I think its safe to say rainbow if my favorite colour! Especially after visiting the beautiful little towns of Cinque Terre in Italy’s north. Located just 2 hours train ride from Florence or 1.5 hours from Milan, the five little towns of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore are unlike any other little villages in Italy. These little fishing villages are situated on the dramatic Italian coastline covered a sequence of colours creating a rainbow effect all thanks to the buildings painted by the locals to create a beautiful town atmosphere.
These towns are not only a photographers dream, but also a traveler’s luxury playground. After years of local visitors and word of mouth, the towns are now a hot tourist attraction bringing in more than 7,500 people a day just to see, explore and hike between these picture perfect towns.
Travellers Guide To The Rainbow Villages Of Cinque Terre
Where To Stay In Cinque Terre: The five little villages are not only difficult to get too, but also very expensive. Pricing for a hotel in the towns ranges from 100 – 300+ Euro per night. The nicest villages to stay in would have to be Monterosso and Manarola. Both of these are my favorite not only because of how beautiful they are, but also because they both sit right on the coastline, are filled with little fishing boats and not as crowded as Vernazza. Another option is to stay in the local town of La Spezia.
La Spezia is a great place to stay as there are all kinds of accommodation and is home to the main train station, ‘La Spezia Centrale’ where you will have to change trains anyway to get to the rainbow villages. La Spezia is located in a beautiful little harbor area that is full of restaurants, fresh seafood, day tours, and shopping! Prices vary, but you can find any type of accommodation ranging from backpacker hostels to five start hotels.
Getting Around Cinque Terre: Coming from the main station in La Spezia, ‘La Spezia Centrale’ you will be able to hop on the local line with an all day pass for only 16 Euro. This pass enables you to come and go between the local villages as you wish. There is also an option for you to buy single tickets for 4 Euro, this is a better option if you are planning on hiking between the villages.
Please note that the train stations are always packed with travellers! It’s best to arrive a little earlier to get on the next scheduled trains. Also please note that the trains may stop at the next station inside the tunnels, this is because the train is too long to stop at the entire platform.
So when you stop half inside a tunnel and the train isn’t moving, it’s most likely because you have arrived at your destination.
The trains come and go almost every 10-15 minutes all day, everyday so fear not if you miss your intended train, there will always be another close by!
Eating In Cinque Terre: Like most places you visit in Italy and Europe in general, you will find so many different foods! From famous pizzas and pastas, sandwiches to gelato and of course, local wines. Cinque Terre is no different, but being local fishing villages you will find a range of delicious seafood pastas, pizzas and these wonderful little deep fried seafood baskets, which you will find many tourists walking around and eating! There are lots of gelato stalls, water front cafes and take away stalls as well. If you are looking to save some money many people sit by the water and eat their packed lunches! We did this and it was very beautiful and very peaceful.
What To Do In Cinque Terre: The most popular thing to do in Cinque Terre is to go hiking! His is because of the beautiful trails that wind around the coastline and run in between the little fishing villages. If you are however not up to hiking, the villages are a photographers dream and you could spend all day wandering between them, shopping, eating and drinking! Some people swim in the little bays, others go for boat rides. Either way Cinque Terre is an area famous for its breathtaking scenery and beautiful trails.
Tips To Remember:
- Stay in either Monterosso or Manarola, they are not so busy and the most stunning villages. If on a budget stay in La Spezia.
- Buy the all day train ticket for 16 Euro to get between the villages, otherwise if you plan on hiking, go for the single tickets for 4 Euro.
- If you plan to go swimming the best village is, Manarola. People climb up the rocks and jump off – but be careful as the tide can sweep you into the rocks and oysters below (we saw one lady walk aways with a cut up leg)
Have you visited Cinque Terre before? Which village was your favorite? Leave a comment below for discussion! 
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