What to do in: Cinque Terre

Hike

My number one recommendation of what to do in Cinque Terre is hiking the paths in between towns.  It is the absolutely best way to get all the iconic views of the towns.  Tips for hiking in between towns are here.

Vernazza Tower

The small tower the hangs above the town of Vernazza is called Castello Doria.  At a low cost of 1.5 euros you can climb to the top for this once was watch tower.  The walk to the top takes you through the streets of Vernazza.  At the top of the tower you get a lovely panoramic view on the ocean, buildings and cliff side.

Gelato

As anyone should do while in Italy, try gelato!  You can find a couple places to eat gelato in each town along Cinque Terre.  My favorite has always been Alberto Galateria in the town of Corniglia!  A mom and pop gelato store with both traditional and non-traditional flavors.  My favorite that you can’t get at any other store but at Alberto’s is the basil, and yes I said BASIL!  The basil is super refreshing on a hot summer day, and especially after climbing all those stairs to get to Corniglia.  They even drizzle it with oil olive, which adds a delicious and unique experience.

Go Shopping

Cinque Terre is the perfect place to pick up your Italian souvenir to take home.  Being an artist myself I love to pick up handmade items to take back home.  In these towns you can find anything from watercolor paintings from artists painting in the streets themselves, to ceramic olive oil vessels, wine stoppers, and more.  I fell in love with photo prints in a store in Monterosso as well.  I love having these handmade goods to decorate my home.  It gives my daily reminders of the memories we have made.

Relax

Cinque Terre is a great places to not only get in some exercise through all the hiking but its also the perfect place to find some many peaceful areas to relax and enjoy the views.  My favorite memories here is grabbing and bottle of wine and at local wine shop.  Ask them to uncork it for you if you didn’t bring a corkscrew.  This trip we brought our own glasses but most places will give you plastic cups with the purchase of the bottle.

Visit Local Cafes

A must do while in Cinque Terre or any of Italy is to sit down and enjoy a authentic cappuccino and croissant.   I am usually not one to love heavy bread items and with croissants in Europe you can’t go wrong.  So delicious! This cafe was right outside of our AirBnB, (click here for $40 off your first stay).  A perfect start to each day.

Bruschetta

Another repeat stop of mine besides my favorite gelato shop is Bruschettae in Vernazza.  This little stop is a perfect lunch option after a sweaty morning of hiking.  Fresh ingredients and an option to go, which we always opted for along with the cold beer or wine to sit at the ocean side and enjoy.  I always end up with the traditional option, but they also offer 6-8 options of different bruschettas as well.

Make you own Charcuterie

Per recommendation from our host we stopped one evening to create our own Charcuterie board.  We stayed in Corgnilia and stopped a shop that sold cheese and meats, and made the best homemade pesto I have tasted.  We stayed in relaxing while enjoying some fresh bread, meats, cheese and pesto, washed down with some Cinque Terre local brews.

In the end Cinque Terre is the perfect place for some great eats, drinks, hikes and taking in some breath taking views.  Worth every penny.