Hiking in Cinque Terre: Guide With Trails, Photos & Tips

Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is best seen and experienced while hiking. It truly is a highlight of any trip to Cinque Terre. You can enjoy the unique scenery and viewpoints of towns that you simply can’t get by just strolling through the towns.

While you certainly don’t have to do all the hikes, we highly recommend at least one. 

In this guide, we’ll share the hiking statistics and highlights of all the main hikes, plus recommend a few extra ones in case you have more time in Cinque Terre. This should help you decide which hikes to do.

The most popular Cinque Terre trail, known as the Blue Path (Sentierro Azzurro), is a hiking trail that connects all five towns of Cinque Terre: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Monterosso.

However, parts of the trail have been destroyed due to landslides, so some sections currently have alternative routes, such as the one between Corniglia and Manarola (via Volastra). And the special path between Riomaggiore and Manarola reopened in 2024 and is charged separately (more on this later in the article).

Therefore, you can completely ignore the name Blue Path, and better check each hike between the towns separately. This name no longer holds significance, but you can still find some outdated information associated with it.

Additionally, the Via dell’Amore (Lover’s Path) between Riomaggiore and Manarola requires the Cinque Terre Card, plus an extra 10 EUR.

Since we were based in Levanto and had to use trains more often, it made sense for us to buy the Cinque Terre Train Card (which also includes access to paid hiking trails). A one-way train journey can cost between €5 and €10 per adult in high season.

With the Cinque Terre Card, you also get free use of toilets (otherwise 1 EUR) at all train stations and free bus service.

During the hike, you’ll pass beautiful forest areas, gardens, vineyards, backyards of houses, and even the cute Cantina Capellini winery, where you can do a wine tasting in the middle of the vineyard with a stunning view.

We recommend doing this hike in the late afternoon, so you reach Manarola just in time for sunset. The colors on the town will be absolutely stunning.

2. Vernazza to Monterosso Hike

Distance	3.6 km (2.2 miles)
Duration	2 hours
Elevation gain	217 m (711 ft)
Difficulty	Moderate
Hiking fee	Yes, Cinque Terre Card
Recommended direction	Starting in Vernazza is easier due to the less steep stairs
Path	Lots of uneven stairs, rocky, narrow (especially closer to Monterosso)
Trail map	Check the trail here
Hike guide	Read our detailed guide to the hike.

Hiking from Vernazza to Monterosso offers excellent viewpoints of both Vernazza and Monterosso. You’ll also find the most famous photo spot of Vernazza along this route. During the hike, you’ll pass a cute stone bridge, and then, at the end of the hike, the views of Monterosso are stunning! The shades of blue look almost unreal.

We recommend doing this hike early in the morning and then finishing with a swim at Monterosso. If you plan to start your hike in Monterosso, it’s better to leave late afternoon, as Vernazza is stunning for sunset, so you’ll end up there when the sun illuminates it with a lovely golden light.

3. Corniglia to Vernazza Hike

Distance	3.5 km (2.17 miles)
Duration	1.5 hours
Elevation gain	157 m (515 ft) – without Corniglia stairs
Difficulty	Moderate
Hiking fee	Yes, Cinque Terre Card
Recommended direction	Starting in Corniglia is easier due to the less steep stairs (bonus points: take the shuttle bus from the train station to the town)
Path	Uneven stairs, rocky, wider path with a fence for most of the time
Trail map	Check the trail here
Hike Guide	Read our detailed guide to the hike.

The hike from Corniglia to Vernazza is a beautiful route with great views of both Corniglia and Vernazza, as well as Manarola in the distance from one point. For a big part of the hike, you’re able to see stunning shades of blue sea and lots of flowers and greenery on the path.

The highlight is the small village of Bernardino, which you can see at the top of the hill, and cute bars offering refreshing drinks and fantastic views. Vernazza, viewed from this perspective, also looks absolutely beautiful!

We recommend doing this hike in the early morning or late afternoon (so you finish in Vernazza and catch the sunset – it can be truly beautiful!).

4. Riomaggiore to Manarola Hike (via Beccara)

Distance	1.9 km (1.18 miles)
Duration	1-1.5 hours
Elevation gain	201 m (659 ft)
Difficulty	Moderate to hard
Hiking fee	Free
Recommended direction	Starting in Riomaggiore is easier, as the descent into Manarola has handrails to help (if you feel like you need them while going up, consider going the other way around).
Path	Very steep, uneven stairs up and down, almost no flat sections, rocky
Trail map	Check the trail here

Riomaggiore to Manarola via Beccara is a short but very steep hike, consisting of steep, uneven stairs that make up almost the entire trail. There aren’t many flat sections on this trail.

You can see other towns in the distance, though, but they will be very far away as Riomaggiore is first (or last) of the towns in a row. If you’re limited on time (or not as fit), I’d skip this one.

5. Via dell’Amore

Via dell’Amore, also known as Lover’s Path or Path of Love, is a leisurely stroll, not a hike, but we’ll still mention it here.

After being closed for 12 years, the famous Via dell’Amore path between Riomaggiore and Manarola reopened in 2024.

Distance	900 meters (0.55 miles)
Duration	15-30 minutes
Elevation gain	32 m (104 ft)
Difficulty	Easy
Hiking fee	Yes, 10 EUR + Cinque Terre Card.
Recommended direction	It’s a one-way path, starting in Riomaggiore and exiting in Manarola.
Path	Flat, paved path
Trail map	Check the trail here

The short 900-meter (0.55 miles) path is charged a hefty 17.50 EUR (10 EUR for the path entrance plus the Cinque Terre Card, which costs 7.50 EUR for a day), but in our opinion, it is the least impressive of the paths.

Even though it’s apparently considered the most romantic path in the world, we wouldn’t recommend it. Unless you’re not able to do other hikes, then it may make sense.

The path passes through forest areas and olive groves, offering beautiful views of Levanto and all five towns of Cinque Terre (in the distance, of course). This is an excellent hike if you’re staying in Levanto or want to enjoy some hiking on a less crowded trail in Cinque Terre.

We recommend starting the hike early in the morning. Most of the trail will be in shade, and you’ll avoid the heat.

On the way, you can stop at Podere Lovara, a renovated clifftop farm for a short tour with food tasting, and before the final descent towards Monterosso, you can stop at Punta Mesco viewpoint.

7. Riomaggiore to Porto Venere

Distance	13.4 km (8.3 miles)
Duration	5-6 hours
Elevation gain	759 m (2490 ft)
Difficulty	Hard
Hiking fee	Free
Recommended direction	Start in Riomaggiore. It’s harder, but the views are better.
Path	Uneven stairs, rocky, narrow
Trail map	Check the trail here

Hiking from Riomaggiore to Porto Venere is hard and long, but also rewarding. You’ll pass through some small towns with restaurants where you can take a break and have a snack or use the toilet. At the end, you’ll reach Castello Doria, a medieval castle.

This hike is perfect if you have more time in Cinque Terre or want an alternative hiking trail with fewer crowds. While the views aren’t as spectacular as on the other Cinque Terre trails, this route is great if you love hiking. The views are at their best at the start and end of the hike, just as with most Cinque Terre hikes.

We recommend starting early in the morning and then taking the ferry back to Riomaggiore (or the town where you are staying). Keep in mind the ferry schedules.

Best time for hiking in Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre hikes are usually possible year-round. Still, the best conditions for hiking are from April to October, with the spring and autumn months being the most ideal, as it’s not too hot and the crowds are still manageable (especially if you do hikes in the early morning or late afternoon).

The best times for hiking in Cinque Terre are either early morning (before 9 am) or late afternoon to avoid the midday heat and crowds. This is especially true if you’re visiting in summer, as heat and humidity can be unbearable.

We made the mistake of starting our Vernazza to Monterosso hike later than usual, just before 10 am. It was also a day when one-way was enforced, but we entered the trail before 9 am and spent almost an hour at the viewpoint.

That means we were met with huge crowds towards Monterosso (as everyone was starting their hike there). We were essentially trail running the last part of the trail to avoid congestion, as it has a very narrow path and endless, narrow stairs.

There are free water fountains in each town.

Take your refillable water bottle and fill it at the free water fountains located in each town. Many times, they’re located close to the starting points of hikes. Just search “water fountain” in Google Maps, and you should find it easily. Usually, they’re labelled as ‘Fontanella acqua potabile’ in Italian.

No toilets on the trail

The trails between Cinque Terre hikes don’t have toilets. The hikes in between are pretty short, so we suggest using the toilets in town or at the train station.

Train between villages

Besides hiking, you can also take a train between each town. So, you can hike to one town, and then take a train to another town. A one-way train journey costs between 5 and 10 EUR per adult during high season. If you plan to use trains more, it makes sense to get a Cinque Terre Train Card (includes free toilets at train stations and hiking fees as well).

You can swim after hikes.

Each Cinque Terre town has a beach, so you can take a refreshing swim after the hike.

Rules in Cinque Terre National Park

No open-toe shoes
Open-toe shoes and shoes with smooth soles are forbidden on Cinque Terre trails. While you don’t necessarily need hiking shoes, wearing good, comfortable sneakers is recommended.

Now, we’re not sure how thoroughly this is actually checked, but considering the rocky and uneven paths, we definitely recommend wearing proper footwear.

Do not damage trees or pick flowers
Signing your name on a cactus is not cool.

Walk only on the marked trail.
The hiking trails of Cinque Terre pass through private properties (gardens, vineyards, olive fields, etc.). Please stay on the marked trail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which hike is best in Cinque Terre?

The most underrated hike in Cinque Terre is the one from Corniglia to Manarola. The second-best hike for us is the one from Corniglia to Vernazza, followed by the hike from Vernazza to Monterosso.

Which Cinque Terre hikes are free?

Hikes from Corniglia to Manarola (via Volastra) and Riomaggiore to Manarola (via Beccara) are free in Cinque Terre. Additionally, hikes from Levanto to Monterosso and Riomaggiore to Portovenere are free.

Only three paths in Cinque Terre are paid; from Monterosso to Vernazza and Vernazza to Corniglia (need to buy the Cinque Terre Card), and the paved path between Riomaggiore and Manarola, known as Via dell’Amore or Lovers’ Path (10 EUR + Cinque Terre Card).

How difficult is hiking in Cinque Terre?

Hikes in Cinque Terre are generally of moderate difficulty. They are short, but consist of lots of stairs and a rocky, narrow path.

The easiest hikes for us were Vernazza to Monterosso and Corniglia to Vernazza, specifically in those directions.

Do you need tickets to hike in Cinque Terre?

Access to the Cinque Terre National Park is free, but you need to buy a Cinque Terre Trekking Card to access hikes from Monterosso to Vernazza and from Vernazza to Corniglia. As well as an additional 10 EUR for the Lover’s Path between Riomaggiore and Manarola (on top of Cinque Terre Card).

Can I hike Cinque Terre in one day?

Yes, it’s doable to hike all the main trails in Cinque Terre in one day (Riomaggiore to Monterosso). 

However, to make it easier, you don’t need to hike the whole trail at once. If you have more than one day in Cinque Terre, as we did, we suggest breaking up the trail into smaller sections over more days (at least two).

And if you have little time in Cinque Terre or don’t want to hike as much, you can choose which hike (or hikes) you want to do.

If you’d like to hike from Portovenere to Levanto, you’d need a minimum of two days, ideally three. The route from Portovenere to Riomaggiore takes about 5-6 hours, Riomaggiore to Monterosso about 7-8 hours, and Monterosso to Levanto about 3-4 hours. And this is without exploring towns.

Our opinion & final thoughts

While Cinque Terre towns are gorgeous, we genuinely believe that hiking trails between the towns are what make the Cinque Terre so special. You get incredible viewpoints while walking these nature trails.

However, we can’t emphasise enough that starting early or late in the day is best for the experience.