Top 5 Things to do in Cinque Terre

This was my first time visiting the Cinque Terre coast in Italy. And I have to say that it was better than expected! I’m not sure why I was a bit hesitant on all of the hype, but I was pleasantly surprised.

We stayed in Monterosso al Mare a few nights and explored Cinque Terre, you can read the full post here. Each town had its own unique charm, but I’m a little bias towards Monterosso, since that’s where we spent the majority of our time.

Here are my top five things you should do in Cinque Terre:

1. Hike the five villages. This may be obvious to most, but it has to be written. If you are short on time, you could always take the train into each of the villages. But it was so refreshing to wake up early, beat the heat, and hike into each village! 
2. Take a dip in the Manarola cove! Be sure to bring your swimsuit, a towel and be prepared for cold, refreshing, salty water! I hesitated, but thought when will be the next time that I have this opportunity and when will I ever see these people again?! You won’t regret it! 
3. Savor all things with pesto! You don’t have to tell me twice to try food. Many restaurants offer some sort of dish with pesto, so you don’t have to search for it. Try it with a white wine suggested by the sommelier or server.

   

4. Grab a gelato in Riomaggiore. Take a seat in town or take it by the water to people watch or take in the beautiful sea. 
5. Get lost in the streets and alleys. I love exploring towns this way and seeing how the locals live. We also grabbed a beer and sat on the pebbly beach in Monterosso to just relax and take it all in. 

I’m sure I could go back several times and find something unique and wonderful to do each time, but this should get you started!

Cheers!