Cinque Terre is on the northwestern coast of Italy. This is, perhaps, the country’s version of the French Riviera in France. Cinque Terre is translated into “five lands.” These villages are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Monterosso, and Vernazza. They’re along the rugged coastlines of Italy where colourful houses are built on jagged cliffs. They view is jaw-dropping any time of the day but breathlessly stunning at golden hours. At night, when all the lights are on, the village becomes a romantic place to be.
Where to stay in Cinque Terre
It is expensive to stay in any of the five villages mentioned above. And there are also very few choices. It’s even hard to find an affordable accommodation within your backpacking budget. So, I’d advise you to stay at La Spezia, the nearest town where the five villages are under its care. Also, La Spezia’s Train Station is well-connected to many parts of Italy. I stayed at the Grand Hostel Manin which I booked via Booking.com. You can also find other accommodations from HostelWorld.
How to get to Manarola Village in Cinque Terre
There’s a special train that goes to these five villages in Cinque Terre. It’s pretty much almost 24 hours – so don’t worry about it. From La Spezia to the last village takes less than an hour. It comes every 20 minutes.
Take Note
When you arrive at the train station, do not forget to go directly to the Tourist Information Office. Grab a map and a copy of the train timetable. Also, if you wanna go hiking to these five villages, ask them for a trail / hiking map.
Things to do in Manarola
- Hike to Riomaggiorre. It’s only three kilometres which would take you an hour or less, depends on your hiking pace.
- Bring a swimsuit. Yes, you can swim there.
- Stroll the cliffs – all the way to the top (which is a beautiful cemetery).
- Drink spritz or your fave drink in a bar overlooking the ocean and the houses on the cliff.
- Walk around but respect the privacy of the residents there. If there’s a sign that it’s private property, don’t go in.
- Eat seafood. Especially calamari. 😀
- Of course, take a lot of photos too.
- Stay until sunset, if you can.
Cinque Terre – Photos from Manarola Village
Related Link: Things to do and see in Italy
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