The Cinque Terre from Sestri Levante are an easy day trip by train: Monterosso, the first village, is about 20 minutes away on a regional train, and all five villages sit on the same line. Leave the car behind, start early and go back to Sestri for a quiet evening.
Cinque Terre from Sestri Levante: the quick answer
The train leaves Sestri Levante, slips into a tunnel, and comes out with the sea right below the window. Then another tunnel, and another flash of blue. Twenty minutes or so later you are in Monterosso. That is how most of our guests see the Cinque Terre, and honestly it is the best way.
The Cinque Terre from Sestri Levante in a few lines:
- By train: all five villages are on the Genoa to La Spezia line, the same line that stops in Sestri Levante.
- Journey times: about 20 minutes to Monterosso, about 25 to Vernazza and about 35 to Riomaggiore, depending on the train.
- By car: not recommended. Parking near the villages is very limited, and the roads are slow.
- Time needed: a full day for three or four villages without rushing. Two separate days if you also want to hike.
If you have not booked your trip to Liguria yet, our guide on how to get to Sestri Levante covers trains, cars and the nearest airports.
How to get from Sestri Levante to the Cinque Terre by train
Sestri Levante is on the coastal railway between Genoa and La Spezia. Heading south towards La Spezia, regional trains stop at Levanto and then at the five villages in this order: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore.
Tickets: what to buy
You can buy a regular regional ticket from Sestri Levante to the village where you want to start. You can also use the Cinque Terre Card, the official pass sold by the national park. The train version covers unlimited regional trains on the stretch between Levanto and La Spezia, plus some park services. It does not cover the trip from Sestri Levante to Levanto, so you need a separate ticket for that part. Prices, versions and what each one includes change from year to year, so check them on the official Cinque Terre National Park website before you go.
Validate your ticket
This catches a lot of visitors. In Italy, paper regional tickets must be validated in the machine on the platform before you board. A ticket that has not been stamped counts as no ticket, and inspectors on this line do check. Digital tickets bought in the app have their own check-in rules. Timetables and tickets are on the Trenitalia website.
Why not drive?
The villages are mostly closed to traffic, car parks are small and fill early, and the roads down from the hills are narrow and winding. The train takes you straight into each village. If you are coming to Liguria with a car anyway, leave it in Sestri: our guide to parking in Sestri Levante explains the options. And if you are thinking of skipping the car altogether, read about a holiday in Sestri Levante without a car.
The five villages of the Cinque Terre, one by one
The Cinque Terre, "five lands", are five villages on a steep stretch of coast, now a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They look alike in photos. In person each one has its own character.
Monterosso al Mare
The largest of the five, and the first you reach from Sestri. It has the longest beach, the most restaurants and the flattest streets, so it suits families and anyone who wants a swim. At the far end of the beach stands the Gigante, a large statue of Neptune built into the rock.
Vernazza
Many people call it the most beautiful of the five. Houses crowd around a small natural harbour, watched over by the medieval Doria tower. It is also the busiest in the middle of the day.
Corniglia
The only village that is not right on the sea. It sits on top of a headland, and from the station you climb the Lardarina, a long flight of brick steps. A small shuttle bus usually runs up from the station if you would rather not. Because of the climb, it is often the quietest of the five.
Manarola
Coloured houses stacked on a rock above a tiny harbour, with terraced vineyards on the slopes behind. At Christmas the hillside is lit up by a huge nativity scene made of lights.
Riomaggiore
The easternmost village, closest to La Spezia. Tall, narrow houses run down a steep valley to the sea. It is the start of the Via dell'Amore, the famous cliffside path to Manarola. The path has been closed for long periods for safety works, and access rules can change, so check the national park site for the current situation.
How to avoid the crowds in the Cinque Terre
I will tell you the truth: in high season the Cinque Terre are crowded. Trains between the villages can be packed, and the narrow streets of Vernazza and Manarola fill up by late morning. Cruise ships dock in La Spezia, and coach tours arrive at the same hours. A few things make a real difference.
- Start early. Be on one of the first trains from Sestri. Before 10 a.m. the villages still belong to the people who live there.
- Go against the flow. Many groups start from La Spezia and Riomaggiore. Coming from Sestri, you can start at Monterosso or Vernazza and work south as the day goes on.
- Pick three, not five. Trying to see all five in one day means spending most of it on platforms.
- Choose your month. May, June, September and October are much calmer than July and August. Weekdays are better than weekends.
- Stay late. When the day visitors leave, the villages go quiet. With Sestri only a short train ride away, you can watch the sunset and still get home.
Our guide on the best time to visit Sestri Levante goes through the year month by month, and the same advice applies here.
Hiking between the villages
The coastal path that links the five villages, the Sentiero Azzurro, is one of the most famous walks in Italy. Some stretches are paid and require a Cinque Terre Card. Sections can close after heavy rain or landslides, so check the national park website on the morning of your walk.
The classic stretch from Monterosso to Vernazza is steep, with lots of steps, but the views over the sea are worth every one of them. Wear proper shoes, not flip-flops, and carry water. In summer, start early: there is little shade, and by midday the climb is hard work. We have an Italian page on the Monterosso to Vernazza coastal trail (in Italian) with the route in detail.
In the warmer months, boats also link most of the villages by sea (Corniglia excepted, as it is up on the cliff). They depend on the weather, but seeing the villages from the water is a different experience from seeing them through a train window.
Why stay in Sestri Levante for the Cinque Terre
Rooms inside the five villages are few, small and in high demand. Sestri Levante is a real town with two beaches, an old town full of life in the evening and a station on the same line. You get the Cinque Terre by day and a quieter base at night.
If you plan to use the train a lot, choose where you sleep with that in mind. Among our holiday apartments in Sestri Levante, Due Passi dal Mare is 2 minutes on foot from the station, which means you can be on the platform minutes after breakfast. On the other days, there is plenty to do without a train: see one day in Sestri Levante, or head the other way along the coast to Portofino from Sestri Levante.
My one piece of advice: buy a slice of focaccia in Sestri before you get on the train. In the Cinque Terre at lunchtime, the queue for food is often longer than the queue for the train.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the train from Sestri Levante to the Cinque Terre?
On a regional train it is about 20 minutes to Monterosso, about 25 to Vernazza and about 35 to Riomaggiore. Times vary by train, so check the current timetable on Trenitalia.
Can you visit the Cinque Terre as a day trip from Sestri Levante?
Yes. All five villages are on the same railway line as Sestri Levante, so you can leave in the morning and be back for dinner. In one day, three or four villages are realistic.
Does the Cinque Terre Card cover the train from Sestri Levante?
No. The train version of the Cinque Terre Card covers regional trains between Levanto and La Spezia, so you need a regular ticket from Sestri Levante to Levanto. Check the official national park website for current versions and prices.
Should I drive to the Cinque Terre?
It is not recommended. The villages are largely closed to traffic, parking is very limited and the roads are narrow. The train is faster and drops you in the centre of each village.
Which Cinque Terre village is best for swimming?
Monterosso al Mare has the longest beach of the five and is the easiest place for a swim. The other villages mostly have rocks, small coves and harbour slipways.
When is the Cinque Terre least crowded?
May, June, September and October are calmer than July and August, and weekdays are calmer than weekends. Arriving before 10 a.m. or staying into the evening also helps a lot.
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