We spent a few lovely days off the western coast of Italy in the colorful towns that make up Cinque Terre. This area is by far one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to. In order to capture all of it’s beauty we hiked the footpaths between the towns. We were staying in Monterrso so we started there and hiked to the next village, which is Vernazza. We had full intentions of hiking to the third village, Corniglia, however we were so burnt out from the first hike we took other modes of transportation to see the other three villages that make up Cinque Terre.
Here’s a few things we learned along the way!
- You have to pay to get access to the trails between each town. There is a small pay booth at the beginning of each path. One pass costs €8. Note – they only accept cash.
- Another option is to purchase the Cinque Terre Card that gives you access to the hiking paths, as well as unlimited access to the train and wi-fi connection. For a one day pass, this card costs € 7,50. For additional information on the card, click here.
- Some of the trails are could be closed due to weather conditions, so check their site.
- There are no bathrooms or water fountains on the trails. Make sure you bring enough water! We had a water bottle for each of us, but could have used another one!
- The trails are narrow in most places and usually doesn’t have a handrail.
- There are over 400 steps in the hike from Monterrso to Vernazza.
- There are scenic overlooks where you can stop and take photos.
- Wear comfortable workout clothes
So, how long does each hike take?
- Monterrso to Vernazza (1.5-2 hours)
- Vernazza to Corniglia ( 1.5 – 2 hours)
- Corniglia to Manarola (1-1.5 hours)
- Manarola to Riomaggiore ( 0.5-1 hour) – this is currently closed until 2015
If you still have questions about hiking between Cinque Terre’s villages. We found these resources to be really helpful.
Anyone else have any advice to share about their experience hiking Cinque Terre? Please share!
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