As you might know, if you’ve read my article on one day in Genoa, I’ve finally made it to one of the most beautiful places on Earth (in my view of course): Cinque Terre, Italy. And because I know how much research I’ve done before going and I also know how important it is to have all the correct information when planning your trip, I’ve decided to share with you my learnings from the trip: my complete two day Cinque Terre itinerary.

I will share with you everything you might want to know before visiting Cinque Terre: the best time to visit Cinque Terre, the best town to stay in Cinque Terre, the best things to do in Cinque Terre, how to visit Cinque Terre, taking a trip from Milan to Cinque Terre, and most importantly, the best views in Cinque Terre.

The first thing you will want to know is that most of the 5 towns are located on hills and there will be a lot of climbing involved! We chose to stay in Riomaggiore and once we got off the train, reality kicked in and we started the climb. Ok, it was also our choice because we wanted to have the greatest view possible and it was sure worth it.

Read all the things worth knowing when traveling to Italy for the first time

My complete guide to Cinque Terre Italy

Sunset in Riomaggiore

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My complete 2 Days in Cinque Terre itinerary

Day 1 – La Spezia, Porto Venere, Vernazza, Corniglia

Since we chose to spend one day in Genoa, we reached our accommodation in Cinque Terre in the second part of the day. That left us with only a few hours to explore our amazing apartment in Riomaggiore, see the sunset from the little marina, and enjoy a delicious dinner. 

However, I would count as day 1 of our two days on the Cinque Terre itinerary, the second day. 

We took the Cinque Terre train to La Spezia, explored the charming town, ate artisanal ice cream, and just enjoyed the all-Italian town of La Spezia.

Worth saying here, that Las Spezia is one of the best destinations you will want to get to when you want to take at least a day trip to Cinque Terre.

La Speiza, Liguria

After admiring the boats in the marina, and enjoying the sun near the sea, we took the ferry linking all the towns on the Ligurian coast.

Check out Ferry timetables and prices here!

Our first stop was in Porto Venere, one of the less-known Italian towns worth seeing. 

Even though it’s hard to choose between all the incredibly beautiful towns in Cinque Terre, I would risk saying Porto Venere is one of the nicest. Narrow streets, chic stores with local merchandise, and that incredible fresh pasta with freshly made pesto. 

I could tell I would love this place even as we were approaching the colorful line of buildings on the seafront.

After a few hours, we hopped on another ferry and made our way to Vernazza. While getting around by train is simple and cheap, seeing the towns from the sea at least once is a must! 

I loved to see the colorful houses perched on the hilltop and move from one small village to the other.

Since Vernazza is not such a big place, we didn’t spend much time around it. Even though it was close to sunset, we risked it all and went for the Vernazza to Corniglia hike

We may not have been wearing the right clothes for that (you should have the right clothes when you choose to hike in hot weather), but that did not stop us from seeing one of the most scenic treks in Italy.

Outfits for Italy in Spring and what to wear in Italy in Spring. Perfectly comfortable cute outfits for traveling around some of the most beautiful places in Italy. Get your fashion for travel inspiration and shop for the best travel shoes to bring to your Italy trip.

Virtual tours

Once we got to Corniglia we ate one of the most delicious focaccia, with a glass of white Italian wine and we were in heaven. Once night fell, we hopped on the train back to Riomaggiore.

Day 2 – Manarola, Monterosso a Mare, and sunset in Riomaggiore

We woke up with a view to remember, drank a strong Italian coffee, and headed to explore and enjoy breakfast in one of the most iconic places in Italy: Manarola.

Just one stop from Riomaggiore, Manarola is all colorful and nice, with Nessun Dorma on the hill, and the vineyards perched on the top. 

Since Nessun Dorma was closed, we had a late breakfast in the marina and went hiking around the hills of Manarola in search of the best viewpoint.

Once we had explored everything there was left, we went further by train, and spent the second part of the day in Monterosso a Mare.

Unlike the other villages in the Cinque Terre, Monterosso a Mare is not on a hill. And it has a beach. Thus, after strolling around the narrow colorful streets, we took advantage of the sun and the sea and spent some time on the beach. 

We couldn’t leave Monterosso behind without eating a delicious misto fritto dish, and a divine tiramisu to go with it.

And off we went back to Riomaggiore, to witness one of the most stunning sunsets in Italy.

Getting to Cinque Terre

Even though remote, getting to Cinque Terre is not that hard. However, you will have to take into consideration some extra time and never book the train/bus back to back. Because that’s the thing in Italy, you never know what will be late.

Of course, you can always choose to rent a car and create your Cinque Terre itinerary as you wish. You won’t have to think about timetables and catching the train, but you’ll have parking and other things on your mind.

Check out the best prices for car rentals here and book in advance!

Flying to Cinque Terre

Since the villages are rather remote, flying to Cinque Terre won’t be possible, but you have the option of flying in a city nearby (such as Milan, Pisa, Florence, Genoa) and taking the train.

The best way of traveling to Cinque Terre is by train because you will have easy connections from wherever you are coming:

Milan to Cinque Terre by train

That’s just a roughly 3h30-4h train ride from Milan Central Station to one of the 5 Ligurian cities. You will most probably need to change the train at least once (Genoa or Levanto), but most of the time the train comes at the same line so there won’t be any trouble with that.

Book your train ticket here

Genoa to Cinque Terre by train

If like us, you have chosen to spend a night in Genoa, you will have plenty of options to get to Cinque Terre by train, having to spend only around 1h30 on the road.

Book your train ticket here

Florence to Cinque Terre by train

Depending on the connections it could take from 2h15 to 4h for this ride, and you could change the train once or even 3 times.

Book your train ticket here

Pisa to Cinque Terre by train

The fastest ride, so if you have the choice of landing in Pisa, go for it! That’s because the train ride will take between 1 and 2 hours (depending on the train), with only one change requested.

Book your train ticket here

Getting around: The Cinque Terre Express (Cinque Terre train map)

This is the train you will be using a whole lot during your trip to Cinque Terre.

While I was here I felt like taking the bus, since getting from one village to the other took 10 min maximum, being very easy to get on and off the train whenever and wherever and having to pay the same 4 EUR/ride (no matter the distance).

All in all, if you plan on seeing all the 5 villages (and not only, since the train has one end of the line in Levanto and the other in La Spezia), relying on the Cinque Terre Express is a must.

And if you plan on taking a lot of trips by train, you can choose to get the Cinque Terre Pass (details below). 

The Cinque Terre train map would look like this: Levanto – Monterosso – Vernazza – Corniglia – Manarola – Riomaggiore – La Spezia. All in all, from one end to the other, the train takes approx. 30 min.

If you want to travel to the Cinque Terre by carthat would be a bit difficult because apart from the fact that the roads are very narrow and steep, parking in the villages can prove to be a challenge in itself.

None of the villages have roads open for cars in the city center, thus you will have to leave the car somewhere outside and pay a rather pricey parking fee.

The Cinque Terre Card

The Cinque Terre Card is an all-in-one option for getting around both by train and on many of the trekking paths of the Cinque Terre National Park.

You can buy the card also online, and have 2 options when it comes to the Cinque Terre Card:

  • The Cinque Terre Card Trekking – including only the access to all trekking paths, and Ecological Park Buses. The price for one is 7.5 EUR, while for two days you’ll have to pay 14.5 EUR.
  • The Cinque Terre Card Train –  on top of the access to the trekking pass, you’ll also have unlimited train travels on the Levanto – Cinque Terre – La Spezia line.

Low Season ( 4 November 2019 to 15 March 2020)

 1-day pass = 13 EUR

2 days pass = 23 EUR

High Season ( 16 March to 3 November 2020)

 1-day pass = 16 EUR

2 days pass = 29 EUR

3 days pass = 41 EUR

Outfits for Italy in Spring and what to wear in Italy in Spring. Perfectly comfortable cute outfits for traveling around some of the most beautiful places in Italy. Get your fashion for travel inspiration and shop for the best travel shoes to bring to your Italy trip.

Best time to visit Cinque Terre

When planning your trip, one of the most important things to take into consideration is the best time to visit Cinque Terre.

Since the region has rather mild weather, anytime is a good time for a visit, but in my opinion, the best time would be somewhere between the beginning of March and the end of April, and the second part of September and the whole of October.

I would suggest avoiding full season, starting in early May and ending at the beginning of September, because everything will be crowded and expensive. And why not enjoy this wonderful place to its fullest?

For us, the second part of April was just right, with perfect temperatures, affordable prices, and the towns being not so crowded.

Where to stay in Cinque Terre

To be honest I wouldn’t know which town would be best to stay in and that is because all of them are lovely!

But let’s take them one by one and let me tell you a little bit about each and my impressions, and I’ll let you be the one to choose the perfect town where to stay in Cinque Terre.

Monterosso 

The first little town if you are coming from Levanto, and the most different from all the others, Monterosso is where you will have the possibility of staying at the beach as well if that is what you’re in for. Just don’t expect sand, because that’s not what you’ll find.

My complete guide to Cinque Terre

Even though different from all the other villages in Cinque Terre, Monterosso is definitely a typical Italian town, with beautiful colorful narrow streets, lots of places to eat, do apperitivo or just have a gelato.

The town is split between the New Town (where the train will leave you and where the beach is) and the Old Town (the charming side of the city).

The buildings here are not as iconic as the ones in Manarola for example, but if you have a few hours to spare, make sure not to skip Monterosso because it will charm you for sure.

A few options for accommodation in Monterosso:

  • Hotel Villa Steno – family-run hotel, with great rooms and an amazing view of both the pretty Monterosso houses and the sea.

Book your room here!

  • Manuel’s Guest House – it is sure worth climbing the stairs all the way to this place because the views you’ll get, the delicious Italian breakfast, the hospitality of the hosts are just amazing. And all of it at a very reasonable price. 

Book your room here!

Vernazza

When we first took the train from Levanto everyone was asking about Vernazza, that’s how we figured this was one of the most popular towns for travelers. For travelers to stay in, that is.

And when we got here, later on, we discovered a beautiful town indeed with lots of pretty buildings, stranded on the cliffs in the most iconic manner possible, and views that would take your breath away.

All that, with the hectic buzz owed to the hundreds of people running around the streets.

My complete guide to Cinque Terre

I need to be honest and say we haven’t really spent that much time in Vernazza, but we searched straight away the perfect spot for taking pictures (one of the best views in Cinque Terre – but I’ll come back to that a bit later) and we somehow ended up taking the trail to Corniglia.

A few epic accommodation options to have in mind for Vernazza:

  • Maria Capellini Rooms – a place to lay your head and get some much-needed rest, after all the exploration you’ve done in the Cinque Terre. The location of this place cannot be beaten by anything else: it is in the heart of Vernazza, steps away from the beach, pizza, and gelato. In a place with no hotels, Maria and Giacomo rent ou two rooms.

Find your perfect room here!

  • Seaview apartment in Vernazza – it is definitely worth every effort getting to this place, which will enchant you with the best views of Vernazza. Make sure to travel light, and try the family-owned La Torre restaurant at the beginning of the footpath from Vernazza to Corniglia.

Find out when it’s free here!

  • Splendid Vernazza, with Seaview terracejust steps off the Cinque Terre hiking trail and fairly close to the train station, this apartment will charm you with its beautiful terrace overlooking the town and the sea. Because having a view in Cinque Terre is mandatory.

Find out when it’s free here!

Corniglia 

After a 2-hour walk  climb, once we actually step foot in the 3rd village of the Cinque Terre we had already seen in from different angles.

Maybe the less touristic town of the 5, mainly because of the hundreds of stairs you need to climb from the train station and the fact that the city is not reachable by sea, Corniglia holds a special vibe to it.

I felt that this was the most authentic Italian village of the 5, with locals sitting around in the small Piazzetta where we stopped for a glass of wine and delicious focaccia, talking between themselves in the local dialect and just making the best out of a beautiful April afternoon.

My complete guide to Cinque Terre

Getting here is maybe best as we did it, by walking the trail from Vernazza to Corniglia, because either way if you choose to take the train you will have to be prepared to climb a million stairs ha ha.

Check out also Portofino!

Manarola

Voted by many the most beautiful of the 5 villages in the Cinque Terre, Manarola is very small but yet very charming.

We got here on an early Monday morning, just before all the buzz and fuss, and got to enjoy a delicious breakfast near the sea, before everything else was open and the tourists came flooding the town.

Indeed the views from Manarola are amazing, but the city center (which is only one street with restaurants, bars, and shops on both sides) is very crowded.

My complete guide to Cinque Terre

If you’re looking for some peace and quiet, take the street climbing on the left side from the tunnel leading to the train station and you will find both an oasis of chill and also some perfect views over the city.

My complete guide to Cinque Terre

A few accommodation options in Manarola:

  • Affittacamere San Giorgio – needless to say, this is yet another place where you’ll have to come prepared for the climbing of stairs. However hard that might look, it will be all worth it once you get swept away by the view. This is a small family-run hotel, with only 6 rooms for rent, and the hosts will help you out with any recommendations you will need.

See when they’ve got a free room!

  • “Ivory house” Luxury apt – stay in one of the iconic colorful buildings of Manarola, with a view! Have the whole apartment to yourself and get ready to watch the stunning sunset from your own private balcony.

See when it’s available here

Riomaggiore

The last of the 5 villages (or the first, depending on where you’re coming from), Riomaggiore is, from what I’ve seen during my research, a little bit underrated.

That’s what I’ve noticed also on location, seeing the town not so crowded as others might have been. But at the end of the day, that’s a good thing and I’m really glad to have chosen to stay here.

The first night welcomed us with one of the most beautiful sunsets there is and Riomaggiore has the perfect spots for admiring the sun going down and you will surely find it easily because there’s only one main street going down into the port.

My complete guide to Cinque Terre

Here, you can join all the other sunset enthusiasts and find a spot on the rocks from where you can indulge in one of the best views you’ll ever see: that warm light playing around with the colors of the diverse buildings perched on the hills of Riomaggiore.

One thing is sure: you will do your best to come back here for another round of this.

Outfits for Italy in Spring and what to wear in Italy in Spring. Perfectly comfortable cute outfits for traveling around some of the most beautiful places in Italy. Get your fashion for travel inspiration and shop for the best travel shoes to bring to your Italy trip.

A few accommodation options in Riomaggiore, the town we chose to stay in for our 3 days in Cinque Terre:

  • Cinque Terre D’Amare – it might be the highest point in Riomaggiore, but sometimes you need to break a sweat if you want to wake up with a view to remember. The apartment is big, only 5 minutes away from the city center,  and 10 to the train station, with a pretty terrace and a stunning view. We really enjoyed our stay.

Book it at the perfect rate here!

  • Alla Marina Affittacamereit cannot get better than this, right in the Marina of Riomaggiore with a colorful view under your eyes. And the best part? Not hundreds of stairs to climb to get to this place.

See when it’s available here!

  • Stellio Affittacamere (Guest House) incredible hospitality in the heart of Riomaggiore. Close to the train station, the center of town and great dining, and overlooks the marina and sea.

Check availability here!

Best Views in Cinque Terre

I know, that’s one of the main reasons people visit the 5 villages, because they offer some of the most picturesque sights in the world, giving you the possibility of taking beautiful pictures both with your camera and your mind. Something you will always remember and hold dear.

So this is why I’ve decided to make your life easier and help you out in finding some of the best views in Cinque Terre, splitting them by town so you can organize your trip accordingly.

Extra tip: Book a personalized photo session to create a memory that will last forever.

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You get 25USD off your first photo session, as a gift from me when you book here!

Riomaggiore

The best view over that iconic village is either from the sea (if you can make it, there are plenty of options and they also organize sunset tours by boat) or from the small port. You can climb the stairs on the left side and take the second pair of stairs down.

This will take you on the rocks and with a little bit of attention, you can jump and get somehow in the middle of the sea from where you will have the best view possible.

Also, the view from our Airbnb was amazing enough offering a view from one of the highest points in Riomaggiore. Needless to say spending the evenings on this terrace with that view was to die for.

Outfits for Italy in Spring and what to wear in Italy in Spring. Perfectly comfortable cute outfits for traveling around some of the most beautiful places in Italy. Get your fashion for travel inspiration and shop for the best travel shoes to bring to your Italy trip.

Sunset in Riomaggiore

Manarola

Start climbing your way towards Corniglia, it will be kind of rough but it will be totally worth it, trust me. You will know when to stop because you will already have the best view of the colored houses of Manarola.

Another perfect spot for pictures will be the right-hand side of the Manarola church – this is where we took some beautiful pictures with a fence behind, but still beautiful.

And the most well-known spot: the Nessun Dorma, or better yet, the cemetery just above it.

 Cinque Terre itinerary

My complete guide to Cinque Terre

Corniglia

For me, the best views over Corniglia were from the trek coming from Vernazza. You will get to see the beautiful town from different points along the way.

Also, I’ve seen the stranded village from the sea, even though the ferry does not stop here and you can see it from a distance, it is still a lovely view.

Cinque Terre itinerary

Vernazza

Plenty of well-known spots: the beginning of the trail to Monterosso, the Castel Doria (with a 2.5 EUR entrance fee), Bar la Torre.

But for me, the best view was discovered in the first 10 minutes of the trail towards Corniglia. You can get here for free and the view will leave you breathless, the climb being totally worth it.

Cinque Terre itinerary

Monterosso

As I’ve previously said, this town is somehow atypical for the Cinque Terre and you won’t get the iconic views you might in one of the other 4, but it is still a beautiful village.

Allegedly, the best view you will get over the city is the beginning of the hiking trail to Vernazza starting from the old town of Monterosso.

So this is it, my complete guide to the Cinque Terre – hope you will find it useful and it will help you plan your trip to this amazing place on Earth. I will soon come back with my 3 days Cinque Terre Itinerary and how you can see everything (and more, hidden gems like La Spezia and most importantly Porto Venere) in just 3 days, how much does it cost and where to stop for a good coffee and focaccia or to book a table ahead of time.

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Best 2 days Cinque Terre itinerary


33 responses to “Easy to follow Cinque Terre Itinerary: 2 Days in Cinque Terre”

  1. Wendan Avatar

    Hi! This is @wendan.vs.world on IG! Loved this very informative post 🙂 Where did you have breakfast in Manarola?? I’d love to do that as well!

    1. Ingrid Avatar
      Ingrid

      Hi Wendan! It was Bar La Plancia where we had breakfast. Afterwards I’ve reade the reviews and saw that they are not particularly good, but all in all we had a decent experience and the food and view were nice so..

  2. Sarah - Borders & Bucket Lists Avatar

    Dang I wish I knew about that “climb” when I was in Cinque Terre! I guess I’ll just have to go back soon!

    1. Ingrid Avatar
      Ingrid

      One could never go too many times to the Cinque Terre! 🙂

  3. Scarlett | Petite Suitcase Avatar

    Cinque Terre is one my favorite places! I’m going for a third time next month. I agree, Nessun Dorma is an amazing spot for aperitivo. I’ll have to do the climb to the back side of Vernazza this time. The view looks incredible!

    1. Ingrid Avatar
      Ingrid

      Oh, I see myself going back there time and time again as well! Enjoy the time there and the amazing views!

  4. Celia Avatar

    This was such a useful post. Great job! One question – were you able to hike between Corniglia and Manarola? I heard the track was closed but not sure.

    1. Ingrid Avatar
      Ingrid

      Thank you very much, Celia! We didn’t, we took the hike from Vernazza to Corniglia. There are only a few of the paths that were open at this time of the year, but I think we also started climbing from Manarola towards Corniglia but did not really get too far. Just wanted to see the view. Enjoy your time in Cinque Terre!

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  13. m Avatar

    I wanna jump to the next flight! So amazing!

  14. Nina Avatar

    Italy is just a dream! I did a day trip to Cinque Terre from Milan about a year ago. It was amazing! I agree that there are lots of hills! Also did you just love Genoa! I’ve also spent some time there and I feel like it’s kind of a hidden gem … and it still feels like an authentic Italian city. Also the pesto and focaccia is amazing there!

  15. Nicola Lavin Avatar

    I’ve been to Italy so many times but haven’t been to Cinque Terre. Your photos are beautiful as always.

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