Cinque Terre
3 days spent in Cinque Terre - what a dream
When: April - not too crowed, but not deserted. The weather felt like 70 degrees in the sun during peak daytime and was in the 40s and chilly at nighttime. It was very sunny with no clouds or rain Layers of clothing were needed to accommodate the beautiful Spring weather.
Where: Of the five towns, we chose to stay in Riomaggiore because it is one of the bigger towns and it’s (of course) beautiful. There are many restaurants, bars, shops, and a marina. There weren’t a ton of hotel options, so we rented an Airbnb with a balcony with views of the sea.
Food: Riomaggiore has several small, authentic bistro type eateries, as well as a Michelin Star restaurant. There are also several restaurants throughout Cinque Terre to explore - such as on the beach restaurants in Monterosso
Transportation: The Cinque Terre regional train was the way that we moved between towns. We also used this train line to get to La Spezia Centrale, the larger station in the region, which connected us to Pisa, Florence, and Rome. The CT regional trains came about every 30 minutes at this time of year (less frequently than my research led me to believe). Taxis are few and far between
Activities: Even though we stayed in Riomaggiore, we did take time to explore the other towns. Some of the top activities we did include:
Boat ride to view the five towns from the sea. This was a MUST do. The water is such a vibrant blue and the rocky towns are incredible to view from the sea. You can bring your own picnic and beverages on the boat!
Cooking class: we learned how to make pesto pasta, which is a tradition of Liguria. We also made fresh fish, veggies, and dessert - all alongside plenty of Italian wine!
Drinks with a view: There are a few restaurants and bars that are built onto the side of the rocky coast with sea views on all sides. I highly recommend getting an Aperol Spritz at one of these
Hike from town to town: the views are stunning and it’s a pretty moderate hike
Walking through the towns: Simply following the winding, narrow streets (mostly devoid of cars) through the towns and soaking up the Ligurian Coast vibes!
*All photos were taken on an iPhone and are unfiltered
For more information and specifics on recommendations (weblinks, prices, etc.), please see here.
Cinque Terre - Riomaggiore
