Your free walking tour of the five Ligurian villages and the trails between them, custom-built around your train pass. Tell us a story, theme, or vibe and your audio tour is ready in 30 seconds. Works offline, 9 voiced languages, 30 free minutes on signup.
Train-hop south to north. 30 min in each. The whole UNESCO park in a day if you must.
12 km coastal hike linking all five. The classic full traverse, when open. €7.50.
The only beach village. Fegina sands, Convent of the Capuchins, Hemingway's beach.
The picture-postcard harbour. Castello Doria, swim from the rocks, dinner at Pippo.
The clifftop one. 382 steps up from the station, or the shuttle. Quiet, no harbour.
Sunset capital. Nessun Dorma terrace, Sciacchetrà wine, the classic Cinque Terre photo.
The lively southern village. Castle, harbour at dusk, anchovies straight off the boat.
Reopened 2024. Manarola → Riomaggiore. 20 min walk, locked padlocks, €5 ticket.
Higher inland route through the vineyards. Quieter than the coast. The villages from above.
Ligurian food walk. Trofie al pesto, anchovies, focaccia di Recco, Sciacchetrà.
Type a theme, an angle, a question - we'll build the walk in 30 seconds.
Local knowledge
The stuff you only learn after you've walked it.
01
The Cinque Terre Express runs Levanto → 5 villages → La Spezia every 15-30 minutes, 4 minutes between adjacent villages. With the Treno MS Card you ride unlimited. Hike one stretch and train the next; eat lunch where you fancy and ride back when you're tired. The card pays for itself by the second train.
02
The 12 km classic coastal trail has stretches closed for landslides. Manarola-Riomaggiore (Via dell'Amore) reopened 2024 with separate €5 ticket. Corniglia-Manarola has been closed since 2012. Vernazza-Monterosso (3.5 km, hard) and Vernazza-Corniglia (3.5 km, moderate) are usually open. Check parconazionale5terre.it the morning of your hike.
03
It can be done (3 hr train each way) but you'll get 4 hours on a 12-hour day, in the busiest window. Stay at least one night - Monterosso, Vernazza or Levanto are the easiest bases. La Spezia is 10 minutes south and has cheap hotels and the only proper supermarket; some travellers love it.
04
Pesto alla Genovese (the real one) was invented up the coast. Trofie al pesto, focaccia di Recco, fritti misti (deep-fried sea), anchovies from Monterosso. Drink Sciacchetrà - the local sweet wine made from the terrace grapes. Skip lasagne, pizza, and anything that sounds Florentine.
05
Even the village streets are uneven. The trails are technical hiking - loose stone, exposed sections, no shade. Trail runners or proper hiking shoes; flip-flops will hurt you. The park rangers turn back hikers in unsuitable footwear and can fine you.
06
The Consorzio Marittimo runs ferries Levanto → Monterosso → Vernazza → Manarola → Riomaggiore → Portovenere, April-October. Slower (90 min end-to-end) but the cliffs from the water are unforgettable. €25 day pass or €5-10 individual hops. Cancelled in rough weather.
How it works
Three things, in 30 seconds.
01
Any village, theme, or vibe. "Sentiero Azzurro", "Vernazza harbour", "All five in one day". iWander writes you the walk in 30 seconds.
02
The Doria castles, the terraced vineyards, the anchovy fishery, Eugenio Montale's poems, the 1873 railway. Stories whispered as you cross the cliffs.
03
What's this village known for? Why those terraces? Whose church is this? Point your camera, ask out loud, or type. Your guide answers in seconds.
Works offline · 9 voiced languages · 30 free minutes on signup
Questions
Practical info
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Updated 18 May 2026 by the iWander local team · Curated for accuracy