Cinque Terre National Park

The Cinque Terre National Park protects a rugged 15-kilometre stretch of the eastern Ligurian coast in La Spezia province, taking in the five cliff-clinging fishing villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore and the centuries-old terraced vineyards that climb the slopes behind them. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, it is one of Italy's smallest national parks yet among its most visited, drawing several million people a year. Visitors come to ride between the villages on the frequent Cinque Terre Express train, to hike the network of coastal and high-level trails, to swim from rocky coves, and to photograph the stacked pastel houses above the harbours. The dry-stone-walled vineyards, hand-built over a thousand years and still worked with a small monorail, are as much a part of the landscape as the villages. A satisfying visit takes at least a full day, and ideally two, to see all five villages without rushing; many travellers base themselves in one village or in nearby La Spezia or Levanto. The park operates a Cinque Terre Card during the paid season from mid-March to early November: a Trekking Card covers the main trails, while the Treno MS Card adds unlimited rides on the regional train between the villages and is the better value for most day-trippers. Trails close frequently after rain or landslides, so checking live status at parconazionale5terre.it is essential before hiking. Crowds peak from late June through August and on cruise-ship days, when the villages and trains are packed from late morning; May, June and September offer the best balance of weather and space, and early starts beat the worst of it. In winter the trails are free and the villages quiet. The whole park lies in eastern Liguria, easily reached by train from La Spezia Centrale or Levanto.