Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre is a very small area that only needs a couple of days to explore.
How to do that depends on the time of year you're going, your fitness level, your ages, weather, and trail(s) status at any given time.

So, who are "we", when are you looking at taking this trip, and are you outdoor types able and willing to tackle steep climbs?

The CT only needs three nights, two days, at the most. You could also visit Santa Margherita Ligure and Camogli to the north and Portovenere to the south. You would be well positioned to add the Piemonte wine villages from there too.

Kathy,Suki,
Thank you both for great feedback...we r in good shape and hike/walk lots..wife and I ..june...Have you found hard to reserve rooms in these villages? Air BandB's. in this area?

Thanks again....we want to take it slow...at least 2 nights in each collage.

Kathy,Suki,
Thank you both for great feedback...we r in good shape and hike/walk lots..wife and I ..june...Have you found hard to reserve rooms in these villages? Air BandB's. in this area?

Thanks again....we want to take it slow...at least 2 nights in each collage.

Each of the 5 villages is only minutes away by train - the only way to really reach the towns.

I would not pack and move every two days to move a mile away. Choose a village you like and stay put and visit the surrounding areas by train.

at least 2 nights in each collage.

Jorge, as Carla has stated the villages are literally just a few minutes from each other by train. The entire distance between the northernmost (Monterosso) and the Southernmost (Riomaggiore) is only 7 miles. It makes no sense to pick up and move to a different one every 2 days: pick one location and stay put. IMHO, two weeks is much too long for a stay just in this area.

You can hike between towns but how you do that depends on which routes are open. Several pieces of the most popular route have been closed for some time and look to remain so for 2018. Other trails are available but are longer and more strenuous: spend some time with park's website:

http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Eindex.php

Do be aware that to hike the 2 currently open segments of the popular "Blue Trail" (592-3 (SVA2) Corniglia - Vernazza, and 592-4 (SVA2) Vernazza - Monterosso) you will need to purchase a park pass.

Trails are fragile and can be closed to heavy rain, falling rock or other damage at any time.

Ferries operate between all of the villages except Corniglia during the warmer months, and many businesses/accommodations close over the winter.

I can't answer your question about airbnbs as we stayed in a small hotel in Monterosso but accommodations of all sorts start filling far in advance of high season so if that's when you're going, I'd reserve your spot now. Do NOT wait until you get there.

The place is mobbed.

I no longer can recommend it.

We were there in September and the only hiking trail open was from Vernazza to Corniglia.

We were there in September and the only hiking trail open was from
Vernazza to Corniglia.

reinier28, I'm very sure this wasn't true as there are MANY trails in the park's system. As I'd stated earlier, most tourists are only aware of the most popular, most direct Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Path: SVA2) route - which does indeed have 2 of 4 sections closed and may abruptly close one or both of the other two due to weather or damage - but its not the ONLY route available.

Aside from maybe the period immediately following the flood of October 2011 (and I didn't check) I've yet to have taken a look at the trail-system map and seen the majority of them closed. Even back then I doubt that all of them were completely inaccessible.

Current map/listings notes only 3-4 trails closed and two of those are the aforementioned segments of the "Blue".
http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Esentieri-outdoor.php

There are many day-trips available from CT. Lucca, Santa Margherita and Portofino, boats along the coast to the many towns, Levanto, and Viareggio to name a few. I like to stay in Monterosso.