Cinque Terre National Park alongside the entire Riviera offers more than 100 different trekking and hiking trails. The villages are connected by different paths with unique features, some inland and some along the coastline.
The choice is wide, so here we go with the top three hiking trails suggested by locals.
1.Manarola – Corniglia/Vernazza
This trail is one of the easiest among all the hiking trails in Cinque Terre and also very panoramic. It follows the coastline in the middle of Cinque Terre and you can admire the villages while walking. Starting from Manarola you have to follow trail No.506 to Volastra, a small village above Manarola. It will basically be the only part uphill. From Volastra you will have to follow No.586, which goes parallel to the coast and offers a stunning panorama. Then you will have to go along the trail No.587 to get to Corniglia, or No. 582/3 to go on to Vernazza.
Duration:
– Manarola-Corniglia:1.15h
– Corniglia-Vernazza:1,30h
2. Monterosso – Vernazza
Trail No.592-4 is one of the longest and maybe it’s a bit hard, but totally worth it. You will have to struggle a bit at first, due to the endless steep steps of the first part, but the descent upon Vernazza will offer you amazing panoramic viewpoints.
Duration: 2.30h
3. Campiglia – Porto Venere
Even though it’s not above Cinque Terre, trail No. N1 AV5T, is one of the best of the entire Riviera. The full trail goes from Riomaggiore to Porto Venere and it’s 4 hours long. The short version many locals suggest is from Campiglia to Porto Venere. It takes around 2 hours and follows the coastline offering a sea view for the entire path. Arriving above Porto Venere the view its astonishing.
Duration:
Full: 4h
Brief: 2h
Tips by Locals
– For beginners, I suggest the trail from Manarola to Corniglia. It also suited if you just want to have an idea of Cinque Terre territory ad nature. Plus, it’s the best one if you hike with kids,
– On the trail from Monterosso to Vernazza do not worry about the uphill part: there is a nice fellow selling fresh homemade lemonade right in the middle of the steep steps.
– On the hiking trail from Campiglia to Porto Venere there are wonderful places for a pitstop. The first is in Campiglia and it’s called Piccolo Blu, it offers local cuisine and has the perfect location with hammocks over the sea. The second is above Porto Venere, everybody calls it Il Rifugio and it’s in the middle of the hill before the descent to the village. It’s a pitstop used by all trekking buddies and offers wonderful seafood dishes.