Italy’s Ligurian Coastline and exploring the Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre or “Five Lands” comprise of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the villages and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Who’d have known that this delightful sector of Italy’s coastline would evolve from being five sleepy hillside villages to become an international visitor attraction so rapidly? These isolated coastal villages linked by a small road, boat or train changed in the 1970s and are now visited by over 4 million people a year. It’s like many places around the world, exacerbated by the increase of social media and fuelled by the influencer market. With more people travelling than any given time, it is understandable that people want to see such beauty, however, there needs to be a fine balance and careful consideration that the local population are not stifled by the number of people. We are all visitors in host communities and Cinque Terre is no exception.My advice is to consider when you visit. With large cruise ships arriving in May and June as well as July & August, consider heading to Cinque Terre in April or early May and late September as well as October. Remember, no weather is bad weather, it’s bad clothing and if you are prepared for changeable conditions, then your experience will not be compromised by the crowds, trust me. Access to Cinque Terre by car is possible, but parking would be a major headache. The best method of transport is by train, foot or boat. That’s what we opted for.
The best way to experience Cinque Terre is along the walking trails. You’ll need a Cinque Terre Trekking Card which costs from 10 euros per day. If like us, you want to take the train in parts, then the Treno Card provides access to the Via dell'Amore, the paid hiking paths, local buses together with unlimited train travel on the regional Cinque Terre Express trains.
We stayed at the Grand Hotel Portovenere in Porto Venere – the gateway to the Cinque Terre. This majestic hotel used to be a 17th century convent and overlooks the Gulf of Poets (named after inspired poets like Shelly and Byron) The hotel offers a perfect base for exploring the Bay and the Cinque Terre providing you with picture perfect views of the sea, the neighbouring Island of Palamaria, the 12th century walls to the village of Portovenere, along to the church of Saint Peter, San Lorenzo and the Castle.
Wandering through the little streets, interspersed with local shops selling focaccia, pastas, fresh pesto, local produce from farmers, wines from the region, gift shops, cafes, restaurants and gelataia selling yummy ice cream. The place is truly magical.
Our first day, we took a boat along the coast to Vernazza, had a swift expresso before climbing the ascent to the next village of Corniglia. Views are spectacular and believe me, our ideal step count that day was achieved. The beauty of the terraced vineyards and scenery of the coastal paths are breath taking. From Corniglia, we hopped on the train to Manarola and enjoyed the vistas of the coloured houses and cultivated terraces.
It is the village of Corniglia which hosts an original luminated nativity scene with over 250 characters, covered with 15000 light bulbs. It is an extraordinary environmental work of art immersed in the vineyards, and I am sure every December and January that it creates a magical atmosphere reminding us of the Christmas story.
Our second day we visited Palmaria Island. Crystal clear water for bathing, kayak rental, coves as well as caves for exploring, the walk is approximately 6 kms and will take 3 hours.
Lunch was a wonderful experience aboard the Moby Dick, an old trawler, built in Sicily, and lovingly restored. We were treated to a light lunch on the Moby Dick. We ate oysters, cooked mussels, pates and breads. Before tucking in to lunch, for those who know me, nothing beats a swim from a boat and I couldn’t resist. Read here about the wonderful project from beach cleaning to mussel farming and other social initiatives.
Our last evening, we enjoyed refreshing cocktails in the hotel’s Venus Bar, sitting outside on the sea facing terrace, watching the boats and people below. The dining experience at the magnificent restaurant Palmaria offers a wonderful atmosphere with first-class service. It has an original menu bought by a highly personable team.
Cinque Terre is a wonderful region of Italy’s Ligurian coastline. It can be easily combined with a longer adventure taking in other walking regions like the Apuan Alps, the Park of Montemarcello, Levanto, Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio. We stopped in Lucca for a brief visit before enjoying a final pizza and Aperol, followed by the obligatory gelato before heading to Pisa airport.
Karen Simmonds travelled with Workham hotels and was hosted by Grand Hotel Portovenere in April 2026.