Hello from the most beautiful part of Italy, the Cinque Terre National Park. Having traveled between Germany, Thailand, and Australia lately, it has been a while since I visited a new place where I had to do some research beforehand. But it was fun! Originally, I just booked the flights to Genoa on a whim. I had a spare week and the flights were cheap. Only a few days before the trip did I start looking into this part of Italy. What was there to do? That’s when I discovered various other blogs about hiking in Cinque Terre National Park.
It sounded perfect for me! I was getting excited..
Read about all my other hikes here.
Cinque Terre National Park
This is truly one of the most beautiful places I have visited in a long time. Set between Genoa and Pisa, Cinque Terre consists of a string of centuries-old seaside villages along the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore are the five villages you should know, and most likely heard about. With colourful houses, vineyards on steep terraces, plenty of fishing boats, and stunning turquoise waters, it is a must-see destination in Italy. Trust me.
While some visitors come to relax on the beach and enjoy the delicious Italian cuisine – the Liguria region is famous for its sauces and pestos – others (like myself) came to hike. I was looking forward to walking along the cliffside trails that link the villages.
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Monterosso
Originally, I planned to hike from town to town, staying overnight along the way. However, I soon realized this wasn’t realistic because I didn’t want to carry my backpack with me. So, after landing in Genoa, I caught the train straight to Monterosso and settled there for three nights. My plan was to hike through all five towns in one day and then from Monterosso to Levanto the next day. Sounds doable, right? Well…
Monterosso is absolutely beautiful. I have read it is the prettiest of them all and they were right. The two small parts of Monterosso are connected via a tunnel, offering plenty of spots to drink, dine and swim. I couldn’t take enough photos of the scenery, the mountains as well as the beach and its umbrellas.
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The Hike
Monterosso – Vernazza – Corniglia
Looking at the mountains ahead of me, it was hard to imagine that I would walk through them. I couldn’t see the path. Nevertheless, feeling light on my feet, I was ready. And so, off I went. The start was quite hilly but not too difficult. From the beginning, I could tell this hike was going to be amazing. There is no better hike than one that gives you sea view all the way. The views were breathtaking, the path well-maintained, and there was always someone greeting me with a “Ciao,” “Buongiorno,” or “Good morning.” I felt great.
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Vernazza
Finally, after just over one hour of walking, enjoying the stunning scenery, the small town of Vernazza suddenly appeared around the corner. What an amazing sight! Vernazza had a charming, small village vibe that reminded me a bit of Porto in Portugal. The narrow streets, the colourful houses and all the tourist shops to keep everyone happy. Not to mention the variety of gelato every few meters. It was very cute, and very busy.
After a short break, I set off again, heading back up towards the next town, Corniglia.
I still had no idea how far I would go, but I aimed to walk through all five towns and catch the boat back to Monterosso from Riomaggiore.
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Please note that you need to pay entry for hiking in Cinque Terre. You can do it online here or at the check points in between the towns.
Corniglia
I had already walked for 2.5 hours, when I reached Corniglia, town number three. Corniglia sits on top of the mountains and was a little big bitter. But not prettier. As I passed the check point (yes, they check that you have a Cinque Terre ticket), I was told the next two routes were still closed, due to a landslide 10 years ago, with long inland detours ahead. Really?
Long story short.. I decide Corniglia would be my final destination for this hike. After all, the whole point of hiking in Cinque Terre is to enjoy the coast view. I didn’t feel like walking inland. So, I decided to walk back to Monterosso. I would tackle the other towns, Manarola and Riomaggiore, from the other side, a few days later.
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It was a bit of a shame that it was cloudy when I was hiking in Cinque Terre. Especially as I would have loved to have the beautiful blue sky and ocean in my photos. That said, I was glad that it wasn’t sunny when walking because it would have been a much tougher hike in the heat.
Day 2 – Monterosso to Levanto
When they say that the path from Monterosso to Levanto has a tough start, they aren’t exaggerating. The stairs were indeed steep, and there were plenty of them. Having walked 30,000 steps the previous day, climbing those stairs was tough. I won’t lie. But I was determined and I had time. So, up and up I went. Slowly. Since the path from Monterosso to Levanto is not part of the official Cinque Terre hiking route, it was much quieter. And free. Only occasionally did I meet other hikers.
The route was also rougher and rockier, so I definitely had to watch my step. Only later did I realize that when the sign says “2” to Levanto, it is not 2 km. Maybe 2 miles? That didn’t seem right either – it’s closer to 8 km. That said, although I didn’t have the sea view at all times, and walked more through a forest, the hike was still fun.
Finally, after what seemed like a very long walk, I finally reached a paved road and a view of Levanto. And that’s all I decided to do. Look at it from the top, take a photo, and turn around. I was happy with the hike itself and looked forward to spending the afternoon in Monterosso. A big bowl of pasta was certainly well deserved. And gelato. Maybe even a swim!
Btw, the best article about each hiking trail, distance and more is here, on the Cinque Terre website.
And so…
After my amazing time in Monterosso and the first part of hiking in Cinque Terre done it was time to go to the other side of the National Park. To Porto Venere. I decided to go by boat to see the towns from the water. I couldn’t wait.
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And then the adventure began
After my three nights in Monterosso, I was eager to hop on the boat to Portovenere and enjoy the view of Manarola and Riomaggiore. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. The sky was blue, but the ocean was wild, leading to all boat trips being canceled. Who would have thought?
Oh well, traveling light with only my backpack and laptop, I decided to catch the train instead. Of course, it didn’t go to Portovenere, only to La Spezia, and so …
… to be continued …
(post 193)
