Visit Cinque Terre

“On my first night in Cinque Terre, I took the train from Levanto to Riomaggiore and climbed the hill to the parking lot to meet the driver for the 20-minute uphill drive to Tramonti. Emanuele met us at the end of the driveway and gave us a tour of the property. His passion for the land and its history is palpable. We toured his young vineyard and learned about the challenges and rewards of growing grapes in Cinque Terre’s difficult terrain. And as he began to play Bach from the cozy piano room in his farmhouse, we sipped on Cinque Terre wine and nibbled on local cheese and meats while watching the sunset over the sea. As it got dark, Emanuele’s colleagues served us dinner, dessert, and his homemade lemon liqueurs. I felt like I had been transported to another world that evening. The views, the dinner, the music—Emanuele has organized an experience like no other.”

“Arriving just after lunch, the smell of the ocean on the 14 °C day was so refreshing, we felt automatically energised. [...] Lucky for us there was a bar in Volastra which served ice cold beer (and water). The waiter was very chatty and had no problem letting us know that we were half way to Corniglia, however the second half was a much easier hike. The hike took us just under two hours in total, however it was winter, so there weren't many people on the trail. In some sections you have to wait for others to pass as the path is very narrow and I can only imagine that during the busier months, this could extend your time. The hike is picturesque and breathtaking. At times you are hiking through private vineyards and past the backdoor of houses dotted along the hillside. Just as we made Corniglia, the sun was setting over the ocean and it was starting to get very cold, very quickly.”

“The next morning, I met up with Erica and a small group in Manarola a little before 9:00. We took a walk around the quiet village toward the start of the hike to Volastra. When Erica says this hike is “straight uphill,” she is not exaggerating. So, make sure you are confident in your fitness level before signing up. Erica did take breaks to tell stories as we climbed through terraced vineyards and olive groves and allowed us to enjoy the views, which are unbeatable. Upon arriving in Volastra, we visited the cellar of a local winemaker, Capellini, where Erica shared information with us about the wine production. From there, we walked to Cantina Capellini, located in the terraced vineyard with views straight down to the sea.”

“It was MUCH busier than I had expected. Considering the 'off-peak' season (and not Easter) I wasn't expecting those crowds. Vernazza seemed to be one of the most heavily trafficked. Trains were not as frequent as expected, and were usually running late. I saw the schedule, but generally we were told trains run 'very regularly'. Not really the case, and often 5-20 min late. I'd advised having the schedule handy unless you want to be waiting on the platform instead of sigh-seeing. [...] We only used [the bus] once [...] and it was a great solution for tired legs to quickly get to the train.”

“I visited Cinque Terre for a weekend during the first week of June, 2025. My friend and I stayed slightly outside the main villages (wouldn't recommend) and didn’t have a car. Despite this, getting around was manageable, thanks to friendly localites, local buses and taxis- though they weren’t widely mentioned online or on Reddit during our planning. If you're using the Cinque Terre Travel Pass (available at the info desks), it covers both trains and buses across all five villages, making it quite convenient.”