Cinque Terre/Five Lands - Liguria
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Tourist Information Office
About the city, What to see & do
Cinque Terre means 'Five Lands'. These are the five related fishing villages that nestle precariously on the cliffs located between Levanto and La Spezia (South). Originally fishing villages, Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, the villages’ coastline has been adapted in vineyard and produce great wines. Unesco has nominated the Cinque Terre a World Heritage Site in 1997, and the Italian State has created the National Park of the Cinque Terre to ensure their preservation. They are connected to one another by a scenic pathway that curves through the hillside among olive groves and vineyards. One of the many trails runs along the coast and links up all five villages. The sea is a paradise for scuba divers and the coast is characterized by cliffs, bays, beaches and caves.
Over the years, man has had to build countless short dry walls "muretti" and steps to support the steep strips of land. From a research carried out by naturalists it seems that, over thousands of years, the inhabitants of the Cinque Terre have carried out an enormous task in constructing and repairing these famous short dry walls "muretti". So much that the two-metre-high, eleven thousand kilometre long network of dry walls is comparable to the Great Wall of China. The only true way to enjoy the Cinque Terre at its best is by foot. The coastal footpath links all five villages, allowing you to be able to hike from the first village to the last village in five hours.
The easiest way to get to the Cinque Terre is by train, thanks to frequent services along the Genoa-La Spezia line. During the summer there is a daily ferry service between Cinque Terre and Portovenere and the Gulf of Tigullio and also a daily boat service, which allows you to admire the whole of the Cinque Terre coastline and to move about from village to village.
You are now required to pay to walk the trails in the Cinque Terre. You can either buy the Cinque Terre Card at the train station if you plan to use the trains and the trails, this is one day card that covers unlimited train rides between Levanto and La Spezia (including all the Cinque Terre) as well as use the walking trails, validate the card at the train station before using it and just show it at the booths set up on the trail; or buy a Trail Card if you are going to use only the trails, you can buy this on the trail at the first booth you see.
Paths completion times:
Riomaggiore - Manarola: 1.0 km - 25 min. ca
Manarola - Corniglia: 2.8 km - 1 h ca
Corniglia - Vernazza: 3.4 km - 1.45 h ca
Vernazza - Monterosso: 3.8 km - 2 h ca
- Riomaggiore Legend has it that was founded by Greek refugees in the 8th century. The village is set out in two formations of brightly coloured houses. The church of Saint John the Baptist has a beautiful gothic facade and a splendid rose window from the 14th century, while above the village lie the ruins of a castle. However, the most fascinating part of Riomaggiore are its houses, tall and narrow, with entrances on different levels at the front and back.
The Riomaggiore-Manarola trail is known as Via dell'Amore (Love Road) and it starts near the railway station of Riomaggiore. The access stair is on the left, where you reach the cliff that overlooks the sea and begin the journey.
- Manarola is perhaps the most striking of the Cinque Terre. The houses are built sheer above the sea and descend towards the marina, suspended between two rocky spurs and inhabited by brightly coloured boats.
- Corniglia hangs above a rocky promontory overlooking the sea, surrounded by a basin of vines. It is reminiscent of the farmland further away from the Ligurian coast. Don't miss Saint Peters church, built in 1334 in Genoese gothic style with later reworkings from the baroque period.
From above, you can see the containment walls built to protect the old railway and the water canalisation system.
- Vernazza is the only real port in the Cinque Terre. It preserves part of the imposing Genoese defence walls and the beautiful church of Santa Margherita di Antiochia, built on a rocky spur. It is marvellous to wander through the narrow streets and up and down the steep stairways of this charming townlet. Ask the local diving centre about the wonderful rocky seafloor.
This is the most demanding strech of path. From the village, you walk down and then begin to climb towards the cemetery, pass a bridge totally hidden by vegetation and dry-stone walls. Walkalong the terraces where the wall lizard shelters, between the stones and you can notice a variety of vegetation.
- Monterosso is the first village coming from Genoa and the only one to have a beach. The village holds the remains of ancient Genoese fortifications and the convent of Saint Francis dating back to the 17th century, which houses a number of paintings of significant value, such as a crucifixion from the Van Dyck school. The Cinque Terre Tourist Information Office is located here in Monterosso, in Piazza Colombo.
