Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Maps aren't necessary for the basic coastal hikes described here. But for the expanded
version of this hike (12 hours, from Portovenere to Levanto) and more serious hikes in the
high country, pick up a good hiking map (about €5, sold everywhere). The
Cinque Terre
Walking Guide
(by a German publisher, but sold locally in an English-language edition) is
worth seeking out for anyone planning a serious hike.
To leave the park cleaner than you found it, bring a plastic bag
(sacchetto di plastica)
andpickupalittle trail trashalongtheway.ItwouldbegreatifAmerican visitors—who get
so much joy out of this region—were known for this good deed.
Riomaggiore-Manarola (20 minutes):
Facing the front of the train station in Riomag-
giore (#1), go up the stairs to the right, following signs for
Via dell'Amore
.
The photo-
worthy promenade—wide enough for baby strollers—winds along the coast to Manarola
(#2), but may be closed in 2014. While there's no beach along the trail, stairs lead down
to sunbathing rocks. A long tunnel and mega-nets protect hikers from mean-spirited falling
rocks. A wine bar—Bar & Vini A Piè de Mà—is located at the Riomaggiore trailhead and
offers light meals, awesome town views, and clever boat storage under the train tracks (for
more info, see
here
). There's a picnic zone with a water fountain, shade, and a seagull that
must have been human in a previous life hanging out just above the Manarola station (WC
at Manarola station).
Manarola-Corniglia (45 minutes, likely closed during your visit):
The walk from
Manarola (#2) to Corniglia (#3) is a little longer, more rugged, and steeper than the Via
dell'Amore. It's also less romantic. To avoid the last stretch (switchback stairs leading up
to the hill-capping town of Corniglia), end your hike at Corniglia's train station and catch
the shuttle bus to the town center (2/hour, €1.50, free with Cinque Terre Park Card, usually
timed to meet the trains).
Corniglia-Vernazza (1.5 hours):
The hike from Corniglia (#3) to Vernazza (#4)—the
wildest and greenest section of the coast—is very rewarding but very hilly (going the other
direction, from Vernazza to Corniglia, is steeper). From the Corniglia station and beach, zig-
zag up to the town (via the steep stairs, the longer road, or the shuttle bus). Ten minutes
pastCorniglia,towardVernazza,you'llseeGuvanobeachfarbeneathyou(oncetheregion's
nude beach). The scenic trail leads past a bar and picnic tables, through lots of fragrant and
flowery vegetation, into Vernazza. If you need a break before reaching Vernazza, stop by
Franco's Ristorante and Bar la Torre; it has a small menu but big views.
Vernazza-Monterosso (1.5 hours):
The trail from Vernazza (#4) to Monterosso (#5) is
a scenic up-and-down-a-lot trek and the most challenging of the bunch. Trails are narrow,
steep, and crumbly, with a lot of steps (some readers report “very dangerous”), but easy to
follow. Locals frown on camping at the picnic tables located midway. The views just out of
Vernazza, looking back at the town, are spectacular.
