Cinque Terre is a majestic location located along the northwestern part of Italy. Its five villages are definitely something that should be visited at some point on your Italian vacation. In this post we will explain the best ways to navigate around Cinque Terre.
Train
The train is the easiest way to navigate around Cinque Terre. You can buy the Cinque Terre Card which includes access to the hiking trails and unlimited train use for the days you will be there. The stops are all very close to the center of the village (with the exception of Corniglia which may require you to walk up to the village on the hill) which makes it easy to explore each location.
The best part about using the trains is that they are so frequent and it’s usually only a few minutes in between villages. They may be a little crowded in the summer months but its a short ride either way. To check the train times, visit the Trenitalia page.
Hiking
If you are active and love to hike, Cinque Terre boasts some of the best hiking views in the entire world. To hike the full length of the Blue Trail from Riomaggiore to Monterosso it would take about 5 hours total. Our advice is that you can always split up the hike. For example, start in Riomaggiore one day, Hike to Corniglia and then take the train back to where you are staying. Then the next day you can take the train to where you left off and restart from there.
You might be tired but it will be well worth it. On your hike there are little hotels or restaurants that you can stop at to have a snack or a glass of wine. Plus the Cinque Terre Card includes access to the hiking trail. Just remember to bring it with you!
Boat
A sunset boat tour is definitely a must when you visit Cinque Terre. Take a dip in the Mediterranean, drink some prosecco, and relax while an English speaking captain brings you to all five villages to take pictures from the water. In addition to the train, there are also boat taxis that bring you between the villages if you would like to change your method of transportation.
Car
You can certainly rent a car or get a private driver to drive around the Cinque Terre but it is not really recommended. In some cases your hotel may be up the mountain a little more and in that case, a car would be needed. However in most cases, the train would be a much easier method of transportation around Cinque Terre.
If you would like to learn more about Cinque Terre, click here for a free 30 minute consultation
