Hiking in Cinque Terre: Which Trails Are Worth It and How to Plan Them

Hiking is the main reason many people come to Cinque Terre, and the park gives you plenty to choose from: the famous coastal Sentiero Azzurro, quiet ridge routes, sanctuary paths and an easy walk along the Via dell’Amore.

This guide covers which trails are worth your time, how hard each one is, what you need before you start, and the best plan for whatever the trail status is on your day.

Quick Answer: The Best Hikes in Cinque Terre

• Best single hike for most people: Corniglia to Vernazza on the Sentiero Azzurro. It’s moderate, takes roughly 1.5 to 2 hours, and is the section most likely to be open.
• Best for fit hikers with a full day: Monterosso to Vernazza, then on to Corniglia. It adds the hardest section of the coastal path.
• Best easy option: the Via dell’Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola. It’s short and paved, and requires a timed reservation.
• Best for avoiding crowds: the higher trails and sanctuary paths above the villages. Most of them don’t require the Cinque Terre Card.
• Best way to walk to the closed section: the Volastra route above Manarola, which bypasses the closed coastal stretch between Manarola and Corniglia.

The best way to enjoy the coast is in two or three sections joined by train or ferry.

Trail Status and Key Facts at a Glance

Distances and times are approximate. Status changes with weather and crowd levels, so use this as a planning guide, not a live report.

Section	Distance and time	Difficulty	Status to expect	Card needed?
Riomaggiore–Manarola (Via dell’Amore)	About 900 m, 30-minute slot	Easy, paved	Open, timed reservation	Yes: card version or supplement that includes it
Manarola–Corniglia (coastal)	About 2.8 km, about 1 hour when open	Moderate	Closed long-term (landslides)	n/a
Corniglia–Vernazza	About 3.5 to 4 km, 1.5 to 2 hours	Moderate	Generally open; check on the day	Yes
Vernazza–Monterosso	About 3.8 km, 2 hours or more	Moderate to strenuous	Has closed after weather damage and run one-way on some peak dates; check	Yes
Alta Via (ridge trail)	About 36 to 40 km end to end; walk in sections	Moderate to demanding	Open; can be walked in parts	No
Sanctuary paths	Varies, from short climbs to a long route	Easy to moderate	Generally open	Generally no (check per route)

Status of the coastal trail changes. Check the park’s trail information on the morning you walk, not the night before.

How to Choose Your Hike

If you…	Choose	Why
Have 2 to 3 hours and want the classic coastal view	Corniglia to Vernazza	Shortest of the two long sections, moderate effort, most reliable
Have a full day and good fitness	Monterosso → Vernazza → Corniglia	Covers both long open sections in one day
Want a gentle walk	Via dell’Amore, or Soviore by bus and a walk down	Paved and short, or mostly downhill
Want to avoid crowds	A sanctuary path or an Alta Via section	Higher, quieter, no card
Want to walk towards Corniglia from Manarola	The Volastra route	The coastal path between them is closed
Have more than two days	Combine a coastal day with a high-trail day	Two very different views of the same coast

The Sentiero Azzurro, Section by Section

The Sentiero Azzurro links all five villages along about 12 km of coast. Walking in full it takes more than five hours. The overall difference in height is roughly 600 m, concentrated in the two longest stretches between Corniglia and Monterosso. The highest point, near the hamlet of Prevo above Vernazza, is roughly 200 to 250 m above sea level. The trail is marked with red-and-white waymarks.

Corniglia to Vernazza

The most practical section for a single hike. It runs about 3.5 to 4 km, with uneven surfaces and a climb of roughly 150 m. It passes terraced slopes and gives views back towards the coast on both ends.

Corniglia sits high above the sea, so you arrive at the village on this trail rather than from the station. To get from Corniglia down to the station afterwards, you go down the Lardarina staircase (382 steps) or take the shuttle bus, which is included in the Cinque Terre Card.

Best for: a first-time hiker with moderate fitness. Worth knowing: the steps are the main effort, and the park’s status page tells you whether the section is open.

Vernazza to Monterosso

The longest and hardest of the open sections: about 3.8 km, two hours or more, with steep climbs and descents. The reward is the view back over Vernazza and the approach into Monterosso.

This section has run one-way (Monterosso towards Vernazza) during certain hours on selected busy dates, and it has closed after weather damage. If you are planning a day around it, confirm status first.

Best for: fit hikers who want the demanding section. Worth knowing: it’s best on a cooler day, with a confirmed status and plenty of time.

Manarola to Corniglia (closed)

The coastal path between these villages has been closed for years because of landslides. Don’t plan around it. Use the Volastra route (below), the train, or the ferry for Manarola and skip Corniglia on the water, since Corniglia has no harbor.

Riomaggiore to Manarola (Via dell’Amore)

This walk is covered in detail in our guide to things to do in Cinque Terre. In hiking terms: about 900 m, paved, easy, and run as a timed, reserved entry. Treat it as a short scenic walk rather than a hike.

Which Direction and When to Start

Start in Monterosso if you’re walking the two long sections in a day. The reasoning:

• The hardest section comes first, while you’re fresh.
• On the dates when Vernazza–Monterosso is one-way, Monterosso toward Vernazza is the permitted direction.
• You finish in villages with more food and train options.

Start early either way. Midday heat and crowds are heaviest on the steep sections, and an early start leaves room to switch to the train if conditions change.

Beyond the Coast: Trails That Avoid the Crowds

The park has well over 100 km of paths, and most visitors use only the coastal one. These alternatives matter more than usual in a year when the coast keeps closing.

The Volastra Route (Manarola ↔︎ Corniglia)

The standard detour around the closed coastal stretch. It climbs from Manarola to the village of Volastra, then continues across vineyard terraces towards Corniglia. Plan on roughly two hours and a steeper climb than the coastal path would have been. Walking Volastra to Corniglia avoids climbing the Lardarina stairs at the end, since you arrive in the village itself. You can also take the local bus from Manarola to Volastra to shorten the climb.

Best for: anyone who wants to link Manarola and Corniglia on foot. Worth knowing: this is a hillside route with long views over terraces rather than sea-level ones.

Soviore: Bus Up, Walk Down

The Sanctuary of Soviore sits above Monterosso. The park’s own hiking material lists a bus from Monterosso to the sanctuary (free with the Cinque Terre Card) and a downhill path back to Monterosso that takes about an hour. It is the easiest way to get a ridge-level view without the climb.

Best for: families, mixed-fitness groups, a rest-day walk. Worth knowing: the buses run only a few times a day, so check the timetable first.

The Sanctuary Paths and the Via dei Santuari

Each village has a sanctuary on the hillside above it, connected by old mule paths. Individual climbs are short. From Riomaggiore, the walk up to the Montenero sanctuary is about 20 minutes of mostly steps. From Vernazza, a paved, steep path leads to the Reggio sanctuary. The full Via dei Santuari links the sanctuaries along the hillside in a route described at around 22 km and 7 hours, and it can be split into stages.

Best for: quieter walking with long views. Worth knowing: these work best as add-ons to another plan, and they suit people happy to pick a route as they go.

The Alta Via delle Cinque Terre

A ridge route from Portovenere to Levanto, roughly 36 to 40 km and around 10 to 11 hours end to end, reaching about 800 m. It is free, no card needed, and connecting trails let you descend to individual villages, so it works in sections. Starting from Levanto makes the ascent gentler.

Best for: experienced hikers, or anyone wanting a mountain day with no crowds. Worth knowing: one section makes a satisfying day, and the full route is for experienced hikers with time.

Monterosso to Levanto via Punta Mesco

A trail runs from Monterosso north to Levanto via the Punta Mesco headland and the ruins of Sant’Antonio. Tour-operator itineraries list it at roughly three to four hours. It adds a different view of the coast and ends in a town with its own train station.

Best for: a long half-day with a train ride back. Worth knowing: much of the route is exposed, so a cooler day is ideal.

Sample Hiking Plans

These are hiking-focused. For full trip sequencing, see our Cinque Terre itinerary.

• Half day, moderate effort: Corniglia to Vernazza, lunch in Vernazza, train back.
• Full day, fit hikers: Monterosso → Vernazza → Corniglia, then shuttle or stairs to the station and train home. Expect around four hours of walking before stops.
• Easy day: bus to Soviore, walk down to Monterosso, spend the afternoon on the beach.
• Two days: day one on the Sentiero Azzurro; day two on the Volastra route or a sanctuary path.

Rules and Requirements Before You Walk

The Cinque Terre Card

Walking the paid sections of the Sentiero Azzurro requires a Cinque Terre Card. There are two versions: the Trekking Card (trails, shuttle buses and some visitor services) and the Train Card (the same, plus unlimited regional trains on the La Spezia–Levanto line). Prices vary by season and how busy the date is, so check the park’s card portal rather than relying on any price quoted elsewhere. The Via dell’Amore requires a card version that includes it or a supplement, plus a booked time slot, as set out on the official Via dell’Amore site.

Footwear

The park prohibits flip-flops, open sandals and smooth-soled shoes on its trails. Fines have been reported from €50 up to €2,500, and the park has also said it may deny access. Closed shoes with a non-slip sole are the minimum, and light hiking shoes are the safe choice. Flip-flops are fine in the villages and on the beaches.

Trail Status and One-Way Rules

Closures and one-way rules change with weather and visitor numbers. Check the park’s status on the morning you walk. If a section is closed, a regional train or the ferry connects the villages, and the card’s train version covers the trains.

Practical Basics

• Water and food: carry more water than you think you need. Services on the trails are limited.
• Heat and exposure: many sections are exposed, so start early and plan a rest in the middle of the day in summer.
• Cash: some small kiosks and fees on trails and at viewpoints are cash only.
• Weather: heavy rain can close sections, and wet stone and steps are slippery. Have a plan B that uses the train.
• Navigation: trails are waymarked with red-and-white marks. A downloaded offline map helps on junctions above the villages.

Easier Ways to Enjoy the Coast

• If steps are hard on your knees or balance, the ferry, the train and the Via dell’Amore give you the coast with far less climbing.
• Without suitable trail shoes, the villages, the ferry and the beaches are all open to you.
• With only a few hours, a train, a ferry and one viewpoint make a full outing. See our things to do guide for the best combinations.

Helpful Planning Resources

• Cinque Terre National Park
• Park card portal
• Via dell’Amore official site