Precious and not always instantly findable is practical information about the Cinque Terre: trekking, hiking, eating, hotels, vineyards and wineries, plus Cinque Terre train information, Cinque Terre boat and ferry information. So we’re listing some essentials below.
Cinque Terre trains and train information:
Each Cinque Terre village has a train station with frequent connections to La Spezia (8-15 minutes). To get to any of the 5 villages, take the Cinque Terre express, a train that runs between La Spezia and Levanto. From La Spezia or Levanto, trains run to Genoa (about one hour), Milan (about 3 hours) and Rome (about 5 hours).
Cinque Terre: nearest airports
The nearest international airports are in Pisa (an hour and half away), Genoa, Milan and Rome (each further than Pisa, but still easily accessible). For train schedules, timetables, routes and train strike or other information visit the official Italian railways site.
Ferry boats in the Cinque Terre
In summer, the villages of Monterosso and Manarola are served by regular ferry boats from La Spezia, Genoa and Portofino. Special ferry services are available from Genoa, Lerici, and Camogli at various times of year. Schedules vary widely. Be sure to check the Cinque Terre National Park site before planning your ferry or boat trip to the Cinque Terre. Remember, low-season ferry service is limited.
When to Go
The weather is mild in the Cinque Terre year-round, but the best months for hiking, trekking, walking and touring are mid-March through June, and mid-September to mid-November. Many hotels and restaurants close from mid-November to mid-March. See Cinque Terre Weather & Historic Climate Charts
Cinque Terre Hiking and Trekking Trail Info: Look for these Sign Posts and Trail Numbers
All major hiking and trekking trails in the Cinque Terre (and elsewhere in Liguria) are clearly posted with a red-and-white flag and a number, or a geometric symbol(s) often painted red on rocks, trees, fences, buildings and so forth.
Here’s a sample: a red triangle trail marking painted on a pine tree trunk
The Top Cinque Terre Hiking and Trekking Trails by number are:
Cinque Terre Trail Numbers:
—The Cinque Terre ridge walk, from Portovenere to Levanto, is marked as trail number 1.
—The classic coast walk from Riomaggiore to Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso is marked as hiking trail number 2.
—The Riomaggiore to Madonna di Montenero hike follows trail numbers 3 and 3a.
—The Volastra-Corniglia vineyard and olive grove hike follows trails 6, 6d and 7a.
- See our Cinque Terre Trail Map and Guide or read more about hiking and trekking in the Cinque Terre elsewhere on this site by clicking the “articles” tab above.
Detailed hiking and trekking maps of the Cinque Terre area are available locally at all train stations, official park shops and many park restaurants, plus privately owned bookstores, newsstands and souvenir stands.
If you’d prefer a guided tour of the Cinque Terre, check out the top ten tours from Viator.
For information about the Cinque Terre National Park, Cinque Terre hiking and trekking trails, horse riding in the Cinque Terre, biking in the Cinque Terre, swimming in the Cinque Terre, ferries and boats in the Cinque Terre, trains to and from the Cinque Terre, buses, monorails, restaurants, lodging, wine and food in the Cinque Terre, contact Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre, Via Telemaco Signorini 118, Riomaggiore, Italy, Tel: 0187 760000, or visit their Cinque Terre National Park website
Read more about the Cinque Terre, the history, culture, food, wine, hikes, treks, restaurants, food shops, best coffee, best focaccia, best Riviera discoveries and more in our books, Food Wine Italian Riviera & Genoa and Enchanted Liguria: A Celebration of the Culture, Lifestyle and Food of the Italian Riviera
