Cinque Terre in 1 Day: all you need to know

Fortunately, many of the best things to do and see in Cinque Terre are activities that don't take up too many minutes of your day. This has to do with the fact that these towns are small and touring them is not too much of a hassle for those who have the energy for it. In fact, some people consider that more than 24 hours in this region is too much time knowing that the rest of the Ligurian coast is just as interesting a place to explore.

So if you continue reading this post, you will find a tourist itinerary that I have planned for you. It includes the main attractions of each of the five towns so that at the end of the day you can head to your new destination knowing that you have seen a good part of the Cinque Terre National Park.

Starting your day at La Spezia train station is the best thing to do when you're planning to tour the Cinque Terre National Park. This has to do with the fact that this means of transport is the only one that will allow you to explore most of this site making sure that you will manage to get to each of the villages on time and that you will be able to pay a favourable amount of money in the process.

The train ticket to buy is the Cinque Terre Express Day Pass and this allows you to move freely between the 5 stations in the five villages for the modest fare of approximately 15 euros. Although you can get better rates knowing that there are special prices for groups and families and that the fare from one village to another is only 4 euros in total.

This train station is also a must if you are going on one of the best tours and excursions departing from Cinque Terre. This is due to the fact that it is a public transport hub that connects directly to major cities in northern Italy and at the same time is less than 10 minutes away from the nearest village in this national park.

You should also keep in mind that the idea of renting a car and parking it in each of the villages is totally inconvenient. Mainly because the rates are excessively high and at the same time these spaces are far away from the tourist area of each village. The same goes for buses, as they tend to take much longer to travel between each town and will make it difficult to see them all in less than 24 hours.

Riomaggiore is the first of the villages you will encounter on your way north from La Spezia train station. It is characterised by its peculiar beauty as well as its small size compared to the other four towns that give its name to this national park. The historic centre of the town is its main attraction as well as its beach which is hidden and inaccessible to most tourists.

My recommendation is not to take too many detours through the town, as this will waste your time. Even more so knowing that most of the tourist attractions are along the main street which in itself is quite steep. In fact, you have to be prepared to climb up and down stairs throughout the visit of all these villages.

For convenience, in the high season most of the restaurants found throughout the village also usually offer breakfast options. This knowing that some people arrive early in the morning.

In parallel, don't forget that there is also the possibility of taking one of the best gastronomic tours of Cinque Terre. The problem with this option on such a short trip is that you will travel around the religion in search of representative dishes and good restaurants and you will miss many of the houses, monuments and viewpoints that you want to see in order to be able to say that Cinque Terre is a place that has captivated you.

When you've finished your short visit to Riomaggiore it's important to hurry back to the train station so that in less than 6 minutes you'll reach your next destination in Cinque Terre, Manarola. It is definitely a stop not to be missed on your trip, as it is the most photographed place in this national park.

The decisive factor that makes so many tourists choose this place to capture their photographic memories is the very landscape that characterises the village. The fact is that it is just as small as Riomaggiore, but in this case most of the village is on a hill that can be seen clearly from the cliff opposite. In fact, the shape of the village resembles the shape of a natural amphitheatre.

Another interesting aspect of this village is that from the train station to the village you have to walk through a tunnel for 15 minutes. This is not only fun for the experience, but also because of the peculiar architecture of the place.

You should know that one of the biggest attractions of Manarola is the possibility to jump from the rocky shores to the deep beaches and dive directly into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Actually, that plan is one of the best things to do in Cinque Terre in summer, although it's not a good idea for you because you'd get wet and it would also make it difficult to continue touring the rest of the towns.

Before you leave Manarola, it is advisable that you walk to the Parco Giochi Paradiso knowing that it is the only playground in this region. The idea is advisable for the simple reason that if you are travelling with children you can enjoy an activity that is fully focused on them to balance the trip and make the experience memorable and entertaining for all.

Moreover, getting to this place after having walked through the streets of the houses clustered one on top of the other in Manarola is something that will take you less than 2 minutes. Everything is even more interesting knowing that Nessun Dorma, one of the best restaurants in the region, is located in this corner of the town. If you visit, be sure to order a dish that includes the traditional pesto.

The next stop in the sequence of villages from south to north in Cinque Terre would be Corniglia. This alternative itinerary is optional because it is the only town in the entire national park that does not have a direct access to the coast. In fact, it is located at a rather high point in the mountains that cross the entire terrain and therefore it is necessary to climb some 400 steps to reach the village from the train station.

In any case, for many specialists this is the most authentic and worthwhile of the five villages that make up the national park. In addition, the fact that many tourists are put off from visiting it by having to climb all those stairs makes it a less crowded place all year round. This means that accommodation in this town is cheaper than in other places and at the same time the commercial offer is less in demand.

It is up to you to choose whether walking the streets and enjoying the privileged views from the top of a mountain is something you want to do in your 24 hours in this national park. Still, it remains one of the unmissable places to visit on a 3 day trip along the Cinque Terre and it would be a shame to miss out on a real gem of this Italian region because of laziness.

Corniglia can be an ideal place to have lunch

Another reason why you should not give up the idea of visiting Corniglia during your stay in Cinque Terre is the fact that it can be an ideal place to have lunch. Especially because if there are fewer tourists , the waiting times at the 5 restaurants in the village will be less significant.

This is in addition to the fact that the next stop on your trip is a much larger town that receives a larger number of visitors and this means that dealing with your appetite will be much more complex there.

Getting from Corniglia to Vernazza will take you no more than 5 minutes and by this point in the journey it is likely to be 3.30 or 4 in the afternoon. This village stands out for being a little bigger than any other you have seen up to this point in your trip, as well as being the favourite of almost all tourists who come to this national park. The fact that it is located in front of the coast also makes it stand out, as it has the opportunity to receive a larger number of boats directly.

It has a central square as well as a striking church and all along its narrow streets you will find the typical colourful houses that characterise the architecture of this section of Liguria.

Getting here to sunbathe on the rocky beaches is usually a recommended activity, but the fact that there are so many shops throughout the village also makes it one of the best things to do in Cinque Terre in winter. In fact, it is one of the most recommended towns to visit in this region if your trip has to take place at this time of the year.

Don't miss the castello Doria located at the southern end of the town. This is because it offers one of the best views of Vernazza as it stands as the best preserved ruins of the ancient residences maintained by the ruling class throughout the town. The town's cemetery is another recommended viewpoint, although reaching it requires more physical effort.

Finally, when you have seen everything you want to see in Vernazza you should take the train for one last trip, which will take you to Monterosso al Mare, the largest town in the entire national park. It is distinguished for being the flattest town in Cinque Terre as well as having the longest sandy coastline of all.

It is usually the gateway for those arriving in Cinque Terre from the north and is a must see no matter how short or long the journey. In fact, it is a good place for those who have a two day trip to Cinque Terre as it offers good accommodation options and the possibility to spend the summer on its beaches without too much hassle.

There is also the fact that together with Vernazza it is one of the two favourite places from where the best boat excursions in Cinque Terre depart. This is due to the fact that both places have natural harbours that allow the arrival of several boats at the same time. At the same time, they are located at the edge of the national park, allowing you to sail in a southerly direction so that you can see all the villages of the region.

The beaches of this town are large enough to be impressive considering that in Liguria there are not usually long stretches of coastline that are not interrupted by rocky cliffs. One of the best beaches is the one right in front of the train station, although the other two are accessible by a walk of less than 3 minutes.

It's worth knowing that some of the best things to do in Cinque Terre at night are among the restaurants and bars in the town. This means that you can enjoy a beautiful sunset before deciding to close your tour with a drink in one of the streets of the town.

If sitting on the beach to watch the sunset doesn't suit you, then the Convento dei Frati Cappuccini Monterosso al Mare is an excellent choice. It's a place that also offers great views of the coast and the whole town and you can enjoy talking to your companions as the evening begins and then dine on fresh seafood and fish in the best Cinque Terre style.

Stay in this town if you feel the need

As well as Corniglia offers you very convenient accommodation prices, Monterosso distinguishes itself by offering you the most hotels and small places to stay among the 5 existing towns.

So it may be a good idea to stay overnight in this town before continuing your journey to your next destination in northern Italy, as you are likely to get a room more easily. This is as long as you go outside the peak summer season.

In fact, such an impulsive decision is one of the best things to do in Cinque Terre in September as this is a time when tourist demand has dropped dramatically as the summer is over and local hotels are looking to fill their rooms to maximise their profits. This means that they will still be open and rooms could be very conveniently discounted.