This is a practical guide on how to visit Cinque Terre in one day by parking your car and taking the train.
The beautiful villages of Cinque Terre in Liguria do not need recommendations. It’s one of the most famous and photographed places in Italy and probably in the world. It is the dream destination for many travellers around the world and at the same time one of those destinations where expectations meet reality.
Although it would be ideal to stay for two or three days, most visitors decide to visit the villages in one day. This guide, therefore, is showing you how you will manage to see all five villages in one day by using your car and the Cinque Terre Express. It is a hassle-free and easy visit that will leave you only with unforgettable memories.
The ways to reach Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre can be reached in a variety of ways. Accessing the settlements by car might be difficult due to their topographical features. Parking is limited, and you have to leave your car a considerable distance from the village centre.
Tourist boats regularly leave from the ports of Levanto, La Spezia, and Portovenere. They reach the villages and make stops in Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The boats are operating between March and November. Since Corniglia is the only village without access to water, the boat does not stop there. You can find the boat timetables on cinqueterre.eu.com.
Trains from Milan, Genoa, and Pisa run regularly to the five Cinque Terre villages on the Genoa-La Spezia route. The only Cinque Terre settlement with long-distance intercity train service is Monterosso. You can take an intercity train straight to Monterosso if you come from Milan, Genoa, or Pisa. Otherwise, you can take an intercity train straight to La Spezia. The Cinque Terre Express, a local train, connects the villages with Monterosso and La Spezia. However, the local train operates only from March through November. You can find all the available train schedules on trenitalia.com.
Rent a car at the best price
If you are not visiting the region with your car, you can rent a car from anywhere in Italy and can find the best deals on discovercars.com.
Purchase online your train tickets
The easiest way to purchase your one-day train tickets, which are called “Cinque Terre Treno MS Card” is through the official website of Trenitalia. The ticket gives you access to the Park Authority’s services (for more details on Park services, visit parconazionale5terre.it) and unlimited second-class travel on regional trains between Levanto and La Spezia (and vice versa).
Tickets for two and three days are also available. Except online, all tickets are also available for purchase at Cinque Terre National Park sales locations, Trenitalia-authorised ticket offices, self-service ticket machines at stations, and the Trenitalia app.
Download the Trenitalia App
Installing the official Trenitalia app on your phone is advised regardless of how you purchase your tickets. By choosing the “Train station – From/To” path and inputting the station you are at and the station you wish to reach, you can see in real time the exact moment the train will arrive at your current station. The application, which does not require registration, is simple and helps you perfectly plan your time in each village.
Where to park near La Spezia Central Station
We suggest that you take the train from La Spezia Central Station. If you arrive at the station by car, there is a 218-space car park right below the station. Although it may seem large, during peak periods it fills up very early. The parking has an hourly charge (you can find information about the parking on mobpark.eu). On the map below we have marked three points where parking is free. On Viale Giovanni Amendola, only the side facing the river is free.
From there, with an easy 15-minute walk (about 1 km), you can reach the station through Via Milano or Via Filippo Corridoni. The walk to the station is very interesting. Although it does not cross the historic centre of the city, which is closer to the port, during the walk you will encounter interesting buildings and many shops.
How to use the train
The order in which you meet the villages by rail after departing from La Spezia is the best way of visiting them. Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare make up the sequence. The journey between the stations just takes a few minutes. For long stretches of the train ride, you have a fantastic view of the sea.
At Riomaggiore and Manarola stations, you must walk through a tunnel to reach the settlement. The only village away from the shore is Corniglia. After the train stops close to sea level, you must ascend a steep set of over 400 stairs. However, the electric shuttle bus, which runs every 10 to 15 minutes, is an easier and quicker method to reach the centre of Corniglia. You can purchase tickets from the station’s tourist office. In Vernazza, the station is located in the middle of the village. Finally in Monterosso, it is situated between the two settlements that consist of the village. In order to reach the old settlement on the south side, you must walk 800 metres along the sea.
What to do it in every village
You should not spend more than an hour and a half at any of the five villages if you plan to visit them all in one day. This is undoubtedly enough time to take in each village independently. There aren’t any distinctive attractions. The important thing is to explore the winding alleyways, descend to each village’s harbour, and seek out a higher location to take in the enchanted vistas—below you can see a map with the most easily accessible spots with the best view near the villages.
If we had to single out one attraction, it would be the church of Santa Margherita di Antiochia. This little 14th-century Catholic church in Vernazza has an octagonal tower that looks out over the Ligurian Sea. According to legend, the bones of Santa Margherita’s hand’s finger were discovered in a tiny wooden box on the Vernazza coast in antiquity. After proclaiming the miracle, the locals in the Isolotto neighbourhood made the decision to erect a cathedral in the saint’s honour. However, a powerful storm scattered the relic, and it only resurfaced a short while later, precisely where it had been discovered. The church that now stands there, with a view of the sea, was originally constructed by the Vernazzesi.
What to eat in every village
You will undoubtedly need to make a few foodie breaks while touring the villages in order to relax and sample the distinctive flavours and scents of the Ligurian region. Therefore, we will suggest four locations that we believe are necessary to really enjoy the Cinque Terre.
Il Pescato Cucinato
A favourite dish in the area is fritto misto di pesce. It is a variety of fried seafood served in paper cones. Fritto always includes crustaceans and molluscs, typically prawns and squid. It could also include paranza, a general name for very small whole fish. Although it is served at a few eateries in Riomaggiore, Il Pescato Cucinato stands out for its delicious, freshly fried seafood that isn’t too oily.
Nessun Dorma
The wine bar Nessun Dorma in Manarola is the best place in Cinque Terre to have an aperitivo, a well-known Italian habbit. Simple cold appetisers, cheeses, cold meats, salads, and fruits are all on the menu. They use only the best ingredients and pair them with a variety of regional wines and excellent cocktails. This delicious feast offers the most amazing view you could possibly imagine, even though the food may have been the major draw.
Nessun Dorma does not accept bookings, and the queue is always long. So, you have two options. The first is to arrive at the entry, obtain a ticket from the machine, and wait for them to call your number. The second is to download the Nessun Dorma app to your phone. Install the app, activate it as soon as you arrive in Manarola, enter the number of people, and get a priority number. As soon as your turn approaches, go to the entrance, and you will be served immediately.
Ananasso Bar
There is nothing better than sitting in the port of Vernazza and enjoying the view of the village and the sea. The ideal place for this is Ananasso, an all-day restaurant in the centre of the harbour. It is right next to the historic church of Santa Margherita. Whether you try the very good pesto, the most representative dish of Liguria, or enjoy a pizza or a coffee, the experience is unforgettable.
Pasticceria Bar Laura
One of the region’s unique culinary experiences is concealed in Monterosso. The outstanding dessert torta monterossina is prepared daily at the traditional Pasticceria Bar Laura. Its exquisite flavour results from the ideal proportions of the ingredients. The elements of torta monterossina include shortcrust pastry, sponge cake, cream, chocolate, and jam (often apricot). This delicacy, which carries the village’s name, is made exclusively here.
An unforgettable experience
Unquestionably, a trip to the Cinque Terre villages is a unique travel experience. It is a location rich in breathtaking scenery, unmatched natural beauty, and Liguria’s distinctive culinary heritage. We primarily discussed practical concerns and how to maximise a day here in this article. To fully convey the distinctive sensations that can be had in the five villages, a great deal more writing is required.
But a simple fact remains: when you arrive at the first village and see the multicoloured houses vying for beauty with the deep blue of the Ligurian Sea, there is undoubtedly nothing more genuine and wonderful.
