Reaching Cinque Terre is not difficult. It is easy to reach Cinque Terre by car or by train, because Cinque Terre are close to all main italian cities (3h from Milan; 2h and 30 min from Florence; 6h from Rome or Venice). You can reach every town by car, but it is very important to know that having a car in Cinque Terre can be a problem, few parkings and very difficult drives.
The train is the best mean of transport to visit Cinque Terre
Closest airports are: Pisa (link) and Genova (link) only 1h and 30 minutes far by car or by train. Milano Malpensa (link) is at almost 4h far from Cinque Terre.
Average length of travel from major italian cities
| Città | In auto | In treno |
|---|---|---|
| Milan | 3h | 2h and 50min |
| Genoa | 1h and 30min | 1h and 15min |
| Florence | 2h and 30min | 2h and 30min |
| Pisa | 1h and 30min | 1h and 30min |
| Rome | 4h and 30min | 4h and 30min |
| Turin | 3h and 30min | |
| Venice | 5h and 30min | 6h |
Where we are
Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore: five small villages surrounded by a unique landscape that UNESCO has named a World Heritage site.
Gorgeous beaches, crystal-clear water, steep trails winding through lush vineyards and olive groves, lemon trees and pine woods: a perfect spot, whether you enjoy swimming, boating, walking through the historic town, or exploring the pristine nature all around you. Cinque Terre are in Liguria a region in the north-west part of Italy, very close to Tuscany at 2h and 30 min from Florence and on 1h and 30 min from Pisa and Lucca.
Directions
Trains are the best means of transport for coming to the Cinque Terre on vacation. Regional trains stop at every town and they run almost one every 30 minutes. The trip from town to town takes only 4 minutes. It is easy to buy ticktes at every train station or every tourist office and you also have the possibility to buy a day pass.
Many intercities trains stop in some of Cinque Terre towns (mostly Monterosso) and so you can take for example a train straight from Milano to Monterosso or Riomaggiore without switching it.
You check train schedules at:
If you prefere to come by car please be aware that every town can be reached in a different way and drive can be difficult. Inside Cinque Terre you will not need a car. From Monterosso to Vernazza by car it takes 35 minutes, while by train only 4 and 10 by boat.
Driving directions
Monterosso The Autostrada (freeway/motorway) exit is Carrodano-Levanto on A12 Genova-Livorno. From carrodano folow signs for Levanto and than to Monterosso. From Carrodano-Levanto to Monteroso by car it takes 30 minutes.
Vernazza Leave Autostrada A12 Genova-Livorno at La Spezia and follow signs for Cinque Terre: You will first find Riomaggiore, than Manarola and than Corniglia. In San Bernardino follow signs for Vernazza. From La Spezia to Vernazza it takes 45 minutes. Very important: due to some landslides the road from Vernazza to Monterosso is closed, so it is not possible at the moment to drive from Monterosso to Vernazza. If you want to reach Monterosso by car from Vernazza you have to drive to La Spezia and take the autostrada again towards Genova and exit at Carrodano-Levanto and follow signs to Monterosso. It takes more than one hour.
Corniglia Leave Autostrada A12 Genova-Livorno at La Spezia and follow signs for Cinque Terre: You will first find Riomaggiore, than Manarola and than Corniglia. From La Spezia to Corniglia it takes 35 minutes.
Manarola Leave Autostrada A12 Genova-Livorno at La Spezia and follow signs for Cinque Terre: You will first find Riomaggiore and than Manarola. From La Spezia to Manarola it takes 25 minutes.
Riomaggiore Leave Autostrada A12 Genova-Livorno at La Spezia and follow signs for Cinque Terre: you will arrive in Riomaggiore in 25 minutes.
Getting around
Once you get to the Cinque Terre to move from one country to another you can take the train or the boat or walk the many paths that branch off on the territory.
The Cinque Terre are almost completely closed to car traffic: the best way to enjoy it is by walking or using public transport: trains and boats.
Ferries
In good weather, the ferry offers an unforgettable panoramic tour.
Scheduled ferry service for the Cinque Terre runs when the sea and weather conditions are favourable, and may be subject to change or suspension due to unpredictable circumstances.
Boats information:
www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it
Trains
Trains are the best means of transport for coming to the Cinque Terre on vacation.
In any case, to get from one town to another, trains are always the safest, quickest, most affordable means of transport.
In the villages of the Cinque Terre, trains run about every half hour. The stations are named after the towns and it takes only 5 minutes to get from one town to the next, while by car getting from town to town it takes more than 30 minutes on difficult drives.
The train ticket is always cheap and cause you have to pay to hike the path number 2, you can also buy the Cinque Terre Card.
You check train schedules at: