Cinque Terre

<< Liguria

The Cinque Terre (“Five Lands”) is a rugged portion of the eastern Ligurian coast, in the Province of La Spezia. The region takes its name from the five villages located along the coast, which were founded in the Early Middle Ages. The Cinque Terre feature numerous terraces with fields and gardens, and coastal paths that run along the cliff with a breathtaking view on the sea. The roads going into the Cinque Terre are few and narrow, but all five villages are linked to La Spezia by train. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Cinque Terre have experienced a huge rise in popularity lately, becoming a major tourist destination.

✪ Monterosso al Mare

Monterosso al Mare is the westernmost and largest of the five villages of the Cinque Terre. The town is split in two by a promontory, with the oldest part of the village located to the east. The 17th-century Church of San Francesco, with the adjacent convent, overlooks the city from the promontory, while the Gothic Church of San Giovanni Battista stands in the center of the old town. Other attractions here include the coastal defensive fortification called Aurora Tower (Torre Aurora), and the large Statue of the Giant (Statua del Gigante), located on the cliffside.

✪ Vernazza

The second village of the Cinque Terre, going west to east, is Vernazza. A fishing village and the only natural port in the Cinque Terre, Vernazza features many narrow alleys and various terraced hills overlook the town. The most remarkable landmark of Vernazza is the Doria Castle, a fortification located on top of a tall cliff on the sea. The main religious site in the village is the Romanesque Church of Santa Margherita, located on the seaside near the port, facing the main square of Vernazza.

✪ Corniglia

Corniglia is a tiny village in the Cinque Terre, part of the municipality of Vernazza. Located on top of a cliff, it is the only one of the five towns with no direct access to the sea. Corniglia is linked with the sea and the train station via a long stairway called Lardarina. A panoramic terrace on the cliffside in Corniglia offers a great view on the Ligurian Sea.

✪ Manarola

Manarola is the second-smallest village of the Cinque Terre, part of the municipality of Riomaggiore. The town is located along a narrow valley, surrounded by terraced hills. During the Christmas season, one of these hills is adorned with a huge nativity scene. A lookout point is located in the upper area of Manarola, in front of the Gothic Church of San Lorenzo, but the greatest panoramic view here can be enjoyed from the scenic viewpoint of Punta Bonfiglio, on the promontory north of the village.

✪ Riomaggiore

The easternmost village of the Cinque Terre, and the closest one to La Spezia, is Riomaggiore, located in a narrow valley along the coast. The small Riomaggiore Castle, dating from the Late Middle Ages, overlooks the town, while not far from there is the Church of San Giovanni Battista, located on a small square with a panoramic terrace.

✪ Sentiero Azzurrro

The Sentiero Azzurro (“Blue Trail”) is a hiking path that runs along the rugged coast of the Cinque Terre, linking all five villages from Riomaggiore to Monterosso al Mare. The path was once used by locals to travel between the towns, and now it is one of the main attractions in the area. The initial section of the trail, between Riomaggiore and Manarola, is also known as Via dell’Amore, and it is the most popular section of the path.