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Colourful town of Manarola (copyright Ihor Burbela) -
Colourful Houses in Riomaggiore
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Fishing Boats in Portovenere
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Riomaggiore at Sunset
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Fruit & Veg Market
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Kayaking in Tellaro
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Delicious Food with a View
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Houses in Riomaggiore
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Walking in the Cinque Terre
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A View of Vernazza
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Via Dell'Amore
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Walking Through Vineyards
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Colourful Streets in Manarola
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Boats on Vernazza Coast
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Colourful Boats
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Walking through Vineyards above Manarola
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Monterosso Beach
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Colourful houses in Riomaggiore (copyright f11photo)
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Aperitivi in the Cinque Terre
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Train Network
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Rooftops in the Cinque Terre
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Ancient Street in Monterosso
Walking in Cinque Terre area
Cinque Terre area at a glance
- Italian
- Euro (EUR)
- Manchester Int. (MAN), London Gatwick (LGW), Birmingham Int. (BHX), Bristol (BRS), Leeds Bradford (LBA), London Luton (LTN)
Travel included to Cinque Terre area
Depart: Daily
Fly into: Pisa (approx. 2 hours)
Transfer time: approx. 1 hour 30 mins by taxi
Included in your walking holiday to Cinque Terre
- On holiday support and tailored advice from our Destination Experts based in Italy
- Access to Inghams Digital Resort Guide with things to do, walks and useful information on holiday
- Flights from the UK, transfers and accommodation
Walking in Cinque Terre area
Walks and hikes
- Walking Trails:
- 120km of walking trails
- Terrain:
- Varied terrain from mountain climbs, narrow mountain paths, dirt tracks
It's true that walking in the Cinque Terre area can be challenging, but you'll also find some more moderate trails as well. The towns and the national park are all situated on uphill ascents, but there are some fantastic trails for more experienced hikers in search of the best views. People flock here each summer just to get a glimpse of that lapis lazuli water from high up in the cliffs.
With over 120 kilometres of walking trails and well sign-posted routes, this is such a popular area to experience some really unique scenery and paths. The signposts are often colour-coded; red being challenging trails and blue signalling the easier trails. If you wanted to hike through the entire Cinque Terre, the walk would be about seven miles long, with a 610 metre height gain, which is perfectly doable if you're an experienced walker. Many people break up the walk however, and will do a different section of the Cinque Terre each day in order to soak up the culture of each Cinque Terre village along the way.
Our favourite self-guided walks in the Cinque Terre area
Discover Cinque Terre area
- Follow in the footsteps of the Romantic poets, from Byron to Shelley, on the Golfo dei Poeti
- Walk along a network of trails above colourful Cinque Terre towns
- Explore historic castles and churches with sea views
There are so many activities right on your doorstep in the Cinque Terre area, from walking and water sports to golf. Five fishing villages make up the iconic Cinque Terre, while the area surrounding it offers more of the same beauty and allure; from walking through the Cinque Terre national park to jumping aboard a local train and visiting another picturesque village. You could spend every day of your summer holiday enjoying a different activity, but if you want to take it a bit easier and soak up some culture, there are ancient churches and buildings dotted all over the place!
You'll be pleased to hear that those classic postcard images of brightly coloured buildings lining mountainous coasts aren't photo-shopped. The Cinque Terre is in fact as stunning as it looks in the pictures. There are endless towns made up of clusters of multi-coloured buildings that stand out beautifully against the bright blue sea. Head to the Golfo dei Poeti in Portovenere, named after significant literary figures such as Lord Byron, who used to visit the area, it's a stunning strip of land which sits between the sea and the mountains.
The Ligurian train network makes exploring this part of Italy a doddle. Most of our hotels are within walking distance of a local station, making it easy for you to hop on a train and explore a different town or village each day. A 19th century railway line cuts through the hillside, linking one Cinque Terre village to another. From Levanto, both the Cinque Terre and it's national park are just a short train journey away (we’re talking mere minutes!), and from Lerici, a 30-minute local bus will get you to the city of La Spezia, where you’ll find lively bars with plentiful plates of focaccia, pesto pasta and seafood.
The seafood on offer in the Cinque Terre area is second to none; you’ll find the juiciest mussels and the fattest anchovies, as well as the typically Ligurian stockfish, traditionally served with chard, onion, garlic and parsley. Liguria’s biggest claim to fame, however, might be pesto Genovese. That’s right- this is the land of pesto. Traditionally, it’s served with trofie- a short, twisted pasta, local to the region- and goes perfectly with a glass of crisp Vermentino wine- our favourite way to enjoy an evening on your summer holiday.
The Cinque Terre area is well know for it's public transport. The trains are particularly handy for getting around. The mountainous roads can be narrow and tricky to navigate in a car, so most people travel by train, foot, bus or ferry.
Train
Liguria has a great train network particularly connecting the Cinque Terre towns themselves. It's easy to hop from town to town using the old train line and it's one of the best ways to get into the Cinque Terre National Park, where you'll find many walking trails.
Buses
There's also a good bus network in the area which is an affordable way of getting around. If you're staying in Lerici for example, it will only take 30 minutes to head to the nearby city of La Spezia. There are lots of opportunities to check out nearby towns and cities using the bus network.
For free use of the buses or selected regional trains in the area, you can buy one of the Cinque Terre Cards. For more information on these, head to the Cards & Passes tab.
Ferry
The ferry network is a picturesque way to travel around the coast. From Portovenere it's easy to get a ferry to the Cinque Terre towns and if you want to go further afield, why not head over to Portofino for the day and get that classic Italian summer holiday experience.
The Cinque Terre Trekking card is very useful to buy if you want access to even more hiking trails. Most trails are free but if you want to try out two of the most famous walks in the Cinque Terre national park; Vernazza to Corniglia and Monterosso to Vernazza, you'll need this special pass.
The card also includes:
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Free access to two paid hiking paths: from Monterosso to Vernazza and from Vernazza to Corniglia. Please note that these are the only paid paths in the area, all other paths can be accessed free of charge.
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Free use of the bathrooms at Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso train stations.
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Free use of the buses within the Cinque Terre National Park.
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Discount on entry to the Civic Museums in La Spezia (Amedeo Lia, Castello San Giorgio, CAMeC, Sigillo, Palazzina delle Arti, Etnografico and Diocesano).
This card can be bought online in advance of your holiday. All you have to do is visit the Cinque Terre National Park website. Alternatively it can be bought at tourist information points in the Cinque Terre train stations. The card costs approx.€7.50 per day or €14.50 for two days. Cards must be validated before use.
If you want access to unlimited train travel on selected routes then you can upgrade your Cinque Terre Trekking card to a Cinque Terre Treno MS card. This card gives you all the added value of the Cinque Terre Trekking Card with the addition of unlimited second class train travel on the La Spezia - Cinque Terre - Levanto railway line (regional trains only).
The card costs approx. €18.20 per day, €33 for two days or €47 for three days. It can be purchased in the same way as the trekking card. For more details please see the Cinque Terre Trekking Card tab.
Travel to Cinque Terre area
Travel by Air
Flights to Pisa depart daily between 03 May-11 Oct 2025 and 02 May-10 Oct 2026
Fly from:
- London Gatwick, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds Bradford and London Luton.
Transfer times:
- Pisa airport: approx. 1 hour and 30 mins by taxi
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