Riomaggiore

May, June and September are the best months: warm enough to swim, and good for hiking. July and August are hot and humid, and trains and lanes are at their most crowded. October and November are the wettest months, and heavy rain can close the paths. Winter is mild and quiet, but many restaurants and rooms close for part of the season.

The biggest annual event is the illuminated Nativity scene on the hill above Manarola. Hundreds of lit figures cover the slope from 8 December into January, and the village is busy on the evening it is switched on.

Riomaggiore and Manarola are small, and you can see each village in an hour or two. The best views come from the harbours, the headlands and the paths above.

Via dell'Amore is the famous cliff path cut into the rock above the sea between Riomaggiore and Manarola. It takes about 25 minutes, runs one way from Riomaggiore towards Manarola, and needs a booked time slot.

Manarola Viewpoint is a lookout on the headland path just west of Manarola, near Punta Bonfiglio. From here you get the classic view of the village's coloured houses above the harbour, best in the late afternoon and at sunset.

Castello di Riomaggiore stands on the hill above Riomaggiore's old centre, with two round towers. The Republic of Genoa completed it in the 15th and 16th centuries, and its terrace looks over the rooftops and the vineyards.

Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista is Riomaggiore's parish church, founded in 1340 in the upper part of the village. It has a 19th-century neo-Gothic façade but keeps its Gothic side doors.

Chiesa di San Lorenzo is Manarola's Gothic parish church from 1338, with a white marble rose window. It stands on a small square at the top of the village, next to a separate bell tower.

Oratorio di Santa Maria Assunta is a 16th-century oratory in the old centre of Riomaggiore, with a 15th-century triptych of the Madonna and Child.

Madonna di Montenero is a sanctuary on the ridge high above Riomaggiore, at about 340 metres. A stepped path climbs to it in about an hour, and the terrace has a wide view of the coast.

Santuario di Nostra Signora della Salute is a small Romanesque church from the 12th century in Volastra, the hill hamlet above Manarola, surrounded by vineyard terraces.

The best moments here are outdoors, early or late in the day.

• Swim from the rocks: In summer, people swim from the rocks and ladders at Manarola's harbour. Go only in calm water.
• Hike through the vineyards: Climb from Manarola to Volastra on the old paths through the wine terraces, with views over the sea.
• Climb to the sanctuary: Walk the stepped path from Riomaggiore up to Madonna di Montenero, a quiet place high above the coast.
• See the Christmas lights: In December and January, watch Presepe di Manarola light up the hillside above Manarola after dark.
• Arrive by boat: Take the seasonal ferry to see the stacked houses of both villages from the sea.

The coastal train links Riomaggiore with the other villages and nearby towns. Times are one way.

• Corniglia – about 5–10 minutes by train, then stairs or a shuttle bus up from the station. A quiet village on a cliff top with views along the whole coast.
• La Spezia – under 10 minutes by train. The port city and main rail hub, with a naval museum, a long seafront and the boats to the gulf.
• Vernazza – about 10–15 minutes by train. Colourful houses around the only natural harbour of the five villages, with a medieval tower above.
• Monterosso al Mare – about 20 minutes by train. The largest village, with long sandy beaches and an old town.
• Levanto – about 25 minutes by train. A relaxed beach town with a wide sandy beach.
• Porto Venere – about 45 minutes by seasonal ferry, or by train and bus via La Spezia. A harbour town at the tip of the gulf, with a church on the rocks.
• Pisa – about 1.5–2 hours by train via La Spezia. Home of the Leaning Tower.
• Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino – about 1–1.5 hours by train to Santa Margherita, then a short bus or boat ride. Riviera resort towns with yacht harbours.

Riomaggiore is part of the Cinque Terre. For the whole area, its trails and the train, see Cinque Terre.

• Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare are the other villages to the north-west, all on the same train line.

Farther along the coast:

• Porto Venere lies to the south-east, at the mouth of the Gulf of La Spezia.
• Portofino, Camogli and Genoa lie to the north-west.

Almost everyone arrives by train, changing at La Spezia.

• By air: Pisa International Airport is the nearest large airport. Take the Pisa Mover shuttle to Pisa Centrale, then a train to La Spezia and a local train to Riomaggiore; allow about 2–2.5 hours. Genoa Airport is the other option, with a bus into the city and then a train south.
• By train: Riomaggiore and Manarola stations are on the coastal line between La Spezia and Levanto. La Spezia Centrale is the hub, with direct trains from Rome, Milan and Genoa, and connections from Florence via Pisa. Local trains from La Spezia reach Riomaggiore in under 10 minutes.
• By ferry: From spring to autumn, boats from La Spezia, Porto Venere and Lerici stop at Riomaggiore and Manarola. They do not run in rough seas.
• By car: A narrow, winding road climbs over the hills from La Spezia. Parking is very limited, so the train is the better option.

• On foot: Both villages are small and closed to visitors' cars. Lanes and stairways are steep, and the harbours sit at the bottom.
• Train: Riomaggiore to Manarola takes a couple of minutes. In the busy season, trains to the other villages run every 15–30 minutes. Buy tickets at the station, in the Trenitalia app or online, and validate a paper ticket before you board. In winter, trains on the line are sometimes suspended at weekends for works, so check before you travel. Trenitalia
• Cinque Terre Card: The Trekking Card covers the paid park trails and the village buses; the Train Card adds unlimited trains between La Spezia and Levanto. Buy it online or at the park office in the station. Cinque Terre Card
• Via dell'Amore: Entry is from Riomaggiore only, one way to Manarola. Access is part of the Cinque Terre Card, and you must also book a 30-minute time slot. Via dell'Amore
• Park buses: Small park buses link the villages with their upper car parks and with the hill hamlets of Volastra and Groppo. The Cinque Terre Card covers them.
• Ferry: Seasonal boats link both harbours with the other villages except Corniglia.

• Car: Not worth it. The road down to the villages is narrow and winding, and the train is faster for every trip along the coast.
• Parking: The village centres are closed to visitors' cars. Small paid car parks sit above Riomaggiore and Manarola and fill early in summer. It is easier to park in La Spezia and take the train.
• Restrictions: Only residents and authorised vehicles may drive into the villages. Ask your accommodation before you arrive if you need to unload.

Riomaggiore and Manarola follow the Ligurian kitchen: basil pesto with trofie pasta, focaccia, fresh anchovies and seafood. The steep terraces around both villages produce Cinque Terre white wine and the rare sweet Sciacchetrà, made from grapes dried after the harvest. Manarola is the wine village of the coast, and you can taste local wines in its small wine bars.

In Riomaggiore, places to eat line the main street, Via Colombo, and the lanes down to the harbour. A paper cone of fried seafood eaten by the water is the classic cheap meal. In Manarola, restaurants cluster on the main street and the small square above the harbour. Book dinner ahead in summer, as both villages have few tables and many visitors.

Riomaggiore and Manarola are very safe, and serious crime is rare. The main risks are practical:

• Crowds: Trains, platforms and the narrow lanes are packed in summer. Keep an eye on bags and phones.
• Trails: Mountain paths are narrow, rocky and steep, with little shade. Flip-flops and smooth-soled shoes are banned on the trails, and fines apply. Carry water and avoid the midday heat.
• Closures: Landslides close sections often. The coastal path from Manarola to Corniglia has been closed for years, and hikers use the higher paths through Volastra instead. Check the trail status before you leave, and stay off the paths during heavy-rain alerts. Cinque Terre National Park
• The sea: Swim only in calm water. The rocks at both harbours are slippery, and waves can be strong in bad weather.

Riomaggiore is first recorded in the 13th century, when families from the hill settlements moved down to the coast. The village grew along the stream that gives it its name, and in the late 13th century it came under the Republic of Genoa. Castello di Riomaggiore, completed by the Genoese, guarded the village against pirate raids. Later it was even used as the village cemetery.

In Manarola, the cornerstone of Chiesa di San Lorenzo is dated 1338, and Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista in Riomaggiore followed two years later. For centuries people lived from fishing and from vines grown on dry-stone terraces they built by hand. The railway arrived in the 19th century and ended the villages' isolation.

A rockslide in September 2012 closed the Via dell'Amore. After long repair works, the whole path reopened in July 2024. Today the coast is a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Quick practical facts for Italy at a glance: