The Blue Trail (Sentiero Azzurro) — Five Villages of the Cinque Terre

The marked coastal path requires a Cinque Terre Trekking Card (around €7.50), sold at park offices and railway stations. Combined train-and-trail versions exist and pay off quickly if you plan to ride between villages.

Landslides close sections regularly — Corniglia–Manarola has often been shut, and the famous Via dell’Amore between Manarola and Riomaggiore only reopened in 2024 after years of closure. Check the day’s status at a park office before committing to a leg.

The exposed paths bake from midday and the villages fill by mid-morning. Start from Monterosso at opening pace and you’ll have the vineyard terraces largely to yourself for the best hours.

All five villages sit on the Genoa–La Spezia line, minutes apart by frequent local trains, with La Spezia and Levanto as the gateways. Walk the legs you want and ride back — or ride past any closed section entirely.

Late spring and early autumn give warm seas, open trails and manageable crowds. High summer is hot on the exposed cliff paths and the villages are at their most packed.

The trail is largely stone steps, hundreds of them, with exposed stepped sections steeper than most visitors expect. Proper walking shoes and a litre of water per person turn a slog into a great day.