Going to CT in Sept. I read this info that I copied & pasted below. It’s so concerning and wondered how much is true. I only posted 3 concerns although there were 18, but the 1st one concerns me most. Anyone been there last year to confirm this info. Do you need to book a time now to walk the trails as this article is saying?
Copied….
I live in Italy. I have watched every single one of these happen. Some of them will ruin your day. ? Some of them will cost you money. All of them are avoidable.
1) ARRIVING WITHOUT CHECKING THE TRAIL STATUS
The famous blue trail connecting all five villages is not fully open. Multiple sections are closed in 2026 — the Corniglia–Manarola section has been shut for years with no reopening date. The Monterosso–Vernazza section is also currently closed.
People arrive every day expecting to walk all five villages in sequence. They cannot.
Check parconazionale5terre.it before you go. Trail status updates in real time. Do not plan your entire trip around a route that may not exist.
2) BUYING THE WRONG CARD — OR BUYING IT AT THE STATION
Two cards exist: the Trekking Card (trail access only) and the Train Card (trails plus unlimited train travel between Levanto and La Spezia).
In peak season a single train ticket between any two villages costs up to €10. If you are taking the train three or more times in a day, the Train Card saves money. Do the calculation before you buy.
More importantly: buy online before you arrive. The queues at the station info points in summer are slow and the card sells out on peak days.
The card is required only between March 14 and November 2. Outside those dates, all trails are free.
3) NOT ASKING YOUR HOST ABOUT THE VIA DELL'AMORE RESIDENT CARD
If you are staying overnight in Riomaggiore or Manarola, contact your host before you arrive and ask for the resident tourist card.
This QR code allows you to walk Via dell'Amore in both directions instead of the mandatory one-way flow. It lets you bypass the pre-booked time slots. It gives a €4 discount. It is not mentioned on the official website. Most guests never know it exists.
Ask before you book your access slot. Once you have booked without it, it is too late.