Summer is the time to discover new travel destinations. We recommend a trip to Cinque Terre, Italy. Last year, before winter, we traveled to Italy for three days, and I’m so glad we decided to stay in this popular destination.
Cinque Terre is a coastal region connecting five villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. Each village is very unique and has its own charm. I have never flown with Ryanair before and it was quite an adventure in itself. You can see why it can end in an adventure, but fortunately we arrived in Pisa safely without any major setbacks. We could travel from Germany to the Cinque Terre by train or fly to Pisa and take the train. If you don’t have enough time, it’s better to take a plane or train.
Upon arriving at Pisa Airport we needed to figure out how to take the train to La Specia Centrale station, the signs were easy to follow. Ticket price was 2.70 euros per person. After arriving at La Specia Centrale we took the local train to Riomaggiore. The best decision I made on this trip was booking a room at a guesthouse I found through booking.com. By the way, if you use my referral link (link) you can get $20 off your next stay when you book. here). We loved how close the guesthouse was to the train station and the coziness of our room with a balcony. We had a delicious breakfast every morning. If that sounds like you, book Guest House Dreaming Rooms.Disclaimer: No fees will be paid. I will mention this guesthouse because I really enjoyed my time there.).
tip: It is important to remember that traveling between villages is easy and fast. You might ask why you should buy a ticket if it’s only a 1-3 minute train ride. Well, while we were on the train we saw some tourists thinking they were smart and ended up paying a fee of 50 euros for not having a ticket. If you did not validate your ticket on the train, a staff member will check your ticket as soon as you get off the train.
After checking into the guesthouse, we set out to explore Riomaggiore. It’s quite a beautiful fishing village with lots of restaurants serving lovely and delicious food. But keep in mind that it’s quite difficult to get around. This is not the best place to bring a stroller or walk in heels. You must wear sneakers and be in good health. If you have kids, stay in Monterosso. Here are a few things you must see in Riomaggiore: Castello di Riomaggiore, Church of San Giovanni Battista, and Oratorio di San Rocco. Where to eat in Riomaggiore: Bar e Vini an Ie de Ma (with a beautiful view);
The next morning, we decided to leave Vernazza and Monterosso for our last day and explore Manarola and Corniglia. Luckily the trails were closed so I couldn’t force my husband to walk all the way to Manarola. Manarola is famous for having the best views to capture all the charming and colorful homes along the coast. We didn’t spend much time there because it was so easy to explore. It’s a pretty small town. Check out Chiesa di San Lorenzo and have dinner at Nessun Dorma. We were out of luck as it was closed. We even came back in the evening and it was still closed.
Later we went to Corniglia without realizing how small it was. Corniglia is compared to Manarola and Riomaggiore, but does not have access to the sea. Once you arrive at the train station, you have two options: walk the 380 steps or take the bus. We were very glad we decided to save energy and took the bus despite how full it was and how dangerous it was for the driver to drive. After arriving at the drop off point, we wandered around searching for a place we had read about in a blog post about honey ice cream. Having discovered this local delicacy, I completely agree that it was the best ice cream I’ve ever had in my life. In fact, when we ran out of things to do, we came back to Corniglia to try this ice cream again because we couldn’t find it anywhere else.
Also, if you still want to go to the beach, there are ways to get there. We saw some locals fishing, swimming and just hanging out. The best thing about Corniglia is that it doesn’t have as many tourist attractions as other towns. And don’t forget to stop by Chiesa Di San Pietro.
Since I still had a lot of energy, I thought I would continue exploring Vernazza, but surprisingly it wasn’t as small as Corniglia and I would have to come back the next day to complete the list. In the evening we took a walk around Porto di Vernazza. It was really fascinating. There were many restaurants and shops. We ended up purchasing a beautiful local vase to decorate our living room. What to see in Vernazza? Vernazza Beach. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to get through the cave. Doria Castle; Santa Margherita di Antochia Church and several observation decks. One was the road from the gate to the next town, and the other was something I found while walking downtown. Vernazza was also a fantastic place to watch the sunset.
The next day, we finally head to our final destination, Monterosso. It is the largest village in Cinque Terre. Compared to other towns, Monterosso has its own beach. Therefore, if you want to spend your holiday on the beach, it is better to stay in Monterosso. It is also convenient if you have children as you can carry a stroller. A word of warning though, don’t buy the blankets you see on the beach. There are a lot of people out there trying to sell it to you. If the police find you, you could actually be fined. Another thing I don’t understand is why the police don’t stop them from selling to stupid tourists. What to see in Monterosso: Torre Aurora, Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista, Townhall of Monterosso and the beach. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this post and consider booking your next trip to Cinque Terre!
