Cinque Terre in Two Days: Trails, Treats, and Stunning Views from Manarola
Our youngest daughter visited Italy the year before we went and came home raving about Cinque Terre — a place I had never even heard of. Maybe you’re like me and it’s new to you too. But once I looked it up, I immediately recognized those iconic colorful cliffside villages.
Cinque Terre shot straight to the top of my must-visit list. While it has a similar look to the Amalfi Coast, the vibe here is much more active and casual, with incredible hiking trails connecting the villages. It’s all about simplicity and authenticity — exactly my kind of place.
If you’re planning to hike Cinque Terre, this guide walks you through exactly what it’s like to explore all five villages on foot — where to stop, what to eat, and the best views along the way.
→Explore top-rated Cinque Terre tours, hikes, and experiences here
Cinque Terre Villages Explained (What Each One Is Known For)
Cinque Terre means “Five Lands” in Italian, and these five colorful coastal villages look straight out of a storybook. They’re all connected by hiking trails and a train line, making it easy to explore.
The villages sit along just under 7 miles of coastline, with train rides between them taking only 2–5 minutes — or you can hike between them in 1–2 hours, depending on the route.
What Each Cinque Terre Village Is Known For (Quick Guide)
- Monterosso al Mare — beaches
- Vernazza — harbor views
- Corniglia — elevated views
- Manarola — iconic photos
- Riomaggiore — dramatic cliffs
Why We Stayed in Manarola (Best Base in Cinque Terre)
I researched all five villages and ultimately picked charming Manarola based on location and how beautiful it is. We planned to do a pesto-making class on our final morning in Cinque Terre, so I wanted to be conveniently located.
I’ve shared the full story of our pesto-making experience at Nessun Dorma here if you’d like to read more.
Manarola is a perfect base for hiking, and its harbor is absolutely photogenic at all hours of the day.
Arriving in Manarola
This village is hilly and steep. Arriving by train, I had to lug my giant suitcase down all the steps at the station (I am not a carry-on-only girl) then through the pedestrian tunnel to town, then up the steep streets to find our accommodation.
We opted for a beautiful little studio with a kitchenette, where we could see the ocean from both sides and the terraced hills on one.
Check availability and current prices for Le Storie di Manarola here.
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The village was bustling when we first arrived. By the time late afternoon rolled around though, the crowds disappeared and the ambiance in this little gem was so quiet and quaint. The terraces climbing the hillsides are covered in vineyards, many of them owned by families for generations.
Eat a Treat in Every Cinque Terre Village (Our Favorite Stops)
Our daughter gave us one piece of advice: eat a treat in every village. We took that to heart — and I highly recommend you do the same. It’s such a fun way to experience each stop and makes the journey even more memorable.
I’m sharing our specific treats, but this is Italy — amazing food is easy to find in any little corner of a village.
Day 1: A Short Hike (and a Few Wrong Turns) from Manarola to Riomaggiore
✨Treat in Manarola: Don’t miss fritto misto, a classic frutti di mare (fruit of the sea) specialty in Cinque Terre. This lightly fried mix of fresh seafood is served in a paper cone with a squeeze of lemon — perfect for enjoying as you wander down to the harbor and take in the views.
With our afternoon arrival, we decided to tackle a shorter hiking section. The section between Manarola and Riomaggiore (the southernmost village) is only 1.2 miles, but it is surprisingly challenging.
I assumed finding the hiking trail would be easy since it’s such a popular route between villages. Bad assumption.
I won’t get into all the details, but I will say that we spent a good hour or so wandering in the wrong area and definitely trespassed in someone’s personal vineyard on a steep hillside. Whoops.
Already hot and sweaty, we finally found our way to the correct path and made our way up and over the hill between villages. The walking path is narrow in places and the terrain is uneven, but the toughest part is the quick elevation gain and loss.
Reward at the Harbor: Beer + Swimming in Hiking Clothes
✨Treat in Riomaggiore: Peroni (Italian beer)
Riomaggiore is every bit as picturesque as Manarola. We explored the town a bit, grabbed a couple cold beers, and headed to the harbor to enjoy the late afternoon views. Sitting on the rocks with a cold beer in hand felt like the perfect reward after our hike.
We eventually pulled off our shoes and jumped in the water, hiking clothes and all. Swimming in the Ligurian Sea with views up to this postcard-worthy town was magical.
We took the train back to our home base of Manarola, still dripping from our swim. Back in Manarola we grabbed take-away pizza from a little spot near the harbor. We ate on the balcony of our accommodation with ocean views.
What a perfect day in this area — active, beautiful views, and delicious local food.
Day 2: Hiking Between Cinque Terre Villages (Monterosso to Manarola)
Exploring Monterosso al Mare
✨Treat in Monterosso al Mare: savory breakfast croissant + espresso at Pasticceria Laura
We took an early morning train to Monterosso al Mare, the northernmost village. Our plan was to hike between all the villages all day, back to our home base at Manarola.
The beach at Monterosso sports some iconic orange and green striped umbrellas on sunny days which make for great photos. We were here too early to get that shot. This town has the nicest beach area of all the villages.
There is also a unique church in town with black and white stripes, reminiscent of Siena.
Hiking Monterosso al Mare to Vernazza
✨Treat in Vernazza: gelato. I indulged in a 4-scoop cone from Gelateria Vernazza and I’m pretty sure I’ll be chasing the memory of that perfect dessert for the rest of my life. Take your treat down to the harbor and sit on the seawall to enjoy.
Monterosso to Vernazza is 1.8 miles and will take you 1.5 to 2 hours to hike. This section of trail was really scenic, with several postcard-worthy photo spots. The most famous one is above Vernazza, looking down at the harbor.
If you choose to take the train instead of hiking to Vernazza, it’s still worth your time to make the climb up from town to this viewpoint. It was my favorite view of the day.
The best views in town came from the harbor, and also from climbing Castello Doria tower (which requires a small entry fee).
Hiking Vernazza to Corniglia
✨Treats in Corniglia: Focaccia Stracchino (thin focaccia bread stuffed with melted cheese) and pistachio cannoli
The stretch of trail between the picture-perfect Vernazza and land-locked Corniglia is about 2 miles and will take you about 2 hours.
Corniglia is the only one of the five villages not on the water, but since it is set up on a hill, the views of the coastal scenery are amazing.
Return to Manarola (Via Volastra)
The trail from Corniglia to Manarola (through the mountain village of Volastra) is 4.1 miles long and will take about 2.5 hours. The shorter coastal section was closed at the time of our visit.
✨Treat on the trail: local wine
We were tired and on the home stretch when we came upon the most amazing surprise — an enoteca on the trail. Cantina Capellini is the most adorable little wine bar right on the trail. It’s about a 5-minute walk from the main square of the village of Volastra. The tiny tables all had perfect ocean views. We stopped and enjoyed a glass of local wine, overlooking the very vineyards where the wine was produced.
I’ve hiked a lot of trails in my life and I’ve never come across a wine bar on the trail. Cinque Terre is such a magnificent place to experience unique opportunities like this.
→ Explore small-group food and wine experiences in Cinque Terre here
What to Expect When Hiking Cinque Terre
Hiking Cinque Terre typically takes 1–2 days, covers about 7 miles, and ranges from moderate to challenging depending on the trail. Hiking between the Cinque Terre villages takes some preparation and effort.
- Purchase a Cinque Terre card in order to complete hikes between the villages. They can be purchased at any train station and the cashier/attendant will give you a map and advice as well.
- Check trail closures ahead of time.
- Follow the red and white trail markers.
- Wear proper shoes.
- Bring water.
→ View current Cinque Terre card options and pricing here.
📸Best Photo Spots in Cinque Terre
These colorful fishing villages are a photographer’s delight. Here are my top recommendations for shots you should capture.
📸 Notable photo locations:
- Manarola harbor — walk to the path that heads north out of the harbor. Shoot looking back at the harbor with the steep row of colorful houses in view. Any time of day is lovely, but sunset views are especially gorgeous.
- Vernazza viewpoint — hike to the viewpoint north of town and capture downward views of the curving harbor and colorful town.
- Monterosso beach — Photograph the rows of iconic orange and green striped umbrellas along the beautiful stretch of coastline.
Is Hiking Cinque Terre Worth It?
We did hike between all five villages, which was absolutely worth it. Splitting the hikes over two days ended up being perfect for us. We always had the option to take the train if needed. There is also a ferry that runs between the villages, but we didn’t take that for any of the legs.
→ Prefer not to hike? Explore guided Cinque Terre tours here
When I was planning this leg of the trip, our younger daughter said, “I really want you guys to experience this before you’re too old to hike it.” At the time, I didn’t love hearing that—but honestly, she was right. The hikes were challenging, but not impossible for us as relatively fit middle-aged people. And it definitely helped to stop for treats.😁
One of our favorite Cinque Terre memories was a pesto-making class at Nessun Dorma — I shared the full experience here if you’re curious.
→ Explore the best tours and experiences in Cinque Terre
→Book a Nessun Dorma pesto-making class
→ Check prices for hotels in Manarola
Would you hike all five villages — or take the train for part of the journey?
Planning Your Trip? Read Next: ✈️
- Cinque Terre Pesto Class – Hands-on experience with views
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