Cinque Terre attracts a lot of tourists for a reason: it is absolutely gorgeous and one of my favorite parts of Italy. From stunning buildings jutting from the sea, to clifftop gardens, to beaches at the bottom of these towns, I absolutely love Cinque Terre.
Each town is unique which makes ranking them incredibly difficult, but that being said I still have a definitive favorite. On top of the five towns of Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, Riomaggiore and Corniglia I am also including the adjacent towns of La Spezia, Porto Venere, and Volastra. Here is their ranking out of 8:
8. La Spezia, Cinque Terre
La Spezia is the most residential of the towns, but it feels more like a typical Italian city to me than a vacation spot on the gorgeous riviera. It is the most accessible of the towns as a major train station is located here, but typically La Spezia is no more than a layover to reach Cinque Terre.
7. Vernazza, Cinque Terre
Go to Vernazza for Belforte. Belforte is one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to and makes the trip to Vernazza well worth your time. Vernazza is a cute town, but if you only have an hour or two to spend here I’d highly recommend using all of it at for a fine dining expereince at Belforte. The restaurant is built into an ancient fortress and has panoramic views of both the town and sea. Vernazza also has a beach unlike some of the other towns.
6. Volastra
Volastra is tiny and you probably shouldn’t stay here in the off season. I made the mistake of renting a group house here in January and it seemed like we were the only people in town! Since Volastra has no train station and you probably shouldn’t try to brave the twisty cliffside roads by driving yourself, basically your only options to reach this town are to take cab, hike, or take the bus.
Don’t get me wrong, Volastra is absolutely stunning and worth the visit, but it isn’t easy to reach and is quite small compared to the others. That being said, it has stunning sea views, great hiking, and far fewer tourists than the other lands. Spend an overnight here if you want to gaze out over the vast stars in silence, but be warned that it is secluded.
5. Corniglia, Cinque Terre
Corniglia has no sea access, however being high above the ground gives it the perk of fantastic sea views. This town also has a train station which makes it easily accessible unlike Porto Venere or Volastra. It is quite a hike from the ocean below, but if you’re into adventure this may be the perfect town for you.
4. Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre
Monterosso has the best beaches in the 5 lands and a cute town on top of the sea. It isn’t exactly built into a cliff like it’s sister towns, but it has the classic feel of an old beach town which I will always love.
This town is probably the best for families as it has the easiest streets to navigate and plenty of beach resorts. However, if you are looking for a more quintessential Cinque Terre experience maybe try one of the other towns or leave this one for a quick visit.
3. Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre
On my first trip to Cinque Terre I skipped the first town of Riomaggiore, but by my second trip I realized that this was a big mistake. Riomaggiore is the biggest town and is one of the best to stay an overnight in. It has some of the best sea scapes and is an exceptionally beautiful place to watch the sunset. This town is probably the best to sleep in and has an array of hotels and resorts to choose from.
2. Manarola
Manarola is a postcard town for a reason. It has the best view of the colorful structures and in my opinion is the quintessential Cinque Terre town. It has fantastic hiking, decent restaurants and even a small swimming hole to explore at the base of the land. You cannot miss Manarola on your trip to the 5 lands.
1. Porto Venere
Porto Venere is the town that I’ve spent the most time in. Although there’s not much tourist info provided, have no worries that this sister town is well worth most of your time. There is no train station in Porto Venere, but it’s easily reachable from La Spezia by bus or ferry. It is just a boat ride away from the major towns and therefore has far less tourists than the others. This makes it the perfect place to escape to after a day of exploring.
The town is small, yet the perfect size to fit in all of the cute seaside shops and restaurants there. Porto Venere also has in my opinion the best hiking of all the lands. One of its main attractions includes a trail leading to the first Cinque Terre town of Riomaggiore. It also has a dilapidated fortress to explore, trails that lead up to gorgeous views unique from the other lands and a grotto with crystal clear water to swim in and cliff dive. The island of Palmaria is also easily accessible from Porto Venere and is a fun place to hike, swim and explore.
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