24 Hours in Cinque Terre: My Cinque Terre Travel Diary

If I could pick one place to live the rest of my life, I think it might be Cinque Terre. As much as I loved the classic vibes of Florence and Venice, I fell in love with this magical place on the coast.

Made up of five small towns, Cinque Terre was all I could have dreamed up and more. Colorful streets, charming locals, soaking up the sun and lots and lots and lots of pesto. What’s not to love?

We only spent one night and two days in Cinque Terre but I will be making a trip back to spend more time there. While it is a very small place – Vernazaa was literally one street…that’s it – I could spend months exploring and walking around and just taking it all in.

Keep scrolling for my Cinque Terre travel diary, photo highlights and some of my travel tips for those planning a trip!

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Watch the Cinque Terre Travel Diary!

 

Getting There…

We took a train from Florence (Firenze Santa Maria Novella station) to Cinque Terre…but it wasn’t a straight shot. We got our tickets online ahead of time – they were about $30 each. We had a stop/layover (whatever you call it in train language ha) at La Spezia and then got on another train to Vernazza which is where we were staying.

Stay…

Since we were only here for one night, we decided to get the local experience and stay at an Airbnb. I found the cutest little apartment in Vernazza and honestly, I booked it solely for the view from the balcony which was stunning. It was such a great experience and to be honest, I think the Airbnb choices seemed a little more updated compared to the hotels I was finding! If I ever come back/WHEN I come back, I plan on staying in an Airbnb again.

 

Explore…

Getting Around

Just be prepared to walk. Vernazza and really every town consists of one street. That’s it. Now, the towns go UP so be prepared for lots of stairs and inclines. But the towns themselves are tiny. We were told beforehand that you can walk/hike between the different towns but some of the walkways were closed off during our stay due to rock slides. Instead, we opted to mainly explore Vernazza and Manarola (more on that below). To get to Manarola, we took the train which was about 8 euro round trip. We also booked a boat tour to see the other towns which was about 70 euro. This was a great way to see the other towns from the water and get the experience with a local guide. It was also amazing on the water and I love a good boat situation so I couldn’t resist exploring.

Eat

Cinque Terre is known for their pesto. And you guys – I had the best pesto of my life here. Twice. They also have some of the best white wine and the towns are full of vineyards. We stocked up on lots of wine, olive oil and limoncello here. If seafood is your thing, you’re in luck. Because they’re right on the water, the seafood offerings are super fresh and tasty. Even I tried some!

I highly recommend eating at restorante Belafonte. Make a reservation so you get a seat on the terrace overlooking the sea. It’s worth it.

To Do

I am SO glad we stayed in Vernazza. Fun fact: Jessica’s family is from here! This seemed like one of the more popular and busy tows and it was everything I could have dreamed. There was a little beach with a small dock full of boats. The colorful homes and buildings were so picturesque and the food, people, shops, restaurants, etc…just perfect. Manrola was also a favorite. We ventured here for that awesome view that everyone posts on IG and it was worth it.

Get up early and head to the beach in Vernazza. It’s quiet and the town isn’t quite awake yet. Get a coffee and a croissant at a local bakery and just sit on the beach to soak it all in. Grab a light sweater because the mornings are pretty chilly but it definitely heats up! 

There’s so much to see in Vernazza alone – I’d plan to spend a full day exploring. There is an amazing castle at the top of the town that Shelby hiked up to and the views were stunning. There are shops and great hikes and so much more. I can’t wait to go back!

What I Wore…

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Photos by Shelby Gordon