Two tips for having the best time in Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is busy; with the walkways, trains, and ferries being filled to the brim with visitors, especially during the summer months.

If you’re planning on travelling to this amazing part of Italy, you’re probably aware that it’s a popular destination. And to add to that, there’s no doubt that you’ve heard from friends and family members who have visited, that the number of tourists can be pretty overwhelming.

Whilst it can be hard to visit a well-known, overcrowded destination and still enjoy your time there, here are our tips for enjoying your stay in Cinque Terre. Plus some reasons why this will make your visit even more memorable.

Stay longer

We honestly believe the best way to travel is to fully immerse yourself in the location and extend your stay, in any one destination, for as long as possible.

In terms of exploring Cinque Terre, we would recommend dedicating an entire day per town (cinque = five), but an extra couple of days either side is also a big bonus. With this amount of time, you have the ability to explore completely and even revisit a favourite town.

You may have seen other itineraries that detail the ability to visit multiple towns in one day, especially with the train and ferry options, but different times throughout the day can really open up the opportunity to see how unique each town is.

By allowing yourself one day in each town, you give yourself time to browse the fresh food markets and the local artisan products in the morning. Then, by late afternoon, you’ll be able to sit in a restaurant, or bar, watching the local kids jumping off rocks, into the gentle waves as the sun sets over the Ligurian Sea.

Feel like a local

During your extended stay in Cinque Terre, the way to fully maximise an amazing trip in this spectacular region is to base yourself in one of the five towns.

The beauty of this is that you will see the idyllic seaside towns as you have probably imagined them before you started your adventure.

The best parts of the days are early mornings before all of the other travellers come to the towns from close-by cities on day trips. The towns are quiet and there is a soothing calm to them. This is when you can see the locals going about their morning routines and making preparations to welcome all of the visitors to their charming home. This time of the day provides you the opportunity to walk around at your own pace, without battling the crowds, and exploring the steep stairs sloping up into the hills from the main piazzas.

Additionally in the evenings, after you’ve seen all of the day-trippers come and go, you will feel like a local when you get to relax back into your accommodation in any of the five towns, before taking an evening stroll through the sleepy village.

The real bonus of staying for an extended time in one of the five small towns is that you’ll begin to become familiar with the locals. By settling into the town, your daily routines start to blend with the people who live there as you develop a shorthand with them, whether it be in the simple form of a nod or a smile. Who knows, even the grumpy deli guy might warm to you by the last day there.

See you on the road!