Best hikes & swims in Cinque Terre?

I think the section of the trail from Monterosso to Vernazza is the best, and it is the most difficult. Most inviting swim is Vernazza.

There are hiking trails all over the CT. Most notable are the trails between the towns close to the water. However, there are many trails above the towns as well. Best suggestion is to drop into one of the many TIs and get a map that shows all of the hiking trails. For swimming, Monterosso has the best beach by far of the 5 towns although you can probably jump in at the smaller beaches in the other towns.

Try :

www.slowtrav.com/italy/liguria/cinqueterre.htm

www.parcocinqueterre.com

Patton, the "best hikes" are probably the trails between the five villages. As someone else mentioned, the portion from Monterosso to Vernazza is the most difficult, but there are some great views. All of the trails are good, however the portion from Riomaggiore to Manarola (the famed "via del'Amore") is not really a "hike" but rather a "stroll". It's mostly paved so is quite easy. There used to be a Bar along the way where one could stop to have a "beverage" overlooking the ocean (not sure if it's still there?). There are also some trails that go further into the surrounding communities in the hills, but I've never tried those.

The "best views" are from the varioustrails or from the boats (weather permitting).

The "best places to swim" are probably a matter of opinion. Monterosso al Mare (the most northerly town) has the best clean and sandy beach. The beach in Vernazza is quite small by comparison, and is kind a "lagoon" formed by the large breakwater. Corniglia doesn't really have a beach as the town is higher up the mountain. As far as Manarola and Riomaggiore, there are small rocky swimming areas near the boat launches.

Regarding buying RS books in Europe, I was looking at a list of European dealers for his books on this website in the last day or so, but I couldn't find that link today. Hopefully someone else can help? If you have enough time, you could try Amazon UK site, as they had RS Italy 2008 listed for UK$9.09. Amazon DE or FR sites may also stock these?

Good luck and happy travels!

We were just in Vernazza a few days ago, staying at La Mala' in Vernazza. We took the boat from Vernazza to Monterosso and hiked back to Vernazza. It was a gorgeous hike - lots of steps up, but plenty of level areas to catch your breath, and an unexpected highlight was an enterprising local with a wait-while-he-squeezes lemonade stand! The views back towards Monterosso are spectacular, but there is nothing that can describe the views as you descend upon "the jewel of the Cinque Terre", Vernazza.

As for swimming, we only swam in Vernazza. There is a very protected harbor, with a sandy beach. This is great for young kids or those who want a risk-free, relaxing dip. But, for those who are more adventurous, head to the outer area of the breakwater and hop in. There is even a ladder to get back out of the water, although some of the locals would time their departure from the water with the waves, essentially lifting them to the point of being able to climb out via the wall. While it was cool to watch, if you don't get your timing right, it looked like a great way to get slammed into the wall. My 16 year old son tried it several times, said that it was a lot harder than it looked, and he resorted to the ladder. The surf got so rough that they closed access to the breakwater.

Sorry for the long-winded response, but having just left on Tuesday, the memories are very fresh!

Beaches: Monterosso, best sandy beach, either just at the train station or in the old town, more of a typical beach. Vernazza: Really very few adults swimming, except outside the breakwater, I would have felt "on-display" rather than at a beach.(Think of patrons of a half dozen sidewalk cafes watching you swim or sun) Corniglia: Actually there is a beach, either the thin strip of rocks along the road and train station, or through the abandoned train tunnel (or down from the trail} to Guvano Beach. It is probably the best secluded beach, pebbles, not sand. It is often promoted as a nude beach, but more clothing optional with very few nude patrons. Search the web for more info on getting there. Riomaggiore: Nice, quieter beach south of town, pebbles and rocks, but decent swimming and snorkeling.

Paul gave a nice recap of the 'beaches' But Manorola had an interesting swim area with some nice cliff jumping if you are into that - my 14 yeal old really liked that. The beaches in that area are not sandy as you might expect and the rocks on Riomaggiore can be slippery but we all still liked the swimming. There is also swimming in Riomaggiore in the little harbor too

The hike from Monterosso to Vernazza is 2 hours and very strenuous, but not as strenuous as going the other way. From Vernazza to Monterosso it seemed like all the stair-steps were frontloaded at the beginning of the hike, whereas from Monterosso they're in several stages. You may also want to consider that in just a few places the trail is downright dangerous. I'm talking a dirt trail, less than 2 feet wide, no shoulder, no guardrail, and nothing to hang on to except vines, so watch your step!

The hike from Manarola to Riomaggiore on the other hand was flat, very scenic, safe, and short (about 30 minutes).

Hi,
Just returned from a 3 week trip to Italy & Greece. We LOVED the Cinque Terre and found the best areas for swimming was right off the hiking trail on the way
to Manorola from Corniglia. Fantastic! Steep steps lead you down to the most glorious sunbathing on big flat rocks. Have a great time! Also, the best views were from Monterossa to Vernazza and from Corniglia to Manorola.

Shannon

Thanks all for your excellent advice! We leave soon for our three weeks on the Mediterranean. I look forward to good experiences while in Cinque Terre, with thanks to Rick Steves travellers. Ciao!

My 18 and 14 year old liked swimming at Manarola best, but it is off of cliffs, no beach. Vernazza is prettiest and the biggest is Monterosso.

Ken, the beverage station from Riomaggiore to Manorola is still there. We stopped there and had some gelato!