Beaches in the Cinque Terre are few and almost all small: the coast is steep and rocky, and in several villages you swim off the rocks. The only real sandy beach with sunbeds is in Monterosso. Vernazza and Riomaggiore have small pebble beaches, Manarola and Corniglia only rocks. For a full beach day, take the train a few minutes to Levanto or Bonassola, or the ferry to Portovenere and Palmaria island.
Below you’ll find every beach, with the seabed, whether it’s free or has sunbeds, how to get there and its status as of October 2026. Watch out for two cases: Guvano beach can’t be reached today, and Fossola beach in Riomaggiore has been shrunk by storms and closed for works in recent years.
- Sand and sunbeds: only in Monterosso (Fegina and the old town)
- Pebbles: Vernazza, Riomaggiore
- Rocks and diving in: Manarola, Corniglia
- For children: Monterosso, Levanto (Vallesanta), Bonassola
- Closed: Guvano beach, between Corniglia and Vernazza
Beaches compared
| Beach | Seabed | Free or with sunbeds | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fegina, Monterosso | sand and fine gravel | both | in front of the station |
| Old town, Monterosso | sand, pebbles towards Vernazza | both | on foot from the station, through a pedestrian tunnel |
| Vernazza | sand and fine pebbles | free | in the harbour |
| Corniglia marina | rocks | free | steps down from the village |
| Manarola harbour | rocks, deep water | free | from the village centre |
| Fossola, Riomaggiore | stones and pebbles | free | along the cliff; status uncertain |
| Levanto | pebbles with patches of sand | both | 10–15 minutes from the station |
| Bonassola | sand and pebbles | both | a few minutes from the station |
| Palmaria | pebbles | both | ferry from Portovenere |
Monterosso: Fegina and the old town
Fegina, in front of the station, is the widest beach in the Cinque Terre: sand mixed with fine gravel, a gently sloping seabed, beach clubs alternating with free stretches. The free stretches are right in front of the station and further on towards Levanto, below the Giant statue and beyond the sailing club. Here and in the old town are the only beach clubs in the Cinque Terre: in July and August, book your sunbed.
Through the pedestrian tunnel under the Torre Aurora you reach the old town: a sandy beach with one beach club and a small free area next to the boat storage. Further on towards Vernazza, past a large rock, is Tragagià, a free pebble beach that’s a little quieter. All the details are in the guide to Monterosso’s beaches.
Vernazza: the harbour beach
Vernazza has a tiny beach inside the harbour, in front of the church of Santa Margherita: sand mixed with fine pebbles, sheltered water, no beach clubs. It’s beautiful and packed in the middle of the day, when the day-trippers arrive. A second beach, of pebbles and sand, is reached through a passage in the rock starting from Via Roma, near the square: it’s more sheltered and stays in the shade in the hottest hours.
Strong swimmers can go down to the rocks below the castle and near the pier, where the water gets deep straight away. For sunbeds and umbrellas you’ll need to go to Monterosso, a few minutes away by train.
Corniglia: the marina and closed Guvano
Corniglia sits on top of a headland and has no beach in the village. To swim, you walk down to the marina by a stairway starting in Largo Taragio, in front of the oratory of Santa Caterina: rocks, ladders and a few residents’ boats. It’s the only place to cool off in Corniglia, and the way back is all uphill. The big beach below the station has practically disappeared through erosion: today the sea breaks against the railway wall.
Guvano beach, between Corniglia and Vernazza, still appears in many guides, but today it can’t be reached: the old railway tunnel has been closed since 2016, the path is in very poor condition and, because of the landslide risk, access is banned from the sea too. Don’t try.
Hotels, B&Bs and rooms in the Cinque Terre villages: compare prices and availability.
Manarola: diving off the rocks
Manarola has no beach. You swim from the flat rocks around the harbour, with a metal ladder to get in and out. The water is clear and deep straight away: a place for confident swimmers, not for small children. In summer the rocks fill up early; in rough seas swimming is not advised. After your swim, walk up towards Punta Bonfiglio for the classic view of the village.
Riomaggiore: Fossola beach
Riomaggiore‘s beach is Fossola, east of the harbour: from the marina turn left towards the ferry landing and follow the path along the cliff. The seabed is large stones and pebbles; there’s a small shower, no lifeguard, and it’s dangerous in rough seas. The flat rocks around it are good for jumping in and snorkelling.
The storms of November 2023 shrank it considerably, and in August 2025 the access paths were closed for beach replenishment. We found no clear notices for 2026: check the municipality’s notices or ask in the village before you go. Canneto beach, further east, can only be reached by sea.
Levanto: the easiest beach
Levanto is the first station west of Monterosso and has the widest bay in the area, with a 2026 Blue Flag. The beach is mostly pebbles and small stones, with patches of sand; there are beach clubs in the centre and four free beaches. At Vallesanta, past the small harbour, a breakwater of boulders keeps the water shallow: the right corner for children. In autumn and winter, with south-westerly and north-westerly winds, the bay becomes one of the best-known surf spots in Italy. All the beaches are in the guide to Levanto’s beaches.
Bonassola: sand and shallow water
Bonassola is the village after Levanto, one more train stop. The Spiaggia Grande in front of the village is sand and pebbles, with shallow water that slopes gently: beach clubs and large free stretches, a few minutes’ walk from the station. Bonassola’s shoreline also has a 2026 Blue Flag. For rocks and clear water there’s the Caletta, a small pebble cove you reach on foot through the old railway tunnel, now a walking and cycling path towards Levanto and Framura. It’s the best choice for a quiet beach day with children.
Portovenere and Palmaria island
At the other end of the coast, Portovenere has no sandy beaches: there’s the free pebble beach of the Olivo, along the entrance promenade, a few beach clubs towards the Arenella and the rocks below the church of San Pietro for diving in.
The best sea is on Palmaria, a few minutes away by boat. At Terrizzo and Punta Secco you’ll find pebbles and a beach club with a bar; Pozzale, facing Tino island, is a pebble cove you can also reach on foot by a steep descent; Cala Fornace is reachable only by sea. The Gabbiani beach is closed because of landslide risk. How to get there and what to do on the island is in the guide to Palmaria island.
Which beach to choose
If you want a sunbed and umbrella, the only choice inside the Cinque Terre is Monterosso; outside, Levanto and Bonassola have wider bays. If you’re travelling with small children, look for shallow water and a gradual entry: Fegina, Vallesanta in Levanto, the Spiaggia Grande in Bonassola.
If you love swimming and jumping in, the rocks of Manarola, those below Vernazza’s castle and Fossola are the places, in calm seas. If you’re touring the villages and just want a quick dip between trains, Vernazza and Monterosso are steps from the station. If you want a different kind of day, take the boat to Palmaria and bring lunch: the island’s coves are the quietest in the area.
Practical tips
- Season: the water is pleasant roughly from late May to early October; September is often the best month.
- Water shoes: almost essential everywhere except Fegina.
- Rough sea: in Manarola, Riomaggiore and Corniglia don’t go in when there are waves; there are no lifeguards.
- Timing: at the small beaches, arrive before 10 am or after 5 pm.
- Train: each hop to the beach costs a ride at the Cinque Terre fare; if you take more than three in a day, consider the card. Times on the Cinque Terre train timetable page.
- Protected sea: the coast is a Marine Protected Area: fishing and diving are regulated.
For the big picture of the area, the villages and getting around, read our guide to the Cinque Terre. If you want to mix sea and walking, the trails open in 2026 are in the guide to the Cinque Terre hiking trails.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most beautiful beach in the Cinque Terre?
For sand and services, Fegina in Monterosso; for the setting, the little harbour beach in Vernazza; for diving in, the rocks of Manarola. It depends on what you’re after.
Are there sandy beaches in the Cinque Terre?
Only in Monterosso, and it’s sand mixed with fine gravel. The other villages have pebbles or rocks. Just outside, Bonassola and Levanto have stretches of sand.
Where should I go to the beach with children?
Fegina in Monterosso, or Bonassola and Vallesanta in Levanto, where the water is shallow. Avoid Manarola and Corniglia, where you enter the sea from the rocks.
Is Guvano beach open?
No. The tunnel that led there has been closed since 2016 and, because of the landslide risk, access is banned, from the sea too.
Can you swim in Manarola?
Yes, from the harbour rocks using the ladder. The water is deep straight away: fine for confident swimmers in calm seas.
Are Cinque Terre beaches free?
Almost all are free. Beach clubs with sunbeds and umbrellas are in Monterosso, as well as in Levanto, Bonassola, Portovenere and on Palmaria.