find plenty of restaurants,
pubs, ice cream shops and a wide range of hotels. Right in front of the train station is a
traditional sandy beach, the largest beach of the Cinque Terre. You can either choose to pay for an
umbrella and a chair or settle with your own towel in a free area at the end of the beach,
under the statue of the Giant. The sculpture in reinforced concrete and iron from 1910 represents
a Neptune. It was made to adorn a large terrace of a villa built by two villagers who returned from
Argentina after making a fortune. Monterosso has a long tradition of the cultivation of lemons,
and every May the village hosts a famous lemon festival. Lemons are a key ingredient in many
local specialties, like anchovies marinated in lemon juice, a lemon liqueur, lemon marmalade,
lemon ice cream, and cakes. Hiking trail to Vernazza starts from the eastern part of the old
town near hotel Porto Roca and offers wonderful views. The trail takes about one and a half hours
and includes a hiking fee covered by the Cinque Terre Card. There is much more to experience in
Cinque Terre so be sure to check the description below where you can find my favorite tours
and experiences. My name is Rok, thanks for the thumbs up and for watching, and see you next time!