Three days in the Cinque Terre is enough to see all five villages without rushing, to add Portovenere and to keep one slow morning. This plan is built for how things are today, not for a generic summer: the Corniglia–Vernazza–Monterosso trail has been closed since 10 September 2026, the Via dell’Amore has to be booked, the boats stop on 1 November and a few weekends have no trains because of engineering works. Everything below works within those rules.
- Day 1: Riomaggiore, Via dell’Amore and Manarola
- Day 2: Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso, all by train
- Day 3 (the slow one): Portovenere, by boat until 1 November, by bus from 2 November
- Best base: La Spezia for three nights, or Levanto
- Transport cost: €45 to €80 with single tickets, €34 with the Train Card from 2 November (status on 25 October 2026)
- Avoid: planning the three days on a rail-works weekend (dates below)
Before you go: what has changed
Many itineraries online were written for earlier years. Check these five points, all verified on official sources on 25 October 2026.
- Corniglia–Vernazza–Monterosso trail: the National Park declared it “closed and not passable” on 10 September 2026, pending geological checks. There is no reopening date. Every itinerary here works without it.
- Via dell’Amore: entry only with a reservation, even if you already have a Card. It is one-way, Riomaggiore to Manarola, about 30 minutes. From 26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027 it opens 9 am to 6 pm, last entry 5.30 pm.
- Boats: the season ends on 1 November. After that you need the bus to reach Portovenere.
- Orange or red weather alert: trails close by order of the mayors and the Trekking and Train Cards are not sold.
- Rail works: trains suspended between Corniglia and La Spezia for 48 hours on four weekends (dates at the end).
For the latest trail status see also the page on Cinque Terre hiking trails.
The three days at a glance
| Day | Stops | Getting around | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riomaggiore, Via dell’Amore, Manarola | Train, 10 minutes from La Spezia | Medium, little walking |
| 2 | Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso | Train, 3–5 minutes between stations | Full, with the Corniglia steps |
| 3 | Portovenere and, if you like, Palmaria island | Boat until 1 November, bus from 2 November | Slow, hardly any climbing |
Day 1: Riomaggiore, Via dell’Amore and Manarola
Start early and book your Via dell’Amore slot first: entry is in 30-minute slots with a cap on numbers, and tickets are named. The path is included in the Train Card and the Trekking Card; you cannot enter without a card.
- 8.30 am: La Spezia to Riomaggiore (about 10 minutes). The Via dell’Amore entrance is on the left as you leave the station.
- 9.00 am: Via dell’Amore, about 30 minutes with photo stops. You come out at Manarola.
- 10.00 am to 1.00 pm: Manarola. Walk out to the Punta Bonfiglio headland for the classic photo of the village, then climb to the square outside the church of San Lorenzo.
- 1.00 pm: lunch in Manarola. Book at weekends.
- 3.00 pm: train back to Riomaggiore (3 minutes): harbour, tower houses on the sea, an unhurried coffee.
- 5.00 pm: train back. If you still have energy, climb to the Montenero sanctuary, about 55 minutes uphill: check first that the path is open.
For the full story on the path read Via dell’Amore in Manarola. The coastal trail from Manarola to Corniglia has been closed by landslides for some time: do not try to walk it.
Plan B: with an orange alert the trails close by order (check the Park website for the Via dell’Amore too). Trains normally keep running: see Riomaggiore and Manarola from below, and if it really pours move the afternoon to La Spezia, with the Lia Museum and the CAMeC (the CAMeC is free with the Card).
Day 2: Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso
This is the day with the most villages, all in a row along the railway, 3–5 minutes apart. The Corniglia–Vernazza trail that many itineraries put here is closed; the train replaces it.
- 9.00 am: La Spezia to Corniglia (about 15 minutes). The village is up on a headland: climb the 377 steps of the Lardarina (15–20 minutes with stops) or take the ATC shuttle from the station, about 5 minutes. See the Lardarina of Corniglia.
- 9.30–11.30 am: via Fieschi and the Santa Maria viewpoint over the sea. The quietest village in the morning.
- 11.45 am: train to Vernazza (about 3 minutes). Harbour, the church of Santa Margherita d’Antiochia on the water, the steps up to the Doria Castle, the small beach in the harbour.
- 1.00 pm: lunch in Vernazza.
- 2.30 pm: optional, the Reggio sanctuary: about 2 km on paved path from the station, uphill. Non-official sources list it as open; check the day’s status.
- 4.30 pm: train to Monterosso (3–5 minutes), the longest beach of the Cinque Terre, with the Giant statue. Promenade along the seafront, and the beaches of Monterosso if the weather is good.
- After 7.30 pm: back to La Spezia in about 20 minutes. Until 1 November, after 7.30 pm a single ticket is always €5.
To reach Vernazza and read the train timetable see how to get to Vernazza and the train timetable page.
Plan B: with an orange alert the trails close but the villages stay open. In Corniglia you still have the church of San Pietro and the oratory of Santa Caterina, in Vernazza the church of Santa Margherita. With a rough sea Monterosso’s beach is the wrong place: go for the old town.
See hotels and prices
Day 3: Portovenere, the slow version
The third day leaves the five villages and goes to Portovenere, a UNESCO site since 1997 together with the Cinque Terre and the islands. It has the church of San Pietro on a rock spur above the sea (consecrated in 1198, with the black-and-white striped Gothic part built between 1256 and 1277), the coloured houses on the harbour, the castle and, opposite, Palmaria island. How you get there depends on the date.
Until 1 November: by boat
From La Spezia station to the Passeggiata Morin, where the boats leave, it is about a 20-minute walk. With Navigazione Golfo dei Poeti the La Spezia–Portovenere return ticket costs €15 (€8 for children aged 6–11). The all-day Cinque Terre ticket at €42 is only for the villages: you do not need it for Portovenere. Timetables change by period and rough seas can cancel sailings, so check the official timetable the evening before. If you want to come back through the Cinque Terre, Portovenere to Riomaggiore is 35 minutes by boat (€18), then the train.
From 2 November: by bus
Scheduled boats come back in spring. From 2 November to 8 December there is only a sightseeing “Cinque Terre Trip” (€37) whose operating days are not confirmed: do not rely on it. For Portovenere you take ATC bus 11/P from La Spezia, about 30 minutes. The main stop is on viale Garibaldi/corso Cavour, not in front of the station. Frequency and fares are not confirmed: check the ATC Esercizio website and buy the ticket beforehand, as it costs more on board.
What to do in Portovenere
- Morning: the waterfront houses, the lanes and the church of San Pietro with its sea terrace.
- Byron’s Grotto: the cave has collapsed; the rock terraces remain, with the plaque to the poet.
- Castle: sources disagree on opening hours and ticket price, so check with the operator.
- Afternoon: boat to Palmaria island (a few minutes, calm sea): see Palmaria. In winter crossings are fewer.
- Return: before dark, especially if you take the bus.
Plan B: if it rains or the sea is rough, by bus do just the village and come back early: La Spezia has the Lia Museum, the Naval Technical Museum and San Giorgio Castle. For the whole gulf read the Gulf of Poets.
If you prefer sea or trails
Instead of Portovenere you can go to Levanto. The Levanto–Bonassola–Framura cycle path is about 5.5 km long, flat and mostly in tunnels: it closes in an orange alert and in storm surges. Or walk the Levanto–Punta Mesco–Monterosso trail, about 6 km and 3 hours, usually without a card; non-official sources list it as open, so check first.
If the Corniglia–Vernazza–Monterosso trail reopens
If the Park publishes a reopening notice, on day 2 you can swap two trains for two walks: Corniglia–Vernazza (4.1 km, about 1 h 30, 269 m of ascent) and Vernazza–Monterosso (3.7 km, about 2 h, 217 m). You need the Trekking Card or the Train Card. Add three and a half hours of walking, so skip the Reggio sanctuary and leave Corniglia at 8.30 am. Do not go on the word of a blog: read the Park notice the same morning.
How much does it cost?
With a base in La Spezia you make about 7 train journeys: 3 on day 1 and 4 on day 2. The comparison below starts from that number and adds a 1-day Trekking Card (€10) for the Via dell’Amore. Park and Trenitalia prices for 2026.
| Item | Fare band A | Fare band B | Fare band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 single tickets (€5 / €8 / €10 each) | €35 | €56 | €70 |
| + Trekking Card 1 day (Via dell’Amore) | €10 | €10 | €10 |
| Total with tickets | €45 | €66 | €80 |
| Train Card 3 days | €49 | €68 | €81 |
Until 1 November tickets cost €1–4 less than the Train Card: almost a tie. The Card pays off from 8 journeys, or if you do not want to think about tickets and want to use the Corniglia shuttle. For day 3 add €15 for the boat until 1 November. From 2 November the 3-day Train Card costs €34 for all fare bands and includes the Via dell’Amore. Ordinary regional fares outside the Cinque Terre tariff are not confirmed: the Card pays off if each journey costs more than about €3.50 (34 minus 10 for the Trekking Card, divided by 7). See the Cinque Terre Card page for your fare band and for how to personalise the card: write your name and surname before use; no validation is needed.
Where to stay for three nights
With three days it is best to keep one hotel and no suitcases on the move. There are two sensible choices.
- La Spezia: more hotels, lower prices, all the fast trains, the boats and the bus to Portovenere. The cost calculation above starts here. Hotels in La Spezia
- Levanto: quieter, with a beach, the cycle path and the trail to Monterosso. It is the terminus of the Cinque Terre trains. Places to stay in Levanto
If you want to sleep in a village, read the pages for Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, or the overview in where to stay in the Cinque Terre. Count on stairs with a suitcase. The page on how to get to the Cinque Terre covers trains, airports and driving, and the map shows the distances.
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When to avoid these three days
RFI works at Riomaggiore and Manarola stop trains between Corniglia and La Spezia for 48 hours on the weekends of 14–15 November, 19–20 December 2026, 9–10 January and 6–7 February 2027. On those days Riomaggiore and Manarola cannot be reached by train. On the Levanto–La Spezia line, from Friday to Sunday, there are also no trains from 10.30 pm to 6.30 am. Choose weekdays, or build the three days around Levanto, Monterosso and Vernazza. In an orange or red alert skip the trails and the boats. If you travel in winter also read the Cinque Terre in winter and the weather page.
If you have less time, see the Cinque Terre itineraries page, and for one or two days see Cinque Terre in 1 day and Cinque Terre in 2 days. The boats are covered on the boats page, and the rest of the area in the Cinque Terre guide.
Frequently asked questions
Are three days in the Cinque Terre too long or about right?
About right if you want to see all the villages without rushing and add a day out, such as Portovenere. For the five villages alone two days are enough; the third is for resting or walking.
Can I follow this plan after 1 November, without boats?
Yes. Days 1 and 2 use only the train and day 3 switches to the ATC bus for Portovenere. Timetables change: days are short in winter, so start early and check the last train.
Is the Corniglia–Vernazza trail open?
No. Since 10 September 2026 the Park has declared the whole Corniglia–Vernazza–Monterosso stretch closed. Check the Park notice before you leave: no reopening had been announced on 25 October.
Can I walk the Via dell’Amore without a reservation?
No, a reservation is compulsory even if you already have the Card. You book a 30-minute slot, the path is one-way from Riomaggiore to Manarola and since 26 October it opens 9 am to 6 pm.
Is the Cinque Terre Train Card worth it for three days?
Until 1 November it is almost a tie if you make about 7 journeys: tickets cost €45–80 against €49–81. It pays off from 8 journeys. From 2 November it costs €34 for all fare bands and includes the Via dell’Amore.
How much walking is there in these three days?
Not much: the Via dell’Amore (900 metres), the steps of Corniglia and strolls inside the villages. The long trails are optional. Bring closed shoes with a good sole.