Riomaggiore Travel Guide

Cinque Terre, which means Five Lands, is a group of five small, coastal villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso, located in the Italian region of Liguria. They are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Over the centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea. Part of its charm is the lack of visible corporate development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside.

The closest airports to the Cinque Terre are inPisaandGenovawithFirenzealso being a reasonable choice. The city ofMilanis about a 2-hour train ride to Genoa where one is able to change to the local train line at both Piazza Principe or Brignole stations. Milan's Malpensa International Airport is a major international airport with several European and some North American connections, but you will have to take an additionalMalpensa Expressairport train to Milan's main station, adding another hour

Frequent trains link all five villages with each other (Trenitalia-run trains as well as a train service run by the park authority), La Spezia and other places towards Genova (only Trenitalia-run).

There are a few campgrounds where you can rent a tent with two beds and linens for very low prices. Note that none are inside the national park area but quite a few can be found just to the north of the park in the touristy but pleasant town of Levanto. It's not advised to try wild camping, since it's illegal, and it can be dangerous due to the presence of wild boars roaming free in the park.