Trails and Via dell'Amore

How do you visit the Cinque Terre on foot?

On the Park's trails: the coastal one between the villages, paid between Monterosso and Corniglia and on the Via dell'Amore, and the high-altitude ones.

The coastal trail connects the villages one after the other. Higher up runs the Alta Via delle Cinque Terre, which starts from Portovenere, goes up to Telegrafo and follows the ridge; there is also the Santuari route.

Between one section and another you can always return by train, because each village has its station. How the train works is explained in the train guide.

How long is the walk from Riomaggiore to Monterosso?

According to the Park's times, the four stretches of the Sentiero Verde Azzurro add up to 5 hours and 20 minutes of walking; as of 22 September 2026, however, the Manarola - Corniglia stretch was closed.

The Park classifies the trails with four words: Turistico, Escursionistico, Esperto, Chiuso. Here is the status as of 22 September 2026 according to the Park. Where a stretch is closed, the train fills the gap: each village has its own stop.

Are the Cinque Terre trails open?

It depends on the day. As of 22 September 2026, according to the Park, the Manarola - Corniglia stretch (592-2) was closed; the other coastal stretches had a difficulty grade, not the status «Chiuso».

We do not promise that a section is open on the day of your visit: the Park updates the status on its trail page, with date and time of the message. With an orange or red weather alert it suspends the sale of Cards, and with rain the trails become slippery.

Tours also adapt. The day from Florence includes the guided excursion from Corniglia to Vernazza only if you choose the trekking option, and the listing warns that the itinerary may change due to trail closures or bad weather.

What other trails are there besides the coastal one?

North of Monterosso, trail 590 goes up to Sant'Antonio al Mesco and 591 continues to Levanto; at altitude there is the Alta Via delle Cinque Terre.

According to the Park, the Card only covers the stretches between Monterosso, Vernazza and Corniglia and the Via dell'Amore. On the stretch between Levanto and Monterosso you will find Podere Case Lovara, a FAI property: with the Card, entry is free. Below are the grades and times from the Park, read on the same page as the status.

Can you do the Cinque Terre walk in 2 days?

Yes, and the Card also exists for 2 days: €17 for an adult, €26.70 on high attendance days. The Park does not publish a 2-stage itinerary, but its times help to split it.

One possible division, with the Park's times. First day from Levanto to Monterosso via Sant'Antonio al Mesco: 3 hours 30 minutes. Second day from Monterosso to Vernazza and Corniglia, another 3 hours 30 minutes, then the train to Riomaggiore and the Via dell'Amore towards Manarola. The Manarola - Corniglia stretch was closed as of 22 September 2026.

Count the days before paying: between Levanto and Monterosso you are outside the paid stretches, so the Card is only needed for the second day. A multi-day Card used in part is non-refundable.

How long is the Via dell'Amore walk?

At most 30 minutes: it is 900 meters long, from Riomaggiore to Manarola, and you walk it in one direction.

You enter at Riomaggiore, to the left when exiting the station, and exit at Manarola. Entrances are in half-hour slots, with a maximum of 200 people every 30 minutes. The 30 minutes are also the maximum time on the path, to make room for the next slot. Just beyond the gate, at the booked time, a guide will be waiting for you, free of charge.

The path was closed from 2012, after a landslide. Work began in 2022 and the reopening came in the summer of 2024. Along the way there are five installations with works by Gino Covili. The times below are those of the Park; the Municipality website indicates the closure of bookings at 17:30 from 25 October. The full story is in the Via dell'Amore article.

How much does the Via dell'Amore cost and how do you book it?

It is not bought on its own: it is included in the Cinque Terre Card, Trekking from €10 (€15 on high attendance days) or Treno from €22 until 1 November 2026, with the mandatory booking of date and half-hour slot, up to 200 people per slot.

The Municipality of Riomaggiore states clearly: «it is not possible to purchase single entry». On the Via dell'Amore website combinations with the Trekking Card for 1, 2 or 3 days start from €10, €17 and €23.50 and include Castello di Riomaggiore; with the Treno Card from €22, €36.50 and €49. At the Park's Infopoints, those who already have a Card can add the Via dell'Amore supplement.

Tickets are in the holder's name, not transferable and not modifiable. In case of a hitch, you enter in the first available slot with free places. On refunds, two Municipality pages say different things, and we report them as they are: the sales conditions state that the online ticket is in no way refundable; the FAQ that the refund is provided only with a declared weather alert, yellow, orange or red. People with disabilities enter free by showing the certificate, and children under 4 with an adult who has the Card.

Which is the most beautiful route in the Cinque Terre?

We do not make rankings: we report the Park's grades, from Turistico to Esperto.

The Via dell'Amore is the only Turistico stretch and takes 25 minutes according to the Park's times. The two Esperto stretches take 1 hour 30 minutes, from Corniglia to Vernazza, and 2 hours, from Vernazza to Monterosso. The Alta Via stages are Escursionistico and range from 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours 20 minutes.

If you want to walk with someone who knows the area, the Park organizes guided visits of the Cinque Terre Walking Park from May to October, included in the Card according to the program. Among the tours, the day trip from Florence has an option with the guided excursion from Corniglia to Vernazza.

Bus or minivan from Florence, guide, trains and Park entry (not in the transport-only option), with the excursion from Corniglia to Vernazza if you choose the trekking option. The itinerary may change with trail closures.

★ 4.9 · 12-13 hours · from $61

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