Cinque Terre is a string of old seaside towns/villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. Cinque Terre is in the Liguria coastal region, the northwest of Italy. It’s named for connecting five towns, meaning five lands literally. Best known for colorful houses, fishing boats, and seafood specialties with the Liguria regional famous sauce, pesto, it is worth visiting and having fun there.
Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore are the five lands, villages, or to some extent towns, forming the Cinque Terre coastal area. Cinque Terre is just one part of the paradise you can discover in Italy; there are other wonderlands in Italy that Dena Trip refers to as the best things to do in Amalfi Coast and the best things to do in Tuscany, Italy. Spending time in Cinque Terre would feel like colors dancing before your eyes!
The Best Things to Do in Cinque Terre
Within Cinque Terre, there are things you must do. For finding the best places to stay in Cinque Terre, we have offered an additional checklist in this link. But here, the Dena Trip tourist guide provides a checklist of the best things to do in Cinque Terre. Usually, these things focus on going to a historical place or being to a natural sight. Let’s see what actions possibly meet your traveling goals in different parts of Cinque Terre.
The Sentiero Azzurro Cliffside Hiking Trail
Sentiero Azzurro/the Blue Path links the towns in a 12 km pathway. Hiking this cliff route, you can observe pastel-colored houses from up above and travel from town to town. Looking down at the turquoise water of the sea, you may think it is an isolated place in the world.
Cinque Terre National Park
Natives call it Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre. It is a protected 4300-acre area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site with dry summers and rainy winters. This protected natural park is home to several species, however, it is the smallest national park in Italy. The best things you can do when visiting Cinque Terre National Park are listed below:
- Walk around and enjoy watching various plants and flora such as starflower, thyme, samphire, lavender, rosemary, Aleppo pine, pine, and chestnut trees.
- If you are a fan of wildlife, you may also want to visit different animals such as seagulls, peregrine falcons, ravens, dormice, weasels, moles, marten, foxes, badger, wild boar, lizards, common wall lizards, salamanders, rat snake, grass snake of Aesculapius, and the viper. You should be careful about some of these species, especially the snakes!
- Hike the trails and enjoy watching the untouched natural environment.
Vernazza
Natives call it Vernasa, too. Among the most beautiful villages in Italy, Vernazza stands out in Cinque Terre. You can both call it a town or a village. If you hike the Blue Path, it will finally lead to this beautiful place. From Sentiero Azzurro, you can observe colorful houses facing the sea and a small port where local boats are visible in different colors. The best things to do in Vernazza are:
- Hiking the Blue Path and watching beautiful landscapes
- Visiting Church of Santa Margherita d’Antiochia
- Visiting Doria Castle
- Visiting Sanctuary of Madonna di Reggio and Stations of the Cross
- Visiting the Chapel of Santa Marta
- Eating Focaccia or Pizza Bianca (an oven-baked Italian bread found in the bakery)
- Spending time and having fun at the protected harbor of Vernazza Beach near Piazza Marconi.
Monterosso al Mare
As the westernmost of the Cinque Terre, a summary of the best things to do in Monterosso al Mare is here:
- Visit the parish church of St. John the Baptist.
- Go to the Castle.
- Visit the statue of the Giant/Neptune.
- Visit Santuario Nostra Signora di Saviore (The sanctuary of our Lady of Saviore).
- Have fun at the beautiful beach.
Corniglia
It is part of the five lands and one of the five towns but has no direct access to the seaside. Since it lacks a beach, the best things to do in Corniglia are to:
- Travel among the calm picturesque streets.
- Visit Church of S. Pietro.
- Hike the trail (because the town is situated at the top of the cliff and gives you a great view).
Manarola
It has colorful houses, streets, historic buildings, a railway station, and a large water wheel. The name comes from the large wheel in the town. Every year, from December 8 to February 2, thousands of lights illuminate the town as a Catholic Christian tradition.
