Auguri! I call out to a couple after stumbling upon their proposal. The bride-to-be accepts my congratulations with a nod and wipes tears from her eyes. In the distance, the colorful buildings of Vernazza lie next to a curved dock with small boats gliding across aquamarine waters. It’s the kind of vantage point made for incredibly sweet, intimate moments. But in the beautiful areas of Cinque Terre, seclusion is rare.
I came to Cinque Terre (Italian for “five lands”) in May for a weekend trip with a friend to explore the famous villages that give the region its name – Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore – as well as the 110 kilometres of hiking trails. Terraced vineyards, pebble beaches and incredible views of the Mediterranean grace this part of northwest Italy, an hour and a half by train north of Pisa. You can get a real bargain in this 38-square-kilometre national park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The problem is that everyone knows about it: although Cinque Terre has a population of 4,000, More than 2.4 million people visit the area each year. Like many travelers who visit popular spots like Venice and Greece, I was determined to explore the area while avoiding the crowds.
Discover Cinque Terre away from the crowds
To avoid the crowds of hikers, especially when traversing the 12km Sentiero Azzurro, it’s best to set off early. Also known as the Blue Trail, it’s the most popular hike in the area, connecting the five villages of the Cinque Terre while offering views of the Mediterranean Sea below the Ligurian cliffs. If you want to avoid the crowds, head out at 7am.
Starting the early morning hike from the northernmost village of Monterosso, we are almost entirely undisturbed. The silence – apart from the rustle of our shoes – lulls us into an almost meditative state as we venture up steep slopes and over uneven paths (there’s a reason the national park banned flip-flops in 2019) and gaze at the pink flowers growing along the trail. By late morning, the reality of Cinque Terre’s popularity sets in as we say ciaos Collisions between hikers are becoming more frequent and I constantly have to maneuver around families on the narrow path.
The vibrancy extends to the villages too, as the Cinque Terre Express trains bring a steady stream of travellers keen to explore the character of each hamlet: Riomaggiore, the southernmost of the five villages, draws lively crowds exploring the waters on rented boats and kayaks. Manorola goes for romance, with plenty of Mediterranean-view eateries where you can tuck into fresh seafood (try Trattoria dal Billy – the multi-floor layout maximises the chances of a picturesque evening).
If there was a “middle child” village, it would be Corniglia, which also happens to be physically in the middle of the five villages. Its clifftop location gives a sense of isolation, and just a side street from the main square, peace seems to reign. On the other hand, Vernazza’s beauty is loud and direct: a jetty frames the side of the village, creating an idyllic coastal setting that can be admired from afar. Vernazza has even been named one of the most beautiful villages in the country. Monterosso, the northernmost town and our base for the weekend, is great for its opportunities (it’s the largest of the five hamlets) and for beach access to the only sandy beach of the five villages.
My friend’s comically large cappuccino – which looks more like soup – during a coffee break in Vernazza highlights how used the villages are to foreign tourists and their large portions. Overtourism has been a problem for years, and various efforts have been made to solve it: a roughly 800-meter stretch of the Sentiero Azzurro, the Via dell’Amore, will limit visitor numbers when it fully reopens in July, more than a decade after it closed in 2012.
But surprisingly, it’s easier than you think to find peace in Cinque Terre. A five-minute detour from the souvenir shops to the outskirts of Vernazza and the crowds disappear. Life in this area moves along at a wonderfully slow pace: someone dusts off a rug hanging over the balcony; residents chat while dragging a wheelbarrow down the hill. The land feels familiar again.
Hiking without crowds means you can enjoy beautiful views – without people blocking them.
Tips for experiencing Cinque Terre without crowds
1. Plan your visit accordingly
Many restaurants don’t open until around noon, so work up an appetite by hiking early in the morning, which will also help you avoid the crowds (which peak from late morning to late afternoon). Just make sure you don’t hang around the villages to to long if you don’t stay overnight: the Cinque Terre Express trains only run between the villages from 5 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. Outside of peak times, regional trains come every one to two hours, depending on the village.
Late spring, summer and early fall are the busiest times. Winter is less busy and many restaurants and shops close during this time. Consider visiting in the off-season in April and October. Keep in mind that Cinque Terre is also popular with Italians, so it gets crowded on national holidays like Easter and Italian Independence Day (April 25).
2. Stay longer
You could Just spend a day in Cinque Terre, and many do. But if you opt for a short trip, you’ll have to weave through groups of hikers and miss the everyday beauty of life beyond the piazzas. If you really want to see everything in Cinque Terre without the stress, stay in the area for at least two or three nights.
After day-trippers leave Cinque Terre and others retreat to their hotel rooms, the villages are at their most magical. An evening stroll in Monterosso lets you hear the warm light from apartment windows and the sounds of residents preparing dinner and doing the dishes, giving you the chance to enjoy vignettes of the residents’ lives.
3. Get off the beaten track
While hiking the Sentiero Azzuro is by far the most popular way to explore Cinque Terre’s trails, it’s certainly not the only one. For a less crowded (if more difficult) hiking experience, consider the 21.7km La Via dei Santuari (which translates to “the Way of the Sanctuaries”); the more inland hike connects all of the village’s church sanctuaries. Cinque Terre’s trail network also extends to the less-visited, outer villages of Levanto (a six-kilometer hike north of Monterosso) and Portovenere (a 13-kilometer hike south of Riomaggiore).
Another way to avoid the crowds is to book experiences. Cinque Terre is known for Sciacchetrà and other white wines made from local Bosco, Albarola and Vermentino grapes. Scheduling a wine tasting at wineries like Cheo in Vernazza during the extremely busy afternoon hours will not only get you away from the busy streets, but also save you from having to hike when the sun is at its most intense.
Where to stay in Cinque Terre
Although many travelers prefer to stay in the nearby city of La Spezia, as it has more hotels to choose from than any other village, to make the most of the emptiness in the early morning and late evening hours, it is recommended to stay in one of the five villages.
For beach lovers, Monterosso is a great place to set up camp as it’s the only outpost with access to a proper sandy beach. The village’s Hotel Porto Roca, located right at the starting point of the Sentiero Azzuro, offers sweeping sea views from the clifftop and includes local wine tastings and private hot tub reservations.
