Ligurian Riviera and Cinque Terre

What should you know before visiting Ligurian Riviera and Cinque Terre?

Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €6 (Italy).

• The villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore can be reached by car only on narrow mountain roads. Parking is scarce; the train is the easiest way to get around.
• Timetables vary, but from La Spezia the regional train takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes to Riomaggiore and about 30 minutes to Monterosso. From Levanto to Riomaggiore allow roughly 30 to 40 minutes.
• The Via dell'Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola has reopened in stages since 2024. Visitors need a pre-booked ticket and walk it one way only. The national park gives the current conditions.

The drive

The five villages lie on the coast between Levanto and La Spezia. The Cinque Terre National Park was created in 1999 and covers the coast, the five villages and the slopes behind them. Access roads to the villages are narrow and steep; parking directly in the villages is nearly impossible. Larger car parks are in Monterosso at Fegina and Loreto, while smaller ones lie outside Manarola, Corniglia and Vernazza.

Planning

La Spezia, with car parks near the station, and Levanto, with private parking at the station and by the beach, work well as bases. In high summer lots fill up quickly; booking early is advised for Vernazza. The Cinque Terre Card covers trains and many trails; the Via dell'Amore needs an additional ticket. Trails can close after landslides, so check current notices with the national park.

Camping

Wild camping is not permitted in Italy. On public ground, traffic law lets you sleep in the vehicle if it rests on its wheels, discharges nothing and takes no more room than its own footprint, so no awning, steps or levelling supports. Municipalities can limit or ban camper parking by time or place, especially in season. Campsites and motorhome stopovers are the reliable options; heed local signs.

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