The charming villages of Cinque Terre always draw excited crowds. Especially during the summer season. However, vacationing in Cinque Terre can be stress-free if you do a little advance preparation and come with the right mindset.
A Little About Us
Hi! We've created La Spezia Guide to help visitors, like you, enjoy your time around Cinque Terre as much as we do.
We live in Italy and can share our local insider know-how, so that you get the most out of your precious vacation time. We hope you enjoy our content.
Buon Viaggio!
Here are my Top 10 Tips for visiting Cinque Terre and experiencing a magical getaway.
1. Pack for Comfort
Instagram might suck you into believing that a floaty dress, outrageous sombrero-sized sun hat, or a linen suit are standard Cinque Terre attire.
Don’t be fooled. The majority of people wear comfortable clothing, a baseball cap, and sensible footwear.
Yes, of course, some people come dressed to impress. But Cinque Terre is primarily an outdoorsy place for sightseeing, hiking, water excursions, and activities. Dress to suit your holiday plans.
2. Pack Light
And as a general rule of thumb (because of stairs, cobbled streets, pedestrianized zones, and lack of parking near Italian hotels and accommodations) you should pack light for Italy!
Instead of packing enough clothes for your whole trip, bring enough for a few days and do laundry as you go!
We often stay in apartments with a washing machine. But many Italian towns have coin-operated launderettes or laundromats (lavanderia).
If you can’t pack light (like me), then there is luggage storage usually at or near the train stations in Italy. If you’re going to Cinque Terre then you can opt to leave extra luggage in La Spezia.
3. Be Prepared for Crowds During Peak Season
Peak season in Italy can only be described as hectic. The weather and vibe are at their best, but the crowds are intense. It can ruin your trip.
When I say you should avoid the crowds, I really mean it. It’s sad to see people come here and have a terrible experience.
But don’t be disheartened. You can avoid the crowds in Cinque Terre (even in summer) with a little creativity and advanced planning.
- Get up early, before the day trippers arrive.
- Wander down alleyways and explore the nooks and crannies.
- Avoid the Italian public and national holiday dates, when there is an influx of additional tourists seeking to experience Cinque Terre!
- Avoid the trains during peak times. Organize and buy your Cinque Terre Card in advance. This all-day travel card can be bought at the 5T train stations, but the long queues are a drag.
- Hike between the villages.
- Book local tours and memorable experiences over the obvious and hyped-up attractions.
4. Slow Your Pace
I see people stepping off the trains, and it’s amazing to me how fast they can whizz around the villages, pausing only to take photos.
You can see people being swept along by an impatient crowd.
Pace yourself and soak up the extraordinary beauty and a millennium of history!
Understandably, life has become a fast experience, and it can be hard to slow down and linger in a place. But the 5 Cinque Terre towns are extraordinary and deserve our attention.
It is possible to take a breath:
- Plan to stay (or spend) for at least 2 days in Cinque Terre.
- Be curious.
- Pay attention to the details.
- Stay in the moment.
- Venture down the lanes.
- Pinch yourself and be reminded how fortunate you are to be here!
5. Plan and Book Ahead
The best experiences I’ve had were done on a whim! And for me, travel has always been about the unknown and unexpected.
But I never fly by the seat of my pants!
I always do my research and have at least a loose plan to make the most of each day.
Remember too that Cinque Terre is a small place and there are limited options. If you have your heart set on a special restaurant or a sunset boat tour then make an advance booking!
6. Avoid Peak Season
The best months to visit are May, June and September. The daytime temperatures are around 20-25oC (68-77oF) with fewer tourists and less rain.
March, April, October, and November are also not too cold, but the coastal storms can be unpredictable during these months.
I’m all for encouraging visitors out of season to promote sustainable tourism. And on a sunny day, it’s the perfect winter hiking getaway.
But in truth (apart from the Christmas holiday period), most businesses close up for winter.
These articles may help you get a better understanding of:
⇒ The Best Time of Year to Visit Cinque Terre Italy
If this is a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, then winter isn’t the best time to visit.
7. Plan How to Get from A to B
The last thing you want to do on holiday is to figure out boring logistics.
Do some advance prep and become familiar with transport timetables and routes before you arrive.
It’s a smart idea to book your Cinque Terre Card online in advance to avoid standing in long lines or missing out altogether.
Our Premade Itineraries
If you like the idea of having the planning taken care of, then you'll like our premade itineraries. They have been carefully designed to give you a taste of the best bits of Cinque Terre.
These self-guided walking tours include routes, sightseeing, things to do, and recommendations for places to eat and stop for an aperitivo. Everything in our itineraries comes from our own experience, and after having done countless trips to Cinque Terre and the surrounding area!
Other Useful Content
8. Consider Staying in One of the Nearby Towns
There are dozens of towns close to Cinque Terre. These towns are accessible by train, bus, or boat and are more affordable for accommodation and eating out!
La Spezia and Levanto are popular towns as a nearby base for tourists visiting Cinque Terre. They are both super convenient and are on the Cinque Terre Express train line!
9. Learning About Italian Culture
Immersing yourself in the culture is not only enriching but what you can learn from locals can lead to unforgettable experiences.
Common Italian Cultural Stereotypes
Italian culture has often been misrepresented in movies and we might be off base with some of our assumptions.
- Slow-Paced Lifestyle: The Italian “dolce vita” (sweet life) is often associated with a relaxed and leisurely pace of life. It’s a term that is bandied around a lot, but modern Italians living in Milan or Rome wouldn’t know any more about this than you or me!
- Family-Oriented: Italians are known for having big families with strong family ties. But in reality, these traditional values are less common, especially in the busy commercial north of Italy.
- Pasta and Pizza: It's true that Italians love their pasta and pizza. You'll be amazed to learn that they each consume an average of 25 kilos of pasta per year! When you travel here you'll be treated to cuisine that is much more diverse. With regional specialty dishes and fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Around Cinque Terre, seafood is widely popular as is pesto (eaten with focaccia, on pizza, and in pasta) and an afternoon gelato is almost obligatory!
- Fashion-Forward: Italy is considered a fashion capital, and Italians are often associated with simple elegance. But in daily life, you’ll also see an anti-fashion trend that is grungy and deliberately indifferent.
- Animated and Expressive: Italians are known for their animated gestures and expressive communication style. In cities like Napoli, it’s often said that people can have a whole conversation without using words.
Learning a few of these gestures is a bit fun but be careful, some are thrown around as insults!
10. Learn A Few Basic Italian Phrases
I know it can be embarrassing to speak in a foreign language. Even on my best day, my Italian must sound like a kids' cartoon character!
Even, if you try to speak a few words in Italian, you’ll be surprised how appreciated it is.
Free tools to learn Italian
- My favorite free tool to learn Italian on the go is the Coffee Break Italian podcast. I listen to the podcast when I’m walking Cooper or when I’m driving long distances.
- We also like Teacher Stefano. He has both free videos (available on YouTube) and paid courses.
Wrap Up
These 10 travel tips are a great start to planning your unforgettable getaway to Cinque Terre.
You might also be interested in our other blog posts and travel guides.
