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Wondering how to visit Cinque Terre, Italy, solo and without a car? Cinque Terre is the perfect place for a day trip or extended stay. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has the best view from quaint coastal villages.
I visited this Italian national park solo in May, and had the most wonderful time hiking and sunbathing by the beach! Find out how you can do so as well in this ultimate guide for solo female travelers 💕
Table of contents
Where is Cinque Terre?
Cinque Terre, literal meaning: five lands, is a national park in Italy! It is made out of five super picturesque villages situated in the country’s northwest; Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare.
Cinque Terre is a very famous tourist area that is much-loved and much visited from May to October.
When should I visit Cinque Terre?
I personally chose to make this Cinque Terre trip in the beginning of May. I can’t lie, since it was the beginning of peak tourist season, it was crowded! There were so many tourists during the day, who only dispersed after sunset.
Staying at Italian Villages
Honestly, I was grateful that I chose to stay in Cinque Terre overnight.
This way, I was able to stay until dark in Manarola, view the beautiful sunset, and make the short walk to head back.
Most tourists stay in Monterosso al Mare or all the way in La Spezia, so all the other villages were fairly quiet after dark.
Perfect Time to Visit
The perfect time to visit the Cinque Terre region is before the high season: in late April when it is getting warmer and in mid October when it is not yet chillingly cold.
This way, you can do most activities undisturbed by the horde of visitors that will visit during peak season.
How do I get there by train?
Train Route (Nice or Florence)
I went there from the south of France! From Nice, I took several trains to get to Manarola- the village I was staying in. My route was:
Nice – Ventigmilia – Genova Brignole – Manarola
Alternatively, you can go to Cinque Terre from Florence, Italy with the following route:
Firenze Santa Maria Novella – La Spezia Centrale – Manarola
Bringing Luggages on Italian Trains
The weekends could have a more limited train schedule, so keep that in mind when creating your itinerary. It would be best to travel light, as most stations only have stairs and no elevators.
My heart shed countless invisible tears while hauling my heavy luggage uphill in Cinque Terre. In the end, I was just glad that I arrived in Manarola in one piece.
The travel is definitely doable solo (even for a first solo trip!), as long as you keep the luggage restrictions in mind! Luckily the train could accommodate me, but this could be the biggest hurdle female solo travelers can face.
Don’t forget to download the app for Italian trains to make sure you transfer and get off at the correct stations!
Hauling Luggages to Cinque Terre
There are various train stations connected to the five villages, and access to the village can differ depending on where it’s situated.
Is it on top of a hill or steep stairs (Corniglia)?
Or is it fairly flat journey from the train station (Monterosso)?
What do I do there?
Sightseeing
Cinque Terre is a fabulous destination for sightseeing. The pinterest-worthy views from the villages are famous all around the world for being one of a kind. Here are the villages and their respective views:
- Riomaggiore: Colorful houses surrounding a dock
- Manarola: Viewpoint on a hill, overviewing a cliff full of houses painted in Mediterranean tones
- Vernazza: Beach view
- Corniglia: The only village situated on top of a cliff. Not for those looking for easy access / accessibility.
- Monterosso al Mare: Most populated village and biggest beach out of them all!
The Food! (Seafood All Day Everyday) 🦞
Other than the fantastic views, you can also enjoy the fresh seafood fare available in plenty of restaurants in the villages. Make sure to book in advance to ensure your seats! In Manarola, these restaurants came highly recommended by my Airbnb host:
- Trattoria dal Billy: I had a very fresh seafood pasta in this popular restaurant and had to reserve a day in advance. Very big portion for solo travelers!
- Cappun Magru: pasta and ever-changing specialty dishes up on a hill
- Nessun Dorma Officina 231: yummy take-out only sandwich shop, a sister shop to the famous Nessun Dorma restaurant. The main restaurant has pesto making classes available (check them out on their website, it fills out fast!). Their meats and cheeses were amazingly good, but the bread was a bit hard. Hits the spot!
What is it known for?
Food-wise, Liguria is known for being the place where pesto was invented! 🍃 Restaurants in Cinque Terre offer pesto-making classes, where you can make and eat pesto-based dishes together. They also sell Ligurian pesto in the small shops all over the villages.
Fun Fact! ✨
The region of Liguria is where pesto was first invented!
The seafood-based pasta dishes are also the most recommended dishes in the restaurants all over Cinque Terre. I’m not quite sure why, but I did not completely love the seafood based pasta here 🤔. They were super fresh and high-quality, but just not to my taste.
This place is also famous for day hikes over rugged Italian riviera coastline. You can go at your own pace.
Spend all day hiking, or pick one route for a half day hike just to try it out. Meet new people along the route! Italians are definitely very friendly, and they are not shy to greet strangers.
The streets of this beautiful villages are ripe for exploration. Discover different environments and the unique blend of natural beauty within these beautiful towns.
Where should I stay to visit Cinque Terre?
Airbnb
Personally, I chose to book an Airbnb in Manarola and I did not regret it at all. I was able to spend the maximum amount of time in the most beautiful village in Cinque Terre!
There is a long debate on which village has the best views, but I am going to be totaly biased here. Are you looking at the pictures below?! Being able to enjoy the beautiful sunrise views without the oh-so-many tourists around me was such a privilege.
Hostel
I met a few fellow solo travelers during my journey as well, and they told me that it was more economical to stay in La Spezia.
There are a few very nicely maintained hostel there, called 5 Terre Backpackers City and Costello! You can book both through Hostelworld. These hostels are located further, in La Spezia.
If you choose to stay in La Spezia, take the trains to the villages inside the Cinque Terrenational park. Buying the Cinque Terre Card would be the best choice in this case, details below!
What hikes are open?
Blue Trail
The next day, I went on a Blue Trail hike with the most beautiful view* from Corniglia – Vernazza – Monterosso al Mare!
Cinque Terre Card
Since I was staying in Manarola, I bought the Cinque Terre Card at the train station for EUR 18.20 per person. This card is valid for one day and it allows you to get unlimited train trips and hike all the available trails in Cinque Terre.
One-way train ticket between the villages cost 5 EUR, so if you are going to ride the train at least 4 times, it is more economical to get the card!
It also allows you to freely use the toilet at the train stations, otherwise they will charge you every time you use them.
*According to the friendly lady at the Tourist Information Point
Starting from Corniglia
I picked the Blue Trail for its amazing views. The information center definitely did not lie, the view was AMAZING!
Be prepared for the extreme amount of stairs though, I felt like my knees were suffering once I reached Monterosso.
The trail began when I reached Corniglia by public transportation, the train. There was a super steep hike from the train station to this village perched on a cliff, so be forewarned if you are considering a stay at Corniglia.
I then headed to Vernazza, which took around 1.5 hours due to my leisurely pace.
Lunch Break at Vernazza
At Vernazza, I took a little lunch break and had a much-recommended seafood pasta at Il Pirata delle 5 Terre. This restaurant is highly-reviewed and the seafood tasted almost sweet, a sure sign of freshness.
After exploring Vernazza, I decided to continue my hike to Monterosso al Mare. This village is the largest one and it has a bigger beach where you can sunbathe on.
Chillin’ in Monterosso al Mare
How beautiful, right? After another 1.5-ish hours of hiking, I chilled by the beach and got a Baci di Dama, a local hazelnut cookies so sweet it is named “lady’s kisses”! This is the main town of Cinque Terre, and you should not stay here if you dislike crowded places.
A gelato would also have been good as the heat was really ramping up. I still wanted to explore Riomaggiore, the only village I had not explored yet that day. So off I went 🙂
Exploring Riomaggiore
I went and did some window shopping and sightseeing at Riomaggiore, the village everyone says has the liveliest nightlife. Unfortunately, I was totally worn out from my hike and did not stay until dark.
The hike can be super exhausting, so please keep that in mind and stay another day if you plan to both hike AND leisurely explore the villages.
Short on Time?
If you are on crunch time, consider taking a day tour to Cinque Terre. It will be a bit rushed, but you can check these jewels off the Mediterranean Sea off your bucket list!
P.S. = If you are also visiting the south of France, read my guide to Nice 💕 Don’t forget to download these travel apps before you go to Italy!
Foodies, check out my popular article on how Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese is made.
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