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vernazza
Scenic routes

The Cinque Terre

La Spezia · Manarola · Vernazza · Monterosso al Mare · Levanto

Timetable-checked:4 trains · 20m on board
4-5 daysSuggested duration
5 stopsIconic cities
CoastalCliffs & villages
Lower CO₂Than flying

“Five villages, one short line.”

Suggested
4-5 days
Stops
5
On board
20m

Coastal · Timetable-checked · Lower CO₂ than flying

Overview

The railway along the Cinque Terre runs mostly through tunnels, bursting out into the sunlight at each village station above the sea. The whole run from La Spezia to Levanto takes under half an hour, so the trip is about slowing down, walking the cliff paths and staying in the villages.

“Train, trail and sea.”

The route

  1. La Spezia, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsLa Spezia · 1 nightA naval port on the Gulf of Poets.
    TrenitaliaREG 2290408:20 → 08:26 · 6mTimetable-checked
    REG 22904 · TrenitaliaLa Spezia Centrale → Riomaggiore08:20 → 08:26
    1. La Spezia CentraleDep 08:20
    2. RiomaggioreArr 08:26
  2. Manarola, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsManarola · 1 nightColoured houses on a rock above the sea.
    TrenitaliaREG 1222210:24 → 10:29 · 5mTimetable-checked
    REG 12222 · TrenitaliaRiomaggiore → Corniglia10:24 → 10:29
    1. RiomaggioreDep 10:24
    2. ManarolaArr 10:26 · Dep 10:27
    3. CornigliaArr 10:29
  3. Vernazza, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsVernazza · 1 nightA natural harbour below a medieval tower.
    TrenitaliaREG 1230210:09 → 10:12 · 3mTimetable-checked
    REG 12302 · TrenitaliaVernazza → Monterosso10:09 → 10:12
    1. VernazzaDep 10:09
    2. MonterossoArr 10:12
  4. Monterosso al Mare, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsMonterosso al Mare · Day stopThe largest village, with a real beach.
    TrenitaliaREG 1230210:14 → 10:20 · 6mTimetable-checked
    REG 12302 · TrenitaliaMonterosso → Levanto10:14 → 10:20
    1. MonterossoDep 10:14
    2. LevantoArr 10:20
  5. Levanto, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsLevanto · 1 nightA relaxed seaside town beyond the five villages.

Timetable-checked on 3 October 2026 for travel on 2026-10-04 · Data: Trenitalia national NeTEx

Suggested tickets

Suggestions only. Trainlink doesn't sell tickets: check prices, coverage and reservation rules with the seller.

The experience

View by
La Spezia, photographed for Wikimedia Commons La Spezia - On the Gulf of PoetsLa Spezia
Stay 1 night in La SpeziaBooking.com

The naval city

La Spezia grew around Italy's great naval base, and its Naval Museum traces centuries of seafaring. Its tree-lined waterfront looks out over the gulf.

The Gulf of Poets

Byron and Shelley spent time on this gulf, which gave it its nickname. The fishing villages of Portovenere and Lerici sit at either end of it.

FarinataFood

Try farinata, a thin chickpea pancake baked in a wood oven, and mesciua, a soup of beans and grains.

The gulf's rowing raceTraditions

Every August the Palio del Golfo brings rowing races between the gulf's villages, followed by fireworks.

La Spezia → Manarola08:02 → 08:2624mdirectTimetable-checked

Into the tunnels

The line leaves La Spezia through a long tunnel under the hills. It emerges at Riomaggiore and Manarola, each station perched above the sea.

Manarola, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Manarola - Above the seaManarola
Stay 1 night in ManarolaBooking.com

A village on the rock

Manarola's coloured houses climb a rock spur above a tiny harbour. Boats are hauled up into the main street when the sea is rough.

Terraced vineyards

Dry-stone terraces carry vines up the cliffs above the village, built by hand over centuries. A path through them gives the classic view back over Manarola.

Sweet wineFood

Sciacchetrà is a rare sweet wine made from dried grapes grown on these terraces. Drink it slowly at sunset.

The nativity on the hillTraditions

Every December a huge illuminated nativity scene lights up the hillside above Manarola. It was built by a local man over many years.

Manarola → Vernazza10:24 → 10:4319mdirectTimetable-checked

Along the cliffs

Past Corniglia, high on its headland, the line runs between tunnels and short glimpses of the sea. Vernazza's station sits right in the heart of the village.

Vernazza, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Vernazza - The harbour villageVernazza
Stay 1 night in VernazzaBooking.com

The harbour

Vernazza curls around the only natural harbour in the Cinque Terre, with a church right on the water. A medieval watchtower guards the village from the rocks.

Rebuilt after the flood

A flood in 2011 buried the village in mud, and residents rebuilt it street by street. The trail to Monterosso gives a famous view back over the harbour.

Pesto and anchoviesFood

Liguria is the home of pesto, served here with trofie pasta. Fresh anchovies from the coast are fried, marinated or baked.

Vernazza → Monterosso al Mare09:55 → 10:1217mdirectTimetable-checked

One more tunnel

A short run through the cliffs brings the line to Monterosso, the largest of the five villages.

Monterosso al Mare, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Monterosso al Mare - The beach villageMonterosso al Mare

Beaches and the giant

Monterosso has the longest beaches of the five villages. A giant statue of Neptune is carved into the rocks at the end of the beach.

Lemons and anchoviesFood

Lemons grow on the terraces around Monterosso, and the village is known for its salted anchovies.

The lemon festivalTraditions

Every May Monterosso celebrates its lemons with a festival of stalls and lemon-based food and drink.

Monterosso al Mare → Levanto10:14 → 10:206mdirectTimetable-checked

To Levanto

Beyond Monterosso the line runs through a last stretch of tunnels and comes out at Levanto, in a wide green valley.

Levanto, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Levanto - Beyond the five villagesLevanto
Stay 1 night in LevantoBooking.com

A quieter base

Levanto lies just north of the Cinque Terre, with a wide sandy beach and a medieval old town. It is a calmer place to stay than the villages.

Surf and trails

Its beach is one of the few on this coast with surf, and trails lead along the cliffs to Monterosso. A cycle path follows the old railway tunnels to Bonassola.

Ligurian focacciaFood

Start the day with a slice of oily focaccia from a bakery, the way Ligurians do.

Practical info

Booking

Trainlink doesn't sell tickets. Check each leg with the operator or a retailer before you travel.

Reservations

No reservations are needed on the local trains, which run frequently along the coast.

Trails

Some coastal trails between the villages charge an entry fee and close after heavy rain; check before setting out.

Best time to travel

Spring and autumn are calmer than the crowded summer months, and the sea is still warm in September.

Journey time

Each hop between neighbouring villages takes only a few minutes. La Spezia to Levanto takes under half an hour.

Trainlink plans journeys; operators and retailers sell the tickets.