Magnificent coastal views, colorful boats bobbing in harbors, pastel villages that climb high into the cliffs, and delicious food: is it any surprise that spending at least one day in Cinque Terre is on just about everyone’s Italy bucket list?
These five gorgeous villages on the Ligurian coast are as lovely as they are popular, and even if you can only squeeze in one day in Cinque Terre, they are worth the trek to visit.
Trying to see Cinque Terre in one day? This Cinque Terre itinerary will give you a taste of all five villages–and if you’re anything like us, leave you clamoring to come back.
Is One Day in Cinque Terre Enough?
One of the most common questions from people considering a day trip to Cinque Terre is whether or not one day in Cinque Terre is enough time to justify the hassle of traveling to the villages–and it absolutely is!
Whether you want to squeeze in a brief taste of all five villages or explore 2-3 of them more deeply, one day in Cinque Terre is long enough to appreciate the beauty of the region (and to devour at least one serving of trofie al pesto, a very important inclusion on any Cinque Terre itinerary).
That being said, if you can squeeze in more time in Cinque Terre, you absolutely should! We’ve visited the villages both as day trips and over a multi-day stay, and can absolutely attest that a few days in Cinque Terre is even better than one.
The Perfect One Day Cinque Terre Itinerary
Start your morning in Monterosso al Mare.
As the largest village in Cinque Terre (by area, anyway–Riomaggiore has the highest population) and the only village with a sandy beach, Monterosso al Mare is the perfect place to kick off your one day in Cinque Terre.
Grab a coffee and cornetto at the bar, stroll through the shops, and, if it interests you, duck into the highly memorable Oratorio dei Neri, which is a church decorated with human skeletons.
After getting your fill of the town, head down to Monterosso al Mare’s sandy beach, which is the main beach of Cinque Terre.
Depending on what kind of day you have planned (and how early you started your day!), you may want to rent one of the colorful umbrellas and enjoy the water for a couple of hours… or you may want to move on.
Just be sure that if you do stop to swim that you don’t stick around too long, because several other villages are calling!
Head to our favorite village in Cinque Terre: Vernazza.
Colorful, busy, brilliant Vernazza is our personal favorite village in Cinque Terre: everything from its harbor to its small castle to its beautiful viewpoints to its tiny back streets is a delight, and no one day in Cinque Terre is complete without seeing it.
However, depending on what kind of day you have planned for yourself, there are two ways to consider reaching Vernazza from Monterosso al Mare.
Option 1: Hike to Vernazza.
The hike from Monterosso al Mare to Vernazza is considered one of the most difficult sections of the famous Blue Path in Cinque Terre due to its elevation changes–but it’s also considered one of the most rewarding, particularly the first glimpses you get of Vernazza as you approach the village from above.
The views are truly stunning, so if you’re hoping for an active day in Cinque Terre, absolutely consider the hike! Hiking from Monterosso al Mare to Vernazza takes about two hours, give or take.
On the far side of Vernazza from Monterosso al Mare, before the official paid hike to Corniglia starts but after quite a steep climb, you’ll come to another stunning view of Vernazza–and even if you’re not hiking much during your day in Cinque Terre, we recommend taking 10 minutes to climb up and admire this view!
Option 2: Take the train or boat to Vernazza (RECOMMENDED)
Not much of a hiker, or just want to save time for other adventures during your one day in Cinque Terre? Take public transportation to Vernazza!
The train (under 5 minutes of travel time) is the most popular public transportation option between the two villages. If you’re visiting during the summer/high season, you can also take a boat (around 15 minutes of travel time).
Make your way to Corniglia.
As the highest-set of the Cinque Terre’s five villages and the only one without a harbor, Corniglia has a bit of a different vibe than the other four villages.
The views, especially of the surrounding vineyards and cliffs, are gorgeous, and the tiny, winding streets are lovely to explore.
If you’d like to hike to Corniglia from Vernazza, it will take about 90 minutes, and alternatively, you can take the train (no boats stop in Corniglia due to its location and lack of a harbor).
Bear in mind that even if you travel to Corniglia by train or bus, you’ll still need to either climb a steep staircase up to the village or wait for an (often extremely crowded) shuttle to take you to the top.
While Corniglia is beautiful, if you’re running out of time and absolutely have to cut one village from your Cinque Terre itinerary, we’d probably recommend cutting this one–but that’s not to say it’s not lovely and worth seeing during your day in Cinque Terre.
Hop the train to Riomaggiore.
At this point on your one day in Cinque Terre, we recommend skipping past Manarola and heading right to Riomaggiore, the southernmost village of Cinque Terre, via train.
Riomaggiore is home to the largest population of the five villages (around 1500 people), and yet it feels delightfully tiny, and is home to postcard-worthy views, tasty seafood (including Michelin-honored Dau Cila right next to the harbor), and even a few places to (carefully) cliff jump if you feel so inclined!
Double back to Manarola for sunset.
We’ve saved the most iconic for last: Manarola, with its lovely promenade, oodles of restaurants, and charming harbor perfect for swimming, is arguably the most popular village in Cinque Terre–and if you’ve seen one photo from the villages, it was probably one taken here.
Manarola’s promenade is the perfect place to watch the sunset in Cinque Terre–witnessing the changing light softening the pastel colors of the buildings is such a peaceful way to end one day in Cinque Terre.
If you want to enjoy the sunset while soaking up unforgettable views over Manarola, you’ll want to pay a visit to the much-photographed and tasty Nessun Dorma. They don’t serve a full menu, so you’ll need to move on for dinner–but it’s hard to imagine a more perfect setting for your early-evening aperitivo.
