Trek Liguria — Cinque Terre National Park, Italy

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

A coastal footpath threading the five cliff-clinging villages of the Cinque Terre — Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore — above terraced vineyards and the Ligurian Sea.

Duration: 1 days
Distance: 12 km
Ascent: 600 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Best season: Late spring and early autumn (May–June, September–October); summer is hot and crowded

The Sentiero Azzurro is the classic coastal walk of the Cinque Terre, linking five UNESCO-listed fishing villages strung along a rugged stretch of the Ligurian Riviera. It runs above dry-stone-walled vineyard terraces, through olive groves and past little chapels, dropping into each pastel village in turn before climbing back to the cliffs.

It is not a wilderness trek — you are never far from a village, a café or a train — but the exposed, stepped sections are steeper and more demanding than many visitors expect, and the whole route makes a full and rewarding day on foot.

Getting there. The five villages sit on the Genoa–La Spezia railway; frequent local trains connect them in a few minutes each, so you can walk one leg and ride back, or skip any closed section entirely. La Spezia and Levanto are the usual gateways.

Trail card & closures. The marked coastal path requires a Cinque Terre Trekking Card (around €7.50), sold at park offices and stations. Landslides close sections regularly — the Corniglia–Manarola leg has often been shut, while the famous Via dell’Amore between Manarola and Riomaggiore reopened in 2024 after years of closure. Always check the day’s status before setting out.

Good to know:

Start early: the exposed cliff paths bake in summer and the villages fill by mid-morning.
Wear proper shoes — the trail is largely stone steps, and hundreds of them, not a flat promenade.

Day 1

Monterosso to Riomaggiore — the five villages

Monterosso al Mare → Riomaggiore 12 km ↑ 600 m

Walk the whole Blue Trail from Monterosso in the north to Riomaggiore in the south, tackling the steep open cliff sections first while the legs are fresh and finishing on the gentle seaside path. Use the train to skip any leg that is closed.

Segments

Monterosso to Vernazza 3.8 km ↑ 200 m

Monterosso al Mare → Vernazza

Steep stepped cliff path

The longest and steepest leg, climbing hundreds of stone steps out of Monterosso through vineyards and pines before a photogenic descent into Vernazza and its natural harbour. About 2 hours.

About this place

Vernazza is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. It is the only natural port of Cinque Terre and is famous for its elegant houses.
Read more on Wikipedia ↗
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/150594450@N07/ · CC BY 2.0
Vernazza to Corniglia 3.5 km ↑ 200 m

Vernazza → Corniglia

Terraced hillside path

A rolling path through olive groves and terraced vineyards with sweeping sea views back to Vernazza, ending with the climb up to Corniglia, the one village perched on a headland rather than at the water. About 1.5–2 hours.

About this place

Corniglia is a frazione ("hamlet") within the comune of Vernazza in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northern Italy, with a population of about 150. Unlike the other localities of the Cinque Terre, Corniglia is not directly adjacent to the sea. Instead, it is on the top of a promontory about 100 metres high, surrounded on three sides by vineyards and terraces, the fourth side descends steeply to the sea. To reach Corniglia, it is necessary to climb the Lardarina, a long brick flight of steps composed of 33 flights with 383 steps or, otherwise follow a vehicular road that, from the station, leads to the village. Sometimes a small bus runs.
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Photo: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author. I would m · CC BY-SA 4.0
Corniglia to Manarola 2.8 km ↑ 100 m

Corniglia → Manarola

Coastal path (frequently closed by landslides)

Down the Lardarina, a long brick staircase of nearly 400 steps, then a low coastal path toward Manarola. This leg is often closed for landslide repairs — check first and take the train if so. About 1 hour when open.

About this place

Manarola is a small town, a frazione of the comune (municipality) of Riomaggiore, in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, Northern Italy. It is the second-smallest of the famous Cinque Terre towns frequented by tourists, with a population of 353.
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Photo: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author. I would m · CC BY-SA 4.0
Manarola to Riomaggiore — Via dell'Amore 1 km ↑ 20 m

Manarola → Riomaggiore

Paved seaside promenade

The Via dell'Amore, the 'Way of Love', an easy paved cliffside promenade reopened in 2024 after long closure — a gentle 20-minute stroll to finish the trail in Riomaggiore.

About this place

La via dell'Amore or The Way of Love is a pedestrian path overlooking the sea, with a length of just over one kilometer, linking the villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola, Cinque Terre, in Liguria, Italy. It is one of four sections of the Sentiero Azzurro, "the Blue Path", the most popular hiking trail in the Cinque Terre National Park.
Read more on Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Davide Bozzo · CC BY-SA 3.0