Can you visit Cinque Terre in a day?
Yes, you can – I did – but I’m not sure if I’d recommend it!
But if you’re short on time, it is certainly possible to spend just one day on the Cinque Terre (and see all five villages).
I only had one day to explore Cinque Terre, and I was keen to see all the villages (for blog/ YouTube reasons!).
Here’s how to do it.
My trip to the Cinque Terre
I began my day in Monterosso al Mare, which is the northernmost village and travelled down to Riomaggiore by train, stopping in all other villages on the way. I had to be in Levanto (about an hour from Riomaggiore) by 6:30pm to get to my accommodation for the night.
To ensure I saw each village, I set myself a personal rule: I had to find one unique site, one food or drink item and find out one interesting fact about each!
I visited on a weekend in September, just after the height of summer. This meant it was busier than expected, especially around midday and on the trains!
Here’s everything I took from the day – and tips for what I did right and what I’d do differently next time.
Trains & Day Pass
The only way to visit the five villages of the Cinque Terre in a day is by taking the local train. Its tunnel network cuts through the cliffs, with departures every 20 – 60 minutes – do keep their timetable with you or loaded onto your phone!
The reason you’ll want to take the train is due to the sheer time saving it gives you. A train from Monterosso al Mare, the northernmost town on the coast, to Vernazza, the next town along, will take four minutes. The equivalent drive will take a whopping 40 minutes, as you have to weave around hilly roads and take big detours!
The point-to-point fare is approximately €10 per ride, which becomes expensive fast. So I bought the Cinque Terre Treno MS card, which was €32 for a Sunday in September (it’s cheaper at other times of the year and on weekdays).
More information about the train cards and rates on this post.
The pass includes unlimited trains between villages, access to hiking trails and park Wi-Fi.
I found Trainline to be useful with departures and confirming what trains were going to my station. Not all trains stop at all villages, so do double check before boarding! Others are sleepers from Milan and Vienna, so skip most of the Cinque Terre villages.
On the departure boards, BIN means “binario”, which is Italian for “platform” and RIT means “ritardo”, Italian for “delay”.
Monterosso al Mare
In the morning, I took a train from Genoa to Monterosso al Mare. This is a gorgeous seaside town that feels the most “resorty” out of all the Cinque Terre! There are a few beaches, but most of them are paid-for or attached to a restaurant (and a purchase is essential for lounger use).
Food and drink
I walked straight into the town to get my morning coffee – I think I found the only place on the Cinque Terre that serves coffee with plant-based milk! It’s called Mae Caa and also offers smoothies, avocado on toast and baked goods.
Things to do and see
After my coffee, I walked to Fegina Beach, which is the only free beach section in Monterosso, and is where the Statua del Gigante (Neptune) is located. Built in 1910, it was subsequently damaged by WWII bombing and sea erosion. Now, it’s missing limbs but it’s still a signature landmark!
I also discovered, from seeing posters around town, that Monterosso hosts one of the world’s largest salted anchovy festivals – and unbeknownst, I visited the weekend before the festival.
Any time of year, these salty fish are considered especially prized, although as a vegetarian I didn’t try them!
General impressions
Being the biggest and most spacious of the five villages (it’s actually the only town), Monterosso is where you should come if you want to flop on the beach.
It’s the only settlement with sizeable sands, and with a long promenade dotted with bars and restaurants, it’s a great base for a relaxing day!
I was there at about 10am, and it felt busy but not overwhelming – although I’m sure it got busier later.
Vernazza
I hopped on the four-minute train to Vernazza, and I was hungry. Vernazza is a labyrinth of small, interconnecting streets that lead out to the harbour, where there are a few restaurants. But on Google Maps, I’d found somewhere off the tourist trail!
Food and drink
Ristorante Belforte sits high above the harbour, with enchanting views stretching over the village and seafront. As it was only just 12 noon, I had the place to myself and took a seat at one of the high tables next to the vista.
I enjoyed trofie al pesto for €20 and a glass of Cinque Terre dry white wine for €8 – I’m wine-fussy and this was delicious!
Things to do and see
Vernazza is famous for its secret cave passageway to the beach. I tried to visit this, but it’s currently roped off, but visible from the entrance.
This small beach actually only exists because of floods and landslides in 2011. Today, it has two beaches (although neither is as sprawling as Monterosso’s!): the older harbour beach and the newer sandy beach.
I also went to Doria Castle, which is only reachable by climbing a long series of steep steps. Entry is €5 (cash only).
Originally built as defensive lookout against pirate attacks, especially from Pisa, the tower is around 1,000 years old. It was used again during WWII as a German anti-aircraft position.
Nowadays, it has an impressive view of the village, Monterosso, the train line and vistas across the harbour and out to sea. I could even make out Corniglia’s cliffs in the distance.
General impressions
Vernazza’s a stunner, but it’s very busy. While my lunch spot was near deserted when I entered at midday, it soon filled up, and the harbour restaurants were packed!
The staircases that led out of the harbour were also quite steep, especially up to Doria Tower.
Corniglia
If you skipped one village, I’d say it could be Corniglia. It’s the only Cinque Terre village not at the sea, sitting high above the cliffs.
There is a bus that connects the village with the station. On a busy September weekend, the queues were long!
I took the stairs – all 383 of them. This was definitely a leg burner, even after climbing to Everest Base Camp earlier that year!
Food/Drink
By the time I got to the top, I definitely felt like I deserved a gelato! There are numerous gelato shops in Corniglia, as well as a few restaurants – but it certainly felt sleepier than the other Cinque Terre villages.
Things to do and see
I popped into the Chiesa di San Pietro, a 14th century church with parts dating back to the 11th century. Inside, there are frescoes painted by the teacher who Michelangelo studied under!
General impressions
I found the hike quite taxing, and the village itself, while pretty, didn’t have much on offer.
Gorgeous cliff views abound from some spots, but it’s much quieter than the coastal Cinque Terre villages!
Manarola
Manarola was gorgeous, but everyone else certainly thought so too.
The packed train (which was 15 minutes late) was as busy as the London Underground during rush hour. Thankfully, it was only a four minute journey!
Food/Drink
I bought some focaccia from Pan & Pumate, a local bakery. Plain and pesto were both on offer (pesto is from this part of Italy); I went for plain, as I’d had pesto for lunch and thought I’d probably have it for dinner!
Main site
Manarola has what’s considered to be the best viewpoint of all the five villages. It was (another) uphill to reach it, but from the top, I could see the harbour framed by pastel buildings, boats bobbing on the bright water – it really was postcard-perfect.
A few people were swimming at the harbour, and on a sticky September afternoon it did look very enticing (unfortunately, I had no swimming clothes with me!).
Manarola is considered to be the oldest of the five villages, with historical records going back to the 1200s. There’s even a local dialect – Manarolese (manaàrol) is distinct even from dialects in the neighbouring villages!
General impressions
Manarola may have been my favourite of the villages, but it was absolutely packed. The harbour looked like a glorious solace for swims, but unfortunately I didn’t have my swimwear with me!
I think on a cooler autumn or spring day, Manarola would be absolutely idyllic.
Riomaggiore
Finally, I arrived at Riomaggiore. While Pixar film Luca was inspired from all the Cinque Terre villages, Riomaggiore felt the most like a Disney set. As the sun descended in the sky a soft evening glow illuminated the buildings and harbour – and I set about finding an aperitivo!
Food/Drink
I stopped at Bar e Vini a Pié de Ma, where I ordered an Aperol Spritz, which came with a small bowl of olives – a perfect end-of-day treat after 18,000+ steps!
This bar has glorious views over the Med and is a popular spot for holidaymakers – fortunately I was able to sneak in without a reservation as I was travelling solo!
Things to do and see
I spent some time at the marina, watching kayaks and walking to a final viewpoint above the marina. Here, there are also options for boat trips and scuba diving.
The name “Riomaggiore” translates to “main river”, because there used to be a significant river running through the village, which is hard to imagine today!
General impressions
Riomaggiore was beautiful, but busy! It felt heavily impacted by overtourism, and like everywhere on the Cinque Terre, I think it would have been glorious a little later in the year.
End of Day
The Cinque Terre is often called a “hidden gem”, which is a complete misnomer. It was heaving, but this is partially due to the time of year.
Out of season, it’ll be much quieter, but some restaurants and bars might be closed (I believe both Bar e Vini A Pié de Ma and Ristorante Belforte both close seasonally).
Despite the crowds, it’s still one of the most beautiful places in Italy – maybe in Europe – I’ve visited.
So, is it possible to visit the Cinque Terre in a day?
I’ve shown it is indeed possible – but hectic! Here are a few things to bear in mind:
- I had a step count of 18,000, with many uphill. Of course, that would be much lower if I wasn’t trying to pack everything in!
- There are many lovely places to eat in each village.
- You can purchase transport cards for multiple days rather than just the one-day pass I used.
- It’s worth staying in a village (Manarola would be my recommendation) and doing day trips from there.
- Using an eSIM for Italy can make navigating the villages, checking train times, and staying connected throughout the day much easier.
I wouldn’t recommend seeing the whole of the Cinque Terre in a day, but spending 3-4 days taking it easy on this area of the Italian Riviera.
You can take a look at my full YouTube video to see the villages in detail too:
