When I first fell in love with Cinque Terre… I can’t even tell you how long I’ve been dreaming of visiting Cinque Terre. Even though Cinque Terre was not really on the route I had planned for our Italy trip previous summer, we decided on a little detouring because I couldn’t let go the idea of finally visiting this special place. Cinque Terre means five little villages: Riomaggiore, Manorola, Vernazza, Corniglia, Montorosso al Mare. Cinque Terre is one of these Italian slices of paradise which seem almost unreal, like walking into a postcard. I remember when Alex and I started our Italian road trip one year ago and when we approached Cinque Terre by car, we first laid eyes on Riomaggiore from above right before sunset. The last rays of sun were reflected in the water, the coast line had a magical glowy light and when I saw the colorful houses caved into the mountains, my eyes filled with tears. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen and I felt overwhelmed and touched by the magic and this beauty…
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In case you are planning some Italy travels, I can only recommend visiting Cinque Terre. Though, Cinque Terre is not the casual desintation which needs no explanations at all. There are quite a few things which are good to know before planning your trip and, therefore, I decided to share some tips with you on how to make the most out of your Cinque Terre visit.
Which is the most beautiful among the five villages?
Well, this question almost seems to be impossible to be answered. Even during my time in Cinque Terre I changed my opinion a couple of times!;) So far I have visited four out of five Cinque Terre villages and they are all unique and charming in their own ways!
Most of the time I stayed in Riomaggiore and the moment I arrived, I loved this place. Riomaggiore has some accommodations and is very lively. My favorite thing about Riomaggiore is the area next to the water. During sunset most visitors grab a pizza and a beer and everyone is looking for a nice spot to enjoy the atmosphere. You can climb up some stairs which lead to a rocky area. Sitting here, you can watch the sun going down behind the colorful buildings – What a priceless view!
What I love most about Manarola is the panoramic view point which is easy to be reached. Even if you are not into hiking – Manorala’s view point is only a few hundred meters away from the train station and the way up couldn’t be any easier. Going further up there is a picnic area and a nice bar where I celebrated my birthday and where I spent most of my evenings. To me this spot simply offers the best views in Cinque Terre.
I visited Vernazza for the first time in the early evening and immediately fell for the charme of the village. The waterfront is way broader compared to Riomaggiore and Manarola and there are lots of restaurants close to the water which offer a nice waterfront table plus views. The way up to the viewpoint is way longer and steeper and when doing the hike during daytime you will most probably burn in the heat! 😉 Vernazza is definitely quieter and more romantic than Riomagggiore.
Monterosso al Mare is the village which is probably the best suited for relaxation and a classical vacay. It’s the only village with a real beach and I just love being close to the sea! Also the beach of Monterosse is super cute with all its colorful umbrellas! I loved wondering around the promenade, watching the sea to my right and the colorful houses to the left. Monterosso al Mare is also stretching out quite a little and offers some real hotels, whereas most of the Chinque Terre accomodation means renting a small apartment.
Cinque Terre by car or by train?
When I was planning my trip, I read that it totally makes sense to arrive by train. Well, we rented a car for our roadtrip and as we booked one day in advance I decided that taking the car might give us more flexibility. When arriving from Pisa, Riomaggiore was the first village of Cinque Terre. But when you drive further North, the road keeps getting smaller and is winding up and down. You can drive from Riomaggiore to the next village Manarola in a rather short period of time, but it takes forever to get to the other villages – especially when comparing timings by car with the short transportation time you’ll have when taking the train. Also, there are only few parking spots and you have to pay about 20€ per night, even when you park in front of your hotel or apartment. When visiting Cinque Terre, you should definitely take the time to figure out how to get there. You can take a train from Milan or Pisa to La Spezia which is really close to all the villages. The train which is connecting the villages is running frequently and it’s just a few minutes to get from one to the next village. Even when you take the train form Riomaggiore in the very South to Montorosso al Mare in the very North, it will only take about 1o minutes. Arrive early as there might be a long queue at the ticket counter. 😉
What and where to eat in Cinque Terre?
One thing needs to be said: Italians are no breakfast lovers! They enjoy having a croissant and an espresso at the bar and, therefore, you mostly find no breakfast or brunch restaurants when travellign in Italy. Therefore, I was happy to book a hotel with breakfast option so that you can fuel up at the hotel before starting the day. Also, as a vegetarian, options are a bit rare since Cinque Terre is known for seafood! My favorite places are Nessun Dorma, Manarola for the most amazing views, cheese plates and the best bruschetta, Da Eraldo, Monterosso for antipasti and Lunch Box, Vernazza in case your craving for vegetarian options and some fresh smoothies gets to big. 🙂 Other than that: Just grab a pizza to go and enjoy the views! 🙂
BAG: Furla (here), DRESS: Faithfull (on sale: here), SUNGLASSES: Chloé (here), SANDALS: Chloé (on sale: here)
BATHING SUIT: Eres (here)
BATHING SUIT: Eres (here)
Cinque Terre ist einfach traumhaft! Kann es kaum erwarten im September dort zu sein!
xx, Romana
http://www.fouraway.ch
Thank you for sharing, I couldn’t be more excited about Cinque Terre and I can’t wait to visit Positano asap!
https://lartoffashion.com
Super schönes Örtchen! Definitv ein Must-See 🙂 Kommt auf jeden Fall auch auf meine Bucket List
Liebe Grüsse
Sylvia
http://www.mirrorarts.at – Fotografie & Reisen
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Jaaaa, es ist so süß! <3
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Italy has just too much to offer! <3
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Yeah, wie cool – Wünsch dir sooo viel Spaß! <3
Wow, die Bilder sprechen absolut für sich.. Wunderschön! *.*
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Danke, Liebes <3
Danke für die super schönen Bilder. Kann es kaum erwarten auch endlich mal in diese Ecke Italiens zu reisen. Wow.
Liebe Grüße
Anna
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Du wirst es bestimmt lieben <3
stunning photos!
http://www.velvetandmilk.com/
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Thaaaank you <3
The pictures are amazing, i want to come back visiting Italy. There is so many amazing places to visite there 🙂
tdwof.blogspot.fr
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Sooooo many – I could spend all my time in Italy <3
Ein toller Travel Guide. Das mit dem Frühstück stimmt total.
Gut zu wissen dass es mit dem Auto es beschwerlich ist. Ein Fleckchen Erde das ich auch unbedingt sehen muss.
LG Katharina
http://dressandtravel.com
Absolutely love it! x
http://www.evdaily.blogspot.com
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<3<3<3
sounds nice!!!!! I have visited only lerici, i would come back!!!!
that striped dress is AMAAAAAAAAAAZING
http://7-sevendays.blogspot.gr/
Cinque Terre is such an amazing place on earth <3
Carmelatte
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I feel the same <3
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Thaaaanks, love <3
Cinque Terre es seriously a dream!♥
Loved the pics hun xx
http://www.pamelayaquelin.com
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<3<3<3
Unfassbar schöne Outfits die du da gewählt hast. Sommer Pur!
xx
Jacky
My photography-blog: http://www.vifer-photography.blogspot.com
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Danke, Liebes <3
Hallo Liebes 🙂
Die Fotos sind wirklich absolut traumhaft <3 Nach Italien möchte ich auch unbedingt mal!
Liebe Grüße, Caro :*
http://nilooorac.com/
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Jaaaa – unbedingt! Ich könnte mich durchgehend in Italien aufhalten 🙂 <3
Danke, für die tollen Tipps!<3
http://www.blogellive.com
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<3<3<3
Wow! Wirklich wunderschöne Fotos. ?
Ich würde gerne auch so viel reisen können. Da wird man ja ziemlich neidisch!
Und dann noch diese atemberaubenden Fotos. Hast du Tipps um so schöne Fotos zu machen und welchen Filter/Bearbeitungsprogramm benutzt du? ?
Liebe Grüße, Luise
Ich will auch schon lange mal nach Cinque Terre reisen – als wir vor ein paar Jahren auf einer Kreuzfahrt war hatte uns ein älteres Pärchen völlig begeistert davon erzählt und seitdem steht es auf meiner Bucket List! Ich hoffe ich schaffe es nächstes Mal und deine Tipps sind wirklich super.
LG
Brini
http://www.brinisfashionbook.com
Wow wow wow, Cinque Terre ist ein ganz besonderer Ort. Ich finde es voll bewundernswert, dass ihr es schafft diesen Charme den die Orte ausmacoen so einzufangen!❤
Alles Liebe,
xxMaj-Britt
https://majstatement.com/
Der schwarze Badeanzug und das Turban – einfach toll! Ein wunderschönes Bild von dir!
Liebste Grüße
Katja
http://www.cestlevi.blog | Follow me on Instgram
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Viiielen lieben Dank, Liebes <3
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Daaaanke <3
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Jaaaaa, uuunbedingt mal besuchen <3
Leonie ich liebe die Art wie du von deinen Reisen erzählst! Unglaublich tolle Bilder! Man merkt, dass du nicht nur blind durch die Gegend läufst sondern dich richtig für Land und Leute interessierst! Von Zuhause aus lese ich deine Blogeinträge und fühle mich als wäre ich dabei gewesen… DANKE dafür! <3
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Awww, viiiielen lieben Dank, liebe Laura – Das freut mich ehrlich so sehr! <3<3<3
Love this! Where did you stay? A hotel or a house rental?
Wie sich dein blog innerhalb der letztes 3 jahre drastig veränderr hat- dein Lächeln nicht 😉 Liebe Grüsse
http://www.redchillilounge.com
woooow this place just looks amazing! I did a road trip around Italy last year as well but only hit the cities and Lake Como! I still need to go back and do the entire coast 🙂 Cinque Terre looks like heaven!
http://www.littleblackshell.com
OMG this place is just magical! I love Italy so much, I can return there every year, but this place should be definitely on my list! And your outfits are stunning as always!!
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Thank you babe, I could be in Italy ALWAYS <3
Hi love where do you stay in Amalfi? Did you have a favorite hotel during your stays? We’ll be going when the weather gets better… any recommendations work be helpful.
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I loooove Positano! I stayed at Le Sirenuse (highest price I’ve ever paied for a hotel, but the most beautiful I’ve ever seen!) and the Ancora, which is right next door and also has amazing views! <3
Your photographs are simply amazing…it makes me yearn to visit Cinque Terre again…
Please share your feedback on my travel blog if u r free…
http://www.shoestringtravel.in/2017/09/a-guide-to-coastal-italy-amalfi-coast.html?m=1
Hello Leonie,
Amazing article !
Just a question : do we have to book the deskchairs on the beach at Monterosso ? Do you know which beach is the best ?
Thanks !
Camille
http://www.camilleetlesgarcons.com/
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Hi babe, it’S basically ONE beach – You will easily find it! <3
Liebe Leonie, hast du einen Hotel Tipp für Cinque Terre?
Vielen Dank und liebe Grüße