The Cinque Terre Hike
The Cinque Terre is one of those destinations that everyone should try to visit some time in their lives and the eight mile Cinque Terre hike is an absolute must for anyone who is fit and able to walk. The Cinque Terre (pronounced Cheeng-Kway Tear-ray; tear as in to cut, not as in tear from the eye; and be sure to roll the r’s) means five lands and is a collection of five hillside villages located on the rugged Ligurian Coast of Italy or the Italian Riviera. The village of Vernazza, in particular, you will immediately recognize from travel photos you have seen many times in the past. From north to south the villages are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.
Start at Monterosso
I caught the train at 8 AM in Genoa to the north and from that point on everything went like clockwork, making this one of the most enjoyable days of my trip. We stopped at little towns all along the way picking up more people at each stop until the train was standing room only. It was pretty obvious where everyone was heading, since most had shorts, hiking shoes and day packs. I met people from all over the world on the short train ride and we all chatted excitedly about our plans for the day. Some, like me, were going to get off at Monterosso, the northern most village, and hike south. Others were going to stay on the train until they got to the southern most village of Riomaggiore and hike north. Later that day along the trail I would pass some of these same people going the opposite way and we would all call out a cheerful greeting as we recognized one another from the train.
Best Hike Ever!
The train arrived in Monterosso at 10:30 AM and I was immediately able to find a nice hotel, aptly named Hotel Cinque Terre, which I will feature in the next article on Awesome Accommodations. By 11:30 AM I was on the trail enjoying the spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea as I hiked through the terraced hillsides of vineyards and olive orchards between each of the five villages. The weather could not have been nicer and I was glad I had come prepared with good hiking shoes and plenty of water. The eight mile hike took me four hours and I got back on the train at the fifth village of Riomaggiore heading back to Monterosso by 3:30 PM. Be sure to check out the video of the Cinque Terre Hike below!
Take the Train Back
If you only have the time or energy to do one portion of the hike, I recommend the section between Monterosso and Vernazza. It is the most difficult stretch, but I believe the most beautiful and Vernazza is one place you would not want to miss. The train stops near each of the five villages so even non-hikers can enjoy these quaint little towns. The train system makes it extremely handy in that you need only do the hike in one direction and can then take the train back to your starting point. After returning to Monterosso I enjoyed the evening exploring this beautiful area in more detail and had a nice dinner at a sidewalk café. Looking south as the sun went down I could see the lights of the other villages I had visited earlier in the day twinkling off in the distance.
Don’t Miss This Video of the Cinque Terre Hike!
A Photo Gallery of the Cinque Terre
Fantastic John. Your videos are great! Makes you want to get up and go. It’s a beautiful world we live in. You are so lucky to see so much of it. Sue