Cinque Terre, the Five Little Villages in Italian, is anything but new. Several villages date back to Roman times and all were noteable possessions of Genoa by the end of the 13th century. The remnants of towers, castles, and walls are evidence of their importance in the defense of Genoa throughout the last 800 years. Indeed, the name itself dates back to a 15th century clerk describing the area. It is an area long reknowned for its wine, agricultural products, and to a lesser extent fishing.
The original settlers of these towns descending from many smaller frazioni of today, those set high above the coastal villages - San Bernadino, Volastra, Reggio, among others. In order to make agriculture use of the steep, but temperate coastline, early settlers began taming the coastline into terraces with dry stone walls to produce fine wines, olives, and other sustanance. The remainder came from the sea when possible. The Ligurian coast was long the site of pirates, first the Saracens, and later raiders from North Africa. The remnants of fortifications remind visitors that this was not always a tranquil place for sea outings.
Despite the towns vital positions for defending the coasts, the villages remained cut off from much of the outside world for centuries. The development of the Genoa-La Spezia trainline in the late 19th century began to change the relationship of the Cinque Terre with the world. In the summer months, the towns are inundated with tourists instead of pirates, made worse by the cruise ships dockin in La Spezia. Sadly these colassal structures can easily be seen in their moors from the harbor at Monterosso. Prior to Covid shutdowns, these tiny villages hosted 2.5 million visitors annually. This inundation, while lucrative, is crushing the town and debates had begun on how to limit the amount of tourists. Covid shutdowns delayed meaningful progress on these metrics, but now that Italy is fully open, its a matter of time before these issues rear their heads again.
If possible, visit the Cinque Terre only in shoulder season. If you must visit in the summer, stay at least a night. By five or six in the evening, the daytrippers clear out and you have the village much to yourself again. Prepare yourself that the trains, while frequent, are crowded, and that restaurants need a reservation to avoid a serious wait. Most restaurants close between lunch and dinner so this adds to the importance of reservations. Prices for both food and lodging are quite high, bolstered by both demand the logistical difficulty of supplying the villages.
Driving in Cinque Terre is difficult and not advised. Monterosso is the most accessible by car and a few hotels do have parking available. Alternatives include parking in La Spezia to catch the train. You can also stay in Levanto, Sestri Levante, Porto Venere, or La Spezia which have regular train connections to Cinque Terre to get a flavor of the villages at a lower price point.
The train connects all five villages (the station at Corniglia requires a steep hike) and a water taxi that connects all the villages except Corniglia as it isn't on the water's edge. You can hike between the villages, but many of the routes are grueling (and rewarding) hikes with significant increases and decreases in altitude. I do not recommend them with children or for anyone that is not in good shape. If you do choose to take one of the legs, you can get an updated trail status here. Know that the Mediterranean sun can be unforgiving - bring lots of water, a hat, and suncreen. You will also need to pay for a hiking card. The fee goes towards maintaining trails.
We chose, for the most recent trip, to stay in Monterosso as we had previously started on the other end in Manarola and Riomaggiore. It is the largest of the towns and has the most space. With a family, I like staying in Monterosso the best, simply because of the space. The beach is also the most abundant in Montrosso with several managed areas along with free beach space. There is a fabulous playground right along the coast. Its perfect for heavy work or just blowing off steam.
As a spluge, we took a private boat tour with Calipso Tours. (Book HERE). Guiliano, the owner, was a fantastic captain and wonderful with our children, too. He is extremely knowledged about the sites, geographical components, and historical poitns of the area. We learned so much on our tour and the kids had a blast! Well worth the cost to share an experience like this as a family.
We tried several restaurants, all of which were nice, but we particularly enjoyed La Cantina de Miky in Monterossa. Run by a New Jersey native, Christine, and her Italian husband, Manuel, the restaurant offered good food, gorgeous scenery, and wonderful service. As they have a young child themselves, they are particularly welcoming to children, even by the incredibly inclusive standards of Italians. They provided kids' plateware, catered to my selective eaters, and, of course, a highchair. A wonderful family experience for all of us.
Disability Considerations
The terrain does not lend itself to accessbility. There are elevators to some areas, but accessbile routes are few and far between. There is an accessbile beach ramp in Monterosso and the beach area in Vernazza, while unmanaged, it accesible. The pier in Vernazza, however, is not.
During high season (Late May through mid September), crowds are oppressive. For a person with sensory sensitivities or anxiety, the shear amount of people may be overwhelming. Despite the crowds, the towns are not loud (outside trains arriving and departing) so for auditory sensitivities, Cinque Terre shouldn't be a concern.
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