Cinque Terre – Exploring Riomaggiore

Over the past few weeks we have been doing a lot of traveling through both France and Italy. Cinque Terre was the 3rd stop on our trip. Cinque Terre itself is made up of 5 small towns perched on cliffs along the west coast in the northern part of Italy. The towns are so beautiful that it is no wonder that visitors flock from all over the world to visit and photograph the 5 towns. We sadly were only there for two days and did not have time to explore the uniqueness that each one has to offer.

Where We Stayed

We stayed in a small hotel in Levanto, which is not considered part of the 5 main towns, but is a 5 minute train ride to the closest one, Monterosso. The hotel was clean and very cute. The family who owns it was so friendly and was so helpful in answering any questions we had! I would definitely recommend staying in Levanto because though the 5 towns are cute they are defiantly crowded with tourists and are loud. Levanto has more of a relaxed vibe, with a cute beach and lots of shops and restaurants to explore.

Taking The Train In Cinque Terre

If you go to any of the train stations you can get an all day train pass for Cinque Terre with is the best deal if you are going to be going to the different towns and checking them out. From Levanto the next closest town in Monterosso which is just a 5 minute train ride away. The farthest town Riomaggiore is around 25 minutes away. Especially in the summer, which is the busy season, the train ticket lines are long and the stations are very crowded.

The 5 Towns of Cinque Terre

Monterosso

Monterosso is the biggest of the five towns and has the most things to do with many restaurants and shops to visit. There is also a beach which is a big plus, as although a few of the other towns have water access none of them have a true beach like Monterosso.

Vernazza

Vernazza is the second largest of the towns and is a great place to photograph, as it is built in a sort of amphitheater or half-moon shape.

Corniglia

Corniglia along with Marnola are the smallest of the villages. Corniglia is positioned so that you have to take a long set of steps to get down the the main town. Keep this in mind if you are traveling with luggage or small children.

Marnola

If you have ever seen a picture of Cinque Terre it is a good change it is of the beautiful Marnola. This village has become of of the most photographed. You can hike down a small path and climb along the rocks in order to get this famous shot of the colorful. building perched along the mountain side. Sometimes this trail can be closed due to mudslides, but don’t worry, there are many other places to get great pictures of the town.

Riomaggiore

Romaggiore is the town that we spent the most time in. It is beautiful and buzzing with tourists all there to enjoy the colorful town. It is one of the most laid back towns, and although there are still tourists it is much quieter then the larger towns of Cinque Terre. The buildings are built to all curve around a natural harbor that is set between the rocks. You can swim in the water although there is no beach.

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