When to visit the Cinque Terre

The ideal time for pedestrian tourism (trekking)

You can embark on pedestrian excursions in the Cinque Terre at any time of the year. The main thing is to make sure that weather conditions are suitable for trekking. Rainy weather in particular, but torrid sunny days as well, is not ideal: walking on wet paths is difficult and dangerous, and with extreme heat in the middle of the day (July-August) there is a risk of sun stroke.

But you find tourists keen on discovering the Cinque Terre on foot all year round, even in winter if the weather is dry in this part of Liguria, and in the warmer months.

The ideal time for a swim in the sea

From the end of May to the end of September the sea in Liguria is lukewarm. July and August are obviously best for swimming and sunbathing, but keep in mind that it is peak season and hotel accommodation must be booked early! Read more about beaches here.

Month by month information

You really can’t say that one month is more suitable than others to visit the Cinque Terre. Everything depends on the purpose of the trip to this part of Liguria. You will always find something to do here!

In winter, from December to January, the Christmas Nativity scene (il Presepe) takes place in the village of Manarola. This is the representation of the birth of Christ with the use of numerous figurines. During the festive season all the Cinque Terre villages and the nearby towns (La Spezia and Portovenere) are decorated with colored garlands. It all looks very beautiful. Bear in mind that ferries do not operate in the winter period.

Spring: from mid-March communications by sea between the villages commence and the number of boats increases each month. The weather is not very hot yet, so March to May is considered the best period for walking the trails. It is still too early to swim, even though you can see some brave people on the beaches from mid-May, already taking a dip in the cool Ligurian waters.

The summer season in the Cinque Terre means a large number of tourists, since that is the ideal time to go to the beach and swim. The highest temperatures occur during August, considered the hottest month, especially from Ferragosto (on 15 August, when holiday time begins for Italians).

Fall (autumn) has its advantages too. For example, September is still quite hot; you can swim, walk the trails and use the ferries (which usually run until the end of October). In November the rains intensify, and it is perhaps the most adverse month for a vacation in the Cinque Terre.

Statistics for temperatures and weather

Bear in mind that temperatures can exceed 35°C in the summer. In winter, depending on the weather, temperatures vary from 5°C to 20°C from one week to another.

The average temperatures and the number of days without precipitation in the last ten years: see the table.