While any of the five towns of the Cinque Terre would be a wonderful place to relax for a few days, 48 hours is still enough time to visit and enjoy all five. The first question for planning your weekend in the Cinque Terre is whether you want to hike between some or all of the towns; I definitely recommend doing as many of the hikes as you’re able, but you’ll want to think about the direction you’ll be hiking and time of day you’d like to hike as you plan your accommodations and the rest of your itinerary. The itinerary below is my recommendation for how to time the hikes over a weekend in the Cinque Terre based on my experience in April 2023, prioritizing sunrise and sunset views as well as being able to hike without having to carry all your luggage with you. After the itinerary are plenty of tips on where to stay in the Cinque Terre, how to plan for hiking between the towns, and great photo spots in the Cinque Terre!
Day 1 – Vernazza and Monterosso
- 2pm – Arrive in Vernazza and check into your hotel, then grab some pesto pasta for lunch at Pippo a Vernazza
- 3:30pm – Take the train to Monterosso, the northernmost of the Cinque Terre towns. Explore a little – be sure not to miss the section of town around the point to the east of the main section by the train station – and relax on the picturesque beach. (Not all of the Cinque Terre towns have beaches.)
- 4:30pm – Enjoy an aperitivo at Fornaio Di Monterosso (try the focaccia!) or any of the other great spots in town.
- 5:30pm – About two hours before sunset – or even a bit earlier if you want to catch golden hour – start hiking towards Vernazza. Welcome to the stairs and hill climbs of hiking in the Cinque Terre! Don’t worry, after the initial big climb, this hike is fairly flat – enjoy the terrace views, and catch sunset either as you approach Vernazza, or just past Vernazza on the trail to Corniglia.
- 8pm – There are plenty of excellent restaurants to choose from for dinner in Vernazza – try some seafood!
Day 2 – Corniglia and Manarola
- 8am – Especially if you want to beat the heat, start the hike from Vernazza to Corniglia early. You might even want to catch the sunrise from the spot with great views back to Vernazza, just before the ticket booth.
- 9:30am – Enjoy breakfast at a cafe in Corniglia – there are several to choose from.
- 10am – Onward to Manarola! In recent years the main trail from Corniglia to Manarola has been closed, so you’ll likely have to hike via Volastra. There’s a good climb here, but probably not as bad as coming uphill from Monterosso yesterday.
- 12pm – Take some time to explore Manarola – don’t miss the trail that goes through the terraces just above town to the north (you can find it by sticking to higher ground as you come into town from Volastra, or take a quick route uphill near the place labeled “Take-Away Pasta.” But don’t wait too long to find a lunch spot as they can get busy quickly! I loved the views and food at Trattoria dal Billy. Then find a sunny spot in a plaza to relax and digest a bit after lunch.
- 3pm – From Manarola you can take a boat to Porto Venere, which isn’t officially part of the Cinque Terre but is apparently a great addition to a Cinque Terre trip. (I didn’t actually do this, but wish I had!) Or, you could spend the afternoon relaxing in Manarola and enjoy golden hour and sunset there, or take the train back to Corniglia and then hike to the hillside bar in between Corniglia and Vernazza for an afternoon aperitivo.
- 8pm – Dinner in Manarola or Vernazza (and train back to Vernazza, if you’re staying there)
Day 3 – Riomaggiore
- 8am – Getting an early start for hiking again, take the train to Manarola (if you’re staying in Vernazza), grab a quick breakfast in a cafe, and then hike towards Riomaggiore. It’s a big climb! (Assuming that the coastal trail is still closed, as it has been in recent years.) But after you make it to the top, it’s not too far and as they say, all downhill from here.
- 11am – Look around a bit and enjoy an early lunch in Riomaggiore, then take the train back wherever you stayed to pick up your bags and say goodbye to the Cinque Terre. Think you’ll be back soon?
Essentials for a Weekend in the Cinque Terre
- Where to stay in the Cinque Terre: Assuming you’re going to be doing some hiking and exploring between the towns, I would say don’t stress over optimizing for efficiency of trips back and forth – the journeys are part of the fun! (Although keep in mind that everything, from trains to trails, is more crowded in the middle of the day – so your travels will be much quicker and easier if you transit earlier or later.) Vernazza and Manarola are both somewhat in the middle, and both lovely, so I would recommend one of those – I stated in Vernazza and was very happy with it, but I thought Manarola was the most beautiful so might pick there if/when I go back. Many families rent out a few rooms in their homes, so try checking Airbnb or Booking.com to find that sort of accommodation if you’re interested.
- Hiking in the Cinque Terre: The trails between the towns are fairly well marked and easy to follow; this isn’t wilderness hiking. That said, the hills can be very steep, with lots of stairs, so definitely wear good shoes, bring water, and plan for a workout! I wouldn’t recommend hiking with your backpack if you’re doing a back-around-Europe sort of thing – you’ll be glad to have stashed it wherever you’re staying. Note that a ticket/pass is required to hike the trails, and there are ticket booths at the entrances to many of the trails. Regarding specific trails, in recent years the coastal routes between Corniglia and Manarola, and Manarola and Riomaggiore, have been closed, so there are alternate routes that involve… you guessed it… more hills. The hill in between Manarola and Riomaggiore is particularly steep. I also would strongly recommend hiking the Corniglia to Manarola route (via Volastra) in that direction, rather than Manarola to Corniglia, as the section between Volastra and Corniglia is basically all stairs – better down than up. Lastly, note that there aren’t really public bathrooms – either use them at restaurants, or pay to use the bathrooms at train stations when you’re in town. (You should be able to find places to fill up water bottles – I remember a water fountain in Corniglia in particular, but I think they’re around most of the towns.)
- Getting around the Cinque Terre: Trains are the primary (at least tourist) mode of transportation between the towns, although there are also some buses (used mostly by locals) and boats – and of course, hiking! Even in April, which is shoulder season, I experienced some very crowded trains, so I can only imagine how crazy it can get in the summer. Try to avoid visiting June-August if you can, for the heat as much as the crowds, and in general try to take the trains early in the morning or later in the evening. You can buy single tickets from machines at the station but the lines can be very long, so consider buying a multi-day pass.
- Great photo spots in the Cinque Terre (and other great views): Some of the best and most popular Cinque Terre views are of the towns as you approach from the hiking trails; going either direction from Vernazza, you’ll find great views of the picturesque harbor and peninsula with the castle on it. I loved the early morning light approaching Corniglia from Vernazza, as well as the morning light in Manarola looking back towards town from the overlook on the small peninsula just to the north. For views to sit and enjoy, I thought the hillside bar between Vernazza and Corniglia looked like a great place to spend an afternoon, and I spent a couple of hours at Bar e Vini a Pié de Ma overlooking Riomaggiore.
Want more 48 hour Europe itineraries? Check out 48 Hours in Split and Hvar, 48 Hours in Prague, 48 Hours in the Netherlands, 48 Hours in Florence, or several Greek island itineraries.
