Weekend in Cinque Terre
PCS season was upon us. Our friends were leaving soon, so we decided to take a trip together to one of the most visited places in Italy. My husband and I had Cinque Terre on our list, but we hadn’t made the trip yet - thanks to covid shenanigans. At first, I thought we’d ride the train because we love the train. After pricing the tickets, I changed my mind. It would’ve cost double to ride the train vs. driving. Also, the train trip is about 6 hours vs. 3.5 hours driving. Thankfully the manager at L’Opera told me which free parking lot to use. Don’t worry, I’ll share all of the goodies with you.
Keep reading to find out how we spent three days in Cinque Terre.
Where Did You Stay?
As always, I look for ways to save money without compromising comfort and security. In my search for the right place, I looked near the train station in La Spezia since the train would be our method of transportation to and from the towns each day. We could save a lot of money on the accommodations and food, and we’d get to experience another city.
When I saw this hotel and the price, I quickly clicked the ‘book now’ button. I’d already missed out on an airbnb, I wasn’t going to let this one get by. The accommodation was called L’Opera Room & Suites. It was an easy six minute walk to the train station. The room was cost efficient, convenient, classy, comfy, and clean. It past the five Cs test. I highly recommend L’Opera. It is in an apartment building, so don’t expect to see a neon sign out front. If you do book with them, ask the manager if you can drop your luggage off at the front, if needed. He was very nice and responsive to us.
There are no amenities with this stay, but you won’t need any because you’ll be touring Cinque Terre. You can purchase the breakfast option with your room. The yummy breakfast is served at a cafe in the nearby piazza. The cafe does offer panini with eggs, but otherwise it’s coffee, juice, and brioche. The coupon in your room based on what you booked will determine whether you get a VIP breakfast of savory and sweet food items and juice and coffee, or just coffee or juice and brioche.
What Did You Do?
I planned to sling shot from La Spezia to the main towns - Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare - each day taking our time, watching life in Cinque Terre. Please don’t try to do the main five towns in one day - unless you’re just there for the photo and not exploring or immersing.
We left Vicenza around 8am on a Friday morning and drove to La Spezia. After checking into our hotel we hopped the train to Monterosso Al Mare. It looked like a stormy day, but thankfully we dodged the rain. We did some exploring in the town, but the experience was a little weird because the weather was not pleasant and there were very few tourists in town. But, we saw Monterosso! If you’re into shopping, check out Fabbrica D'Arte Monterosso.
After Monterosso, we visited Corniglia. There are 999 stairs to get to the town from the train station. Ok really like 382 stairs. Many shops were closed, but I did see the cutest trenino! A trenino is a small “train” that workers ride, and use to carry things, through the vineyards on the hillside. I have to say, there’s not much to see or do here, so I don’t have much to share except these photos. :)
Saturday we woke to a sunny day. This day we would ride to Manarola after our sweet breakfast in the piazza. We climbed many stairs and hills in Manarola. There was a free hike we could do through the vineyard that would take us down to a lookout point. So, that we did and it was glorious. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and I was in heaven. Before, heading to the train station to go back for a mid-day rest, husband got a tako/octopus sandwich and he was a happy man.
Starting point for vineyard trail: here
Ending point: here (this is a great place for a picnic, it has a small park for kids to play, and you’ll also find Nessun Dorma, a restaurant on the cliffside with great views.
That evening we set out for Riomaggiore. We booked a Sunset Tour with our friends and their two teenagers. If you love a good boat ride, consider booking a tour with Cinque Terre Adventure, Captain Davide. We were on the water for about two hours and he provided wine and focaccia (which is a staple food in Cinque Terre). It was chilly, so if you go in May, take a coat. The cost was 250€ and a max of six people.
Note: We visited CT in May ‘21 - covid restrictions were still in effect, there was still a curfew, and tourism was minimal. Many of the trails between towns were closed - all but one I believe. Check the link below for conditions of trails before assuming you can hike all of them. The only “activity” we did was the boat ride and some hiking to viewpoints which are listed on the link to the google map list for Cinque Terre below.
Sunday was another beautiful day for exploring. Our friends departed and my husband and I gathered our stuff, dropped some things at the car, and headed to the train station to go to Vernazza for an overnight stay. I was especially excited about this town and it did not disappoint. You should know I don’t desire many activities and shopping; I’m fine with people watching, exploring every nook and cranny, and having a good meal. (I walked 20 miles in these three days.) After checking into our cute little bnb, my husband went for a dip in the chilly sea and I had pizza and a beverage nearby.
Monday at 0600 I decided it was time for a sunrise hike for photos. I left hubs sleeping and I set out. I went to this lookout point. There is a checkpoint there, but no one was manning it. The fence was open, so I helped myself. I only went to the lookout point as most trails are closed due to repeated land slides. The town had already replaced the fence at the start of the hike. I didn’t want to risk it and you shouldn’t either - unless someone at the checkpoint allows it.
On the way back to the room, I took my time and enjoyed watching the people. After getting hubs up, we ate a great breakfast at Blue Marlin Bar and visited the Doria Castle (ruins). The castle is really just a great spot for a panoramic view of the town and coast line.
Around noon, we hopped the train back to La Spezia for lunch and to fetch our car. We found it as we left it and were grateful. :)
Tip: Cinque Terre Treno Card is not useful if you’re not riding the train more than 4x a day and hiking the trails between towns. See the condition of the trails here.
Where Did You Park in La Spezia?
Considering we arrived mid-day Friday when everyone was still at work, we were lucky to grab a spot in this FREE parking lot. It is behind a military building which is probably why there are security cameras and that made us feel better about parking our car there for 3 days. Even if you can’t get a spot in the lot, there are plenty of free street parking spots nearby. Note: There is a bus stop and e-scooters for rent at the parking lot.
Park Piazza D'Armi Parking Lot
Note: If you’re parking in Vernazza, for example, it is 15€ for 24 hours. You leave the keys with the attendant. The parking lot is about 500 metres above the town and there is a shuttle that runs between the lot and the town of Vernazza. It costs €1,50 or free with the Cinque Terre Card.
Here is more information on parking near the five towns.
Where Did You Eat?
Something to Consider: Eating in La Spezia is far cheaper than eating in the five towns.
La Spezia
Friggitoria Pane e Tulipani La Spezia
Manarola
Riomaggiore
Vernazza
Grab my Google Maps list of Cinque Terre places (to include La Spezia). Everything in this post, plus some, is already marked for you.
Overall, Vernazza was my favorite town with Manarola coming in at a close second. The video I shared above is just a reminder for me of the sounds of life in a quiet Cinque Terre.
See the Instagram highlight reel.
Two helpful apps when traveling in Cinque Terre are Trainline & Easy Park (if you can’t find free parking in La Spezia).
For more tourist info on Cinque Terre, I recommend this site.
If and when you visit Cinque Terre, please be sure to share your experience in the comments below. I have so much to learn and I’m sure others would appreciate it also. If you have any questions about what I’ve posted, ask it in the comments or send me a message.
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