Popular walking trails in the Cinque Terre
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Some routes, particularly the shorter ones, which connect the villages of the Cinque Terre and pass very close to the sea at the foot of the hills and cliffs, can be closed at any moment because of landslides, unstable ground, urgent reconstruction work, etc. But most trails will allow you, in any case, to find a route or follow a longer trail which, in turn, will offer stunning views and other advantages, because it goes across the top of the hills. The data on this page is updated daily, but use this for information only. Upon arrival go to a tourist office (you will find one in every railway station) and you will receive a free map with the status of all trails updated to that day. If you plan to do some pedestrian tourism in the Cinque Terre, do not forget to take comfortable shoes with you.
Frequently asked question: most of the Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail) is currently closed, so it is worthwhile going to the Cinque Terre right now?
Due to its complex orography and the intense rains of November, some parts of the trail need to be rebuilt each year, especially the stretches at the foot of the hills, because they often flood. The Sentiero Azzurro is very popular because, basically, it’s very easy. But there are several other trails which are much more beautiful and interesting. Therefore, it is certainly worth going there!
Payment for the walking trails
Payment is required for only four trails, the shortest ones between the villages. To walk them you need to buy the “Cinque Terre Card” (sold at the entrance to the trail). All other trails are free and 99% of the time they are open to the public. In winter, when there are few tourists around and after 6-7 pm, tickets are not checked, but we advise you not to go walking in the evening, as there is no lighting and it becomes dangerous!
Important! The most popular section, Via dell'Amore, requires an extra fee of 10 euros. You must book your time slot at viadellamore.info.
Map of the main tourist walking trails
Interactive map.
On the page entitled “Conditions of the trails” you will find the map where the trails which are open are marked in green.
Getting lost on these trails is practically impossible; the important thing is to follow the signs and every 10 meters you will find a red and white marker on stones or on the trees that delimit the footpath.
Riomaggiore - Manarola (2 trails)
The current condition of the route: Open. Opening date: August 09, 2024.
The trails that determine the route are: 592-1 (previous name: SVA-2)*.
The current condition of the route: Open. Opening date: June 23, 2020.
The trails that determine the route are: 531 (via Beccara)*.
These are the two villages of all the Cinque Terre which are the closest to each other. Precisely for this reason the route that connects them is the shortest. It is called “Via dell'Amore” and is the most famous. It is accessible to everyone, without exception, because it is the only trail with an elevator for disabled people. Due to its popularity, you need to book Via dell'Amore online at viadellamore.info and pay an extra fee of 10 euros.
The second route is a little longer, because instead of passing through the valley it goes across the top of the hill; for this outing a minimum of physical preparation is required because the climb is quite steep and there are more than 620 steps to climb.
Manarola - Corniglia (2 trails)
The current condition of the route: closed for a long period. Reason: landslides and instability of the terrain. It should fully open from May 2026. More info: only the first 300 meters (950 ft) are open (from the Manarola side).
The trails that determine the route are: 592-2 (previous name: SVA-2)*.
The current condition of the route: Open.
The trails that determine the route are: 506, 586, 587 (previous names: 6, 6D, 7A)*.
The short route is very often inaccessible for tourists because it passes under a steep cliff and there are often landslides. The longer route is very popular among tourists (in both directions), but please note that the stretch between Manarola and Volastra creates some difficulties because there are about 1200 steps to tackle. Thus we advise you to use the bus, and you save about an hour.
Corniglia - Vernazza (2 trails)
The current condition of the route: Open. Opening date: June 06, 2020.
The trails that determine the route are: 592-3 (previous name: SVA-2)*.
The current condition of the route: Open.
The trails that determine the route are: 587, 598 (AV5T), 507 (previous names: 7A, 1, 7)*.
For both routes it is easier to start the trail from the Corniglia side, because it runs at the top and as a result you will have to do a lot of uphill climbing. But for a short route the difference is insignificant, But as for the stretch of the long route between Vernazza and San Bernardino is not easy; it’s better to do this only in descent.
Vernazza - Monterosso al Mare (2 trails)
The current condition of the route: Open. Opening date: June 06, 2020.
The trails that determine the route are: 592-4 (previous name: SVA-2)*.
The current condition of the route: Open.
The trails that determine the route are: 508, 582, 591, 509 (previous names: 8, 8B, 1, 9)*.
The short trail is one of the most popular in the park. But a feature of the long trail is that you will have the opportunity to visit two shrines and admire the whole park from the top. It makes no difference which end of the trail you start from.
Monterosso al Mare - Levanto
The current condition of the route: Open.
The trails that determine the route are: 590, 591 (previous names: 10, 1)*.
You don’t have to do the whole trail because you can go as far as Punta Mesco, take a couple of panoramic pictures as a souvenir and return to Monterosso; this outing will take about an hour and a half.
Levanto - Bonassola - Framura
The current condition of the route: Open.
The old abandoned railway tunnel was completely restored in 2012 and was transformed into a cycle track. The most popular part of it is the stretch between Levanto and Bonassola. The road often comes out of the tunnel into the open and from these points you can go down to the small enclosed beaches that are located along the route. The places where you can rent a bicycle are shown on the page “Levanto”.
The ring of Riomaggiore
The current condition of the route: Open.
The trails that determine the route are: 593, 593V (previous names: 3, 3A)*.
The Sanctuary of Montenero, near Riomaggiore, is well-known thanks to the beautiful panoramic view that it offers. The best thing to do is to take this trail in a clockwise direction, because from the Shrine to the village you will find a great number of steps.
The ring of Vernazza
The current condition of the route: Open.
The trails that determine the route are: 508, 581, 507 (previous names: 8, 8A, 7)*.
This trail passes near two shrines. If you follow the trail counterclockwise you must buy the Cinque Terre Card, because the first fifty meters of the trail pass along the Blue trail and, furthermore, the ascent to San Bernardino is very tiring, so it makes no sense to walk the trail in this direction. It is therefore better to take the trail in a clockwise direction, or you can save an hour and get to San Bernardino by bus.
The island of Palmaria
You don’t have go the whole way around the island, it just depends on how much you want to do, and the time you have available. As can be seen from the map, you can do a short walk or the long one, visiting all the hamlets on the island.
Riomaggiore - Portovenere
The current condition of the route: Open.
The trails that determine the route are: 593, 598 (previous names: 3, 1)*.
The longest of the famous trails of the Cinque Terre.
Notes
Level of difficulty
Very easy: the trail does not change altitude and there are no climbs or descents; it is specially equipped and is suitable for all.
Easy: the trail has been adapted for tourist walking, offering comfortable ascents and descents. Gravel has been added on the steeper parts.
Medium: the trail runs through its natural environment, so you will occasionally meet sections where the climb is a little more difficult; anyone with a minimum of physical preparation will have no problems.
Medium High: some stretches of the trail are difficult to walk, so be careful; usually this level of difficulty is indicated temporarily after intense rains and landslides, and remain in place until the trail has been restored to its original condition.
Calorie consumption
Indicates the average value (the first for men, the second for women) obtained with the aid of particular devices, including monitoring heartbeat, an altimeter and other. All measurements were recorded in spring and autumn with good weather conditions for people between 25 and 30 years, under the supervision of the bestofcinqueterre.com web site team.
Numbering of the Cinque Terre trails
In 2014 all the footpaths of the Cinque Terre were renumbered. Our website shows both numbers because not all signs on the routes have been updated.
More photos of the Cinque Terre trails
