Le Cinque Terre

There are four more popular trails between the five CT towns. Starting from the south, the first is from Riomaggiore to Manarola. This takes less than 30 minutes and is quite flat. It's a very easy trail. The second trail is from Manarola to Corniglia. This hike takes about 40-45 minutes and has very slight uphills and a dozen or more stairs until you get to the Corniglia train station. Then, there are stairs going down. To complete the trail from the Corniglia train station to the town, you go vertical up about 400 stairs (the town is up on the cliff). I suggest skipping the stairs. You can take the minibus up to the town.

The next trail goes from Corniglia to Vernazza. The RS book says 90 minutes but as seniors, it took us 3 hours. This is a more rigorous hike. The fourth hike is the most scenic and challenging of the four. In wet weather, it could be a bit dangerous.

Thanx Larry!!

If at all possible, take the train to and from the Cinque Terre, even if you need a car for a place like Tuscany. Except for downtown Venice, there's no more useless place for a car than the CT: no roads between the five towns, just rail, boat and walking; and overnight parking is difficult to get. If you absolutely have to have a car immediately before and immediately after the CT, suggest you stay only in Vernazza or Monterosso and only at lodging that is willing to arrange for your overnight parking.

Besides hiking, you can get between all the villages on boat (weather permitting) and train.

If you've got bad knees, then avoid the first two sections of the trail (Monterosso-Vernazza-Corniglia) and see these towns another way.

Do a search on this site (search box, upper right corner of the page) for many, many suggestions about lodging. You're out of luck for Central America prices, but there are less expensive options like renting individual rooms.

Wherever you decide to stay, don't miss eating at Il Pirata delle 5 Terre in Vernazza. Rick recommends it in his book. Their pastries are absolutely melt in your mouth and their dinners some of the best we had the whole month we were in Italy. They are a short walk from the train station....no steps. The memory of their pesto lasagne and eggplant parm make my mouth water. YUM.

Hi - We've just returned from Italy and spent 2 nights in Manarola, cinque Terre. That's the least touristy of the towns but there are many tourist everywhere, even in late April. Also, there is much uphill walking WITHIN each village. The walk from Manarola to Riomagiore (spell?) is, as someone already said, paved and easy. Manarola to Corniglia is next easiest but can't say for you. Definitely try to go to CT by train, not car. The scenery is spectacular in CT but the overload of tourists really gets in the way for me. Two nights is enough. Good luck! J Blake