The Cinque Terre is truly our favorite, a little corner of paradise where you’re likely to fall under its spell even before you get there! Discover this detailed mini guide to organizing your trip.
Visiter les 5 Terres, vous avez peut être déjà vu ces belles cartes postales de ces cinq villages perchés et colorés mais ce n’est rien à côté de ce qui vous attend. Préparez vous à vivre un moment romantique ou plutôt de comprendre ce qu’est la Dolce Vita italienne!
Un voyage dans les Cinque Terre, ça se prépare un petit peu afin d’éviter les petits soucis et profiter pleinement du cadre. Si comme nous, vous vous posez la question de comment vous organiser pour visiter les Cinque Terre, et bien nous vous livrons tous nos conseils ci dessous! Voici notre mini guide des choses à savoir avant de partir explorer ces villages perchés. Prenez note que les prix indiqués sont de 2016.
N’oubliez pas également de lire nos autres articles sur les 5 terres :
- Notre Top 5 des villages des Cinque Terre (toutes nos bonnes adresses gourmandes dans chaque village)
- Les îles du Golfe de la Spezia pour une découverte par bateau
SOMMAIRE DE L'ARTICLE :
| COMMENT SE DÉPLACER DANS LES CINQUE TERRE
To get a better idea of the Cinque Terre, just look at the map below and locate the five villages. The Cinque Terre is located in the Liguria region of north-western Italy. The best-known cities are Genoa and San Remo, on the border with France. Of course, you can explore them all in a day, but at full speed! In my opinion, it’s a pity because you have to take your time, so I’d recommend a minimum of 3 days to sunbathe, swim and have a coffee – in other words, to live Italian-style! There are many ways to get around these hilltop villages: by train, boat, on foot or even by tuktuk. There’s something for every taste and budget.
| TAKE THE TRAIN TO CINQUE TERRE
The Cinque Terre villages are all served by the line that runs from Genoa to La Spezia. The train is surely the most popular and easiest way to visit the 5 villages. Before you leave, you can save time by purchasing your tickets on the TrenItalia website.
Departing from Spezia, trains leave every 10 to 20 minutes or so for the villages, from 5am to midnight. Be careful, they are often late on both the outward and return trips! The station has both automatic and physical ticket machines. Remember to take several, as the queue is long!
- unlimited pass “Cinque Terre Card” for a day trip from Levanto to La Spezia.
This pass includes unlimited train travel, city buses, trails, free internet in stations, the La Spezia Museum and pay toilets.
- price for an adult 16€
- Under 12s pay €10/child.
- Family pass for 2 adults and 2 children under 12: €42
- 3-day pass 41€
- For those who don’t want the pass, a one-way ticket between 2 villages (e.g. Riomaggiore to Manarola) costs 4€/route. Same price for adults and children! These train tickets are available at all stations, either directly from ticket offices or from vending machines.
Attention, les trains sont bondés de monde aux heures de pointe, par exemple 12h et principalement dans les stations de Manarola et Riommagiore. N’oubliez pas de composter le ticket avant de monter car les contrôleurs ne manqueront pas de vous verbaliser si vous les croisez dans le train! (et si vous vous posez la question, il y en a et elles ne sont pas commodes, on les a vu verbaliser)
| TAKE THE BOAT FOR A DIFFERENT VIEW OF CINQUE TERRE
In my opinion, discovering the Cinque Terre by boat is a must, but choose the right type of boat to avoid falling into the trap of mass tourism. Below, we recommend some of the more pleasant outings, due to the very small group size. For the more touristy boat (photo below), check the boat timetables from year to year, as they are subject to change.
A bus service is available to the Cinque Terre:
- Full day ticket five lands: 22€/adult and 16€ per child ages 6 to 11
- Afternoon ticket five lands: 18€ / single ticket 8€
- Monterosso → Vernazza A/R 8€
- Monterosso → Riomaggiore round trip 18 €
- Monterosso → Manarola A/R 15€
- Boat trip with stops in the 5 villages 15€ (without getting off the boat). Discount for children aged 6 to 11 if accompanied by an adult.
- If you take the boat to the village of Monteroso, the price is 35€, to dock in each village. You can get off or stay on the boat to discover all these villages. The last one is in Portovenere.
- You can take the train to the 1st village and then the ferry, which will cost you less and combine the 2 means of transport.
| Excursions journalières
- Départ de Monterosso
– Departures daily at 9:45, 10:30, 11:30 and 12:20 from Monterosso.
– The ticket gives you the choice of going up and down to the villages of the five lands (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza and Monterosso) and the option of continuing the cruise to Portovenere. No stop in Corniglia as there is no port.
– Prices: full day ticket €30, reduced ticket €16.
- Departure from Portovenere
At Portovenere, possibility of a cruise around the islands for an additional €5 per adult, departure at 12 noon.
– Aller pour Portovenere avec tous les arrêts 22€
– Aller pour Portovenere uniquement 16€
– Aller pour la Spezia ou Lerici avec tous les arrêts 24€
Attention Portovenere n’est accessible qu’en bateau ou en voiture donc pour votre retour, vous devez récupérer le train sur la Spezia ou reprendre le bateau.
🖤 Coup de cœur | Balade en petit bateau ou en voilier | Les Cinq Terre
Lors de notre passage dans les 5 terre, nous avons adoré découvrir à la journée, les villages des 5 terres en bateau. La vue est totalement différente et l’on se rend bien compte du relief et de l’authenticité de ces petits villages. De plus, pouvoir se baigner dans les eaux turquoises est un gros plus. On vous la recommande la sortie les yeux fermés. Attention, les places partent assez vite donc pensez à réserver à l’avance.
Je vous recommande ces 3 croisières:
- The small local boat that accepts a maximum of 10 people. Seasonal activity: June 1 to September 30. Valid every day (except in exceptional cases). A bord of this little boat, you’ll see the villages of Golfo Della Spezia, Portovenere, Palmaria Island, Le Rosse, Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso.
➡️ Vérifier les disponibilités du petit bateau local et réservez dès maintenant
- Sailing cruise with lunch
Je vous propose cette fois ci, une autre journée en voilier pour passer une journée entière (environ 7h) à naviguer le long de la côte italienne, à visiter les cinq stations balnéaires et à découvrir l’histoire de la région avec votre skipper. Les participants sont limités à 10 personnes lors de cette visite en petit groupe et des arrêts baignade sont proposés. Croisière au départ de la Spezia.
➡️ Vérifiez les disponibilités de cette croisière déjeuner et réservez dès maintenant
Un magnifique tour des îles du golfe de la Spezia en vieux bateau authentique (Portovenere, Palmaria, Tino, Tinetto) et les Cinq Terre. Pour découvrir les îles du golfe de la Spezia en vieux voilier traditionnel, nous vous invitons à lire l’article.
Vous trouverez ci-dessous différentes croisières à découvrir dans les cinq terre. Il y a en a pour tous les goûts et tous les budgets. Il y a également différents départs possibles depuis Portovenere, Levanto et La Spezia, à vous de voir ce qui vous convient le mieux. Cliquez sur l’une des excursions proposées pour vérifier les dates, les disponibilités et réserver à l’avance.
| VISIT THE CINQUE TERRE BY HIKING
You can visit the Cinque Terre villages on foot, following the footpaths along the seafront or inland. However, you’ll need to get to a village to start the walk. Please note that for safety reasons, the coastal paths from Riommagiore to Corniglia are closed for the time being (check if they’re still open)
As a result, you’ll have to walk inland or take the train, which will allow you to enjoy this jewel and swim between the various stages.
The coastal path of Vernazza à Monterosso is open and cost 7,50€ one-way ticket/p if you don’t have a day pass. Duration 2h, rocky path, steps to climb in the heat, but beautiful views along the way. if you must opt for a walk, choose the path between Corniglia and Vernazza through vineyards and olive groves. His views are renowned.
For more information on the trails, please find below the map of coastal trails and inland. A word of advice: don’t forget good walking shoes, a hat and sun cream, as there’s very little shade.
Indications | Randonnées dans les Cinque Terre
- Levanto → Monterosso via la punta mesco: 7km/medium difficulty/about 3h of gentle walking. There are plenty of panoramic viewpoints to enjoy the small coves.
- The blue trails are not free and are the most popular of the five lands. This long walk links Monterosso à Riomaggiore. It can be completed in one go (allow around 5 hours). If you want to take the time to discover the villages, then I recommend you do this walk in 3 or 4 stages. You’ll be going home by train, for example.
- Monterosso → Vernazza : approx. 4km/difficulty easy/ approx. 2h easy walk
- Vernazza → Corniglia : approx. 4km/difficulty easy/ approx. 2h easy walk
- Corniglia → Manarola : approx. 3km/ easy difficulty/ approx. 1h30 easy walk
- Manarola → Riomaggiore : approx. 1km/difficulty very easy/about 1h of gentle walking. You can take your stroller with you on this route, as there are no difficulties along the way.
| WHERE TO STAY IN CINQUE TERRE?
In the Cinque Terre, Bed & Breakfasts are the main form of accommodation. It’s difficult to recommend just one because there are so many, but you can find some lovely nuggets on the booking site, which I often use. Prices obviously depend on location, whether or not you have a view of the village, whether breakfast is included and the services on offer. Although a great deal of effort has been made to improve accommodation, don’t be surprised to find that some bed & breakfasts are decorated in an old-fashioned way. Decoration is not particularly modern in Liguria and, I believe, in many Italian towns and villages.
From the station, also bear in mind that these are climbing villages, with narrow lanes and lots of stairs or hills to climb (think of your suitcases and your back). Don’t hesitate to ask the owner of your accommodation how far it is from the station to your hotel, to avoid any surprises.
The villages of the Cinque Terre have a very small co-op to stock up on fruit, vegetables and water. etc. and you’ll find plenty of restaurants on site, from trattorias selling focaccia and pizza to frito mixto, the typical little cone offering fried seafood such as fish or squid.
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Dormir à Manarola
→ In Manarola, you can try out the charming hotel Little Marina located 2 minutes’ walk from Manarola’s pebble beaches.
→ The beautiful guest house The Dream of Manarola by The First!
→ The Torreta Lodge guest house
→ Affittacamere San Giorgio guest house
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Dormir à Vernazza
→ In Vernazza, we’d like you to try out a B&B with a dream view, not in the center but on the hills 4km from the town center. Welcome to Cadé Ventu. There’s free private parking, so it’s pretty convenient.
→ Mada Charm Apartments Piazza
→ The Ciasso Romantic Seafront Escape
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Dormir à Riomaggiore
→ Cinq Terre Residence Hotel offers panoramic views of the village and an outdoor Jacuzzi.
→ There are also 3 apartments with incredible views over the village: Arancio, Glimpses of the Sea and Guesthouse Le Giare
→ The view of Marina by the First
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Dormir à Corniglia
→ In Corniglia, you can stay in an apartment with a breathtaking view of the village! Welcome to L’Agave Cinq Terre, an air-conditioned apartment located on a cliff and offering views of the Ligurian Sea from its terrace.
→ Guest house Affittacamere Arbasia De Ma
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Dormir à Monterosso
→ In Monterosso, you can stay at the Porto Roca in Monterosso, the only 4-star hotel in the village with a swimming pool
→ The hotel Hotel Degli Amici located in the old village. This small hotel boasts a rooftop garden overlooking the Ligurian Sea.
→ Appartement la Casa del Gigante, sublime !
For those with small budgets, I invite you to find hostels in la Spezia on this site. Otherwise, opt for an apartment or hotel outside these villages, such as in Levanto or to The Spezia.
| SLEEP IN LA SPEZIA
For our part, being vehiculated, we made the choice for a question of cost to lodge in the heights, in a small village perched in the mountains 20 minutes drive from Spezia. Here we found calm, zenitude and freshness to enjoy the Italian dolce vita at just 40€ per night with kitchenette and private bathroom.
For the first few nights we stayed in an old agriturismo monastery (20 minutes from La Spezia) run by Fabrizzio, a very friendly Italian. For the last few days we stayed with his mother, in her little house with a small swimming pool! If you’d like to do what we do, here’s their address:
Address Fabrizzio:
The House In The Woods
Via Fornello 10, Stadomelli (SP)
Rocchetta di vara
If you want to stay in la Spezia, prefer the center because it’s cute around Piazza Garibaldi but the surroundings are of little interest! If you are looking for a hotel, you can stay at Thehotel Coralloin the town center or head for the hills in a pretty stone house. If you’re looking for a shopping center, head for Terrazze.
In La Spezia, we also recommend you try the restaurant Da Claudia (in the heights) theWill you dare to Bartali an address for tasty seafood dishes, recommended by several people, or go to the restaurant the Zigoela, a pure Italian delight, but also to move on to the Trattoria Come Te. For more information on what to see in La Spezia, click here.
BON PLAN | LA SPEZIA
I’ve come up with an interesting plan from La Spezia. It’s possible to take a shore excursion from La Spezia to explore the city and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. You’ll have free time to explore the city’s various monuments, with the option of entering the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This can be a good way to discover another small town for the day.
➡️ Check availability for this tour and book here
➡️ You can also reserve just one transfer service inexpensive bus service from La Spezia to Florence and Pisa and vice versa. Book now
| SLEEPING IN LEVANTO
On the Levanto side, there’s the Villa Catherine which offers country-style rooms in a restored farmhouse. Ideal for agritourism. I also recommend Villanova Farmhouse which is just 2 km from Levanto. This charming country house dates back to the 1700s. Free use of pool, jacuzzi, parking and transfer to Levanto. Discover all our accommodation addresses for each village in the article Top 5 villages of Cinque Terre.
Discover the hotel Park Argento, perched high above Levanto. This 4* hotel boasts a swimming pool, spa and beautiful mountain views. There’s a free shuttle service for hotel guests to the train station and Levanto village.
In Levanto, you can eat at The Falcone Focacceria , Via Cairoli, 19, Levanto. For about 7 euros you get 2 slices of Focaccia. You can eat while watching the sun set over the beach.
| QUELLES ACTIVITÉS FAIRE EN DEHORS DES VILLAGES DES CINQ TERRE ?
If you’d like to try out some of the sporting and culinary delights on offer in Cinque Terre, here’s a small selection of our favorite activities:
- Un cours de cuisine pour faire du pesto ligure traditionnel dans une atmosphère typiquement italienne. Réservations ici
- Une visite guidée d’un vignoble et de goûter au vin local accompagné d’en-cas typiques du nord de l’Italie. Réservations ici
- Une sortie en Kayak pour découvrir d’un autre angle les Cinq Terre. Réservations ici
| WHEN TO VISIT CINQUE TERRE?
High season is July and August! We therefore recommend the months of April, May or June then September and October to visit the Cinque Terre. It’s an ideal time of year, as temperatures are not yet too hot and we can avoid the flood of summer tourists. If you’d like to go swimming, it’s best to come at the end of May, as swimming is almost impossible before then.
If, like us, you have no choice but to leave during the high season, do as we do and get up early to hit the trails.
A word of advice: if you visit the five lands in low season, there may be heavy showers, so check the weather conditions at the tourist office before you go out, and ask if the paths are passable.
See also our other articles on Cinque Terre:
| CAN YOU AVOID THE CROWDS AT CINQUE TERRE?
C’est un peu compliqué car les villages sont très prisés par les touristes. Cependant si vous vous aventurez dans les ruelles adjacentes (car les touristes restent souvent confinés dans la rue principale) ou bien sur les hauteurs des villages, vous pourrez profiter pleinement du charme de ces villages perchés. Cela vaut vraiment le coup d’emprunter les petits chemins autour des villages car vous aurez une vue magnifique sur les oliviers, les cactus ou encore les citronniers.
| WHERE TO SWIM IN CINQUE TERRE?
C’est la grande question! Les Cinque Terre étant sur des promontoires rocheux, il n’y a quasiment pas de plages pour se poser. La plus grande plage de sable Fegina, se trouve à Monterosso mais elle n’a rien d’exceptionnelle. Elle est facilement reconnaissable par ses parasols oranges et sa foule! La plage de Levanto est plus familiale, pratique et grande. Nous, nous aimons les petites criques avec les rochers et vous en aurez quelques unes aux Cinque Terre qui sont très agréables comme celle de Manarola ou la petite plage de Corniglia. Pour la crique de Manarola, il faut passer le restaurant Nessun Dorma et continuer le chemin, plus d’infos ici. Pour Corniglia, le chemin pour y descendre part de la place centrale. Attention, ce sont des rochers plus ou moins plats à chaque fois ou des galets donc l’accès et le lieu ne sont pas évidents en famille sans compter qu’il faut remonter les marches pour retourner au village! A Vernazza, il y a deux plages: une petite au pied du village et une un peu plus grande, située de l’autre côté, en traversant la grotte non loin de la place principale du village. Nous nous sommes posés sur les rochers quelques heures et c’était plutôt sympa.
Autour des Cinque Terre, il existe d’autres plages comme la plage de Framura à Porto Pidocchio, Bonassola, une plage typique très fréquentée, semblable aux plages de Monterosso et Levanto ou encore Guvano, une plage fréquentée par les nudistes.
Informations pratiques Les Cinq Terre
| VISIT CINQUE TERRE BY CAR
We will do not recommend to take the car to visit the Cinque Terre, as they are prohibited in the villages (except Monterosso) so no parking!
We had parked our car in La Spezia, in the alleys adjacent to the station. The rate is 0.75 cents per hour. or €5 to €7 per day. Parking spaces fill up fast! Don’t go too late. Free parking is available 500 meters from La Spezia station.
If you’re coming to Cinque Terre by car from France, consider carpooling to save on fuel costs! We did it, and it worked. From Monaco, it’s a 3h30 drive, and from Genoa, a 2h30 drive.
For those of you doing a roadtrip in Italy, I invite you to rent a car with the BSP comparator.
→ Vérifier les disponibilités et réserver sa voiture de location au meilleur prix ici
| VISIT THE CINQUE TERRE ON A SCOOTER
If you can find a scooter to rent by the day, it can be an interesting, fast and pleasant way to get from village to village. From Milan, the company la Gira invites you to discover these five lands in an original way. Some tuktuk convertibles to drive, but the price is very high for a few days in the Cinque Terre. You’ll only take it if you’re on a tuktuk roadtrip in Italy, passing through Cinque Terre and sure of getting back to Milan. It can be a long and tiring road!
| FLYING TO CINQUE TERRE
You can land at Gênes or toPise then rent a car to take you to Levanto or La Spezia. If you land in Genoa, take the shuttle bus to Genova Principe, Genoa’s main railway station. From this station, follow the instructions for taking the train. From Pisa, the route to the Cinque Terre is also direct, but the journey time is slightly longer (approx. 1 hour more, including shuttle and train).
→ Find your flight at the best price with Skyscanner
| AUTRES VILLAGES A DÉCOUVRIR AUTOUR DES CINQUE TERRE
If I’d had more time on my hands, I would have visited the neighboring Cinque Terre villages, such as Lerici, a small village with a charming marina. I was recommended the restaurant Hidden Goodness. Then there’s Sarzana, apparently a gorgeous little gem with lovely boutiques like Galax (Viale Giuseppe Mazzini, 20) or G. Glamour (Via Mazzini, 117). Finally, there’s PietraSanta and Carrara for the marble quarry, which were recommended to me.
The Cinque Terre is truly our favorite, a little corner of paradise where you’re likely to fall under its spell even before you get there! If you have any changes to make in terms of price or anything else you’d like me to know, just drop us a line and we’ll update the article. Read also our articles on our Top 5 villages of Cinque Terre to discover our best gourmet addresses as well as the islands of the Gulf of La Spezia to discover Cinque Terre by boat.
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