I took a one week trip to the Italian Riviera... Cinque Terre! I also spent my last day in Genoa to explore the historical port city and birthplace of Christopher, Columbus. Here is my “Itinerary Diary” of my trip. I will detail what I did, what I ate, and if I can remember, the prices of my meals and activities. If you have any questions, feel free to drop a question in the comments or email me!
If you would like to see more pictures and a vlog of my trip to Cinque Terre, stay tuned for my next post!
Planning the Trip
Since I am an AMEX Platinum member, I saved enough points for a free roundtrip ticket to Italy. I was looking for a country where I could be close to a city with easy public transportation, do long hikes, and swim. And Cinque Terre hit all of my criteria.
This website was my go-to for all of my research to Cinque Terre.
Tips when planning your trip:
Budget! Estimate the amount of costs that you expect to pay. Then add a little cushion for leisure spending/emergency and set a budget. My budget was $1600 for the whole trip. At the end of my trip, I spent a total of $1213.00! I saved for this trip over the course of three months and ended up saving $1257.00.
Research transportation within the country. Do you need a car? Are cities and other activities easily accessible? Is my hotel close or far from public transportation? This will help you with the logistics of getting around the country and where you want to stay.
Another question to ask yourself is how far your hotel is from the airport and how do you get there? During my one night stay in Genoa, I found out that the public transportation was not available before 5am… and my flight departed at 7am. Fortunately, I was able to walk from my Airbnb to the airport. But you do not want to run into an unexpected situation on the day of your departure or arrival.
Make a pre-planned itinerary. This will help with logistics and budgeting. But it’s always good to be flexible as well!
Check baggage and carry-on requirements, especially when flying different airlines, for packing purposes
And since we are still dealing with COVID, be sure to check the entry requirements of the country you are visiting. For Italy, there were no requirements to enter the country, besides wearing a FFP2 mask (or just a mask in general) on public transportations.
Day 1-2 Traveling from CHS to GOA
Arrived in La Spezia and check into COSTELLO Hostel.
Took the train from Genoa to La Spezia. Here's the website where I booked my train ahead of time. Very affordable prices. Roundtrip from Genoa and La Spezia was $42.12.
Review of COSTELLO Hostel
Overview: Cheap (~$40/night), clean, modern, friendly staff, surprisingly spacious, and great location for all needs.
Location: Perfect! Right by the mercato/outdoor market, which occurs nearly everyday. 10 minute walk to the train station (La Spezia Centrale). ~15 minute walk to the waterfront. It is central to everything that you need (food, transportation, ATM, entertainment).
Hostel: Hip, clean, and spacious. All the amenities that a hostel can provide are there for you. I was in a room of 10 people and everything was kept neat. There were plenty of room to move around. There are lockers and shelves to store your belongings (although the lockers are not big enough to store luggage just fyi). The bathroom and showers are cleaned daily and have modern shower heads. The kitchen and terrace are wonderful spots to hangout and relax.
The People: They topped off my experience! The staff were such wonderful and friendly hosts. Helpful, welcoming, and sociable! The travelers that this hostel attracts are kind and love to get to know each other. I was not expecting to make new friends during my short stay here, but I loved talking and hanging out with them!
Dinner at Antica Osteria dell’Uva @ La Spezia
€20-50
Pasta dishes, seafood
Day 3 Exploring the 5 towns of Cinque Terre
Main goal of the day was to explore what each of the 5 towns had to offer. I wanted to see which place might be the best spot to swim in as well! I spent about 2 hours in each town. My phone logged about 10 miles of walking, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Morning Stroll in La Spezia
Pastries from Panificio Triangoleria Rizzoli (~€3)
Cappuccino at Caffetteria Pasticceria Club 1920 (~€2)
Start: Monterroso Al Mare
Arrived around 10:00am
There were very few people at the beaches at this time of the day. Most of the beaches must be paid for in order to rent chairs and an umbrella. In addition, there are several free beach spots where you can just lay a blanket down.
Many restaurants line the beach, so there are plenty of options to choose from to get a nice view.
Vernazza
Fried seafood in a cup @ Batti Batti Friggitoria (€8)
Although quite rocky, there were quite a few people swimming in the harbor around the corner of the pier. Felt nice to dip my feet in the water for a little bit.
Corniglia
No beaches. Lots of stairs. But a quiet place with gorgeous views. I would say this was one of my favorite towns because it was less crowded.
Stopped @ Food and Sea Trattoria. Gorgeous location to overlook the cliffs of vineyards. Easy to get seated. Ordered a ~pitcher~ of apérol spritz (I had no idea it was going to be that large) and pistachio soufflé. However, in my most honest opinion, it felt like a mediocre experience because they were out of most dessert items (perhaps they already ran out of food midday?).
Manarola
Found a place that hosted tours around Cinque Terre called Explora. I signed up for a wine tasting for Day 6. It cost €20. English friendly. Besides that, just explored this town and its small alleys.
End: Riomaggiore
Came here to catch the beautiful sunset and end my long day with a lovely dinner.
Although most people went to the main marina to view the sunset, I explored the smaller alleys where there was virtually no one! So if you’d rather have a moment with yourself (and feel like the main character), explore the alleys and catch the sunset from there.
Quite a few people swam in the marina.
As I waited for my dinner at 8pm, I had wine @ I Trogi Wine Shop. You can take your wine to-go.
Dinner @ Dau Cila. I ordered (essentially) a bucket of mussels and anchovy butter pasta. Michelin recommended. Great spot to catch the sunset. (€20-30)
Day 4 Hiking the Blue Trail I found my trail through the Alltrails app. It included the trail closures between [1-2]. I started at Riomaggiore, took the high path to Corniglia, and then got on the Blue trail to Monterosso Al Mare. ~10 miles/16km. ~6 hours to complete without breaks. I started at 1000 and ended around 1730 with a swim break in Vernazza.
There are two types of cards: Trekking card and train card. I bought the Daily Cinque Terre National Park Train (Trenita) Card, which includes unlimited access to both the trains and treks. It costs $18.50. The Trekking card will give you access to only the trails, not the trains. You may purchase your card online, at the train station, or at a trail checkpoint. You can find more information and purchase the cards here: http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Ecinque-terre-card.php
Originally, I wanted to catch the sunrise at Riomaggiore at the beginning of my hike and start it without heavy traffic on the trails, but my phone didn’t charge all night so I had to wait :(
Before I headed off to the trails, I stopped at a supermarket to pick up a large bottle of water, energy drink, cereal bars, and apple sauces. I also bought a focaccia sandwich in Riomaggiore in case I got super hungry… which I definitely needed after I got to Manarola.
Luckily, there were not many people on the trails for most of the day, most likely due to the off-season.
Took a break in Vernazza. Ate focaccia @ Batti Batti Focaccieria (€4-5). Brought it to the rocks on the shore and took a swim.
Finished at Monterosso Al Mare. There was a free beach quite literally at the end of the trail so I jumped in the ocean and took a quick nap before I took the train back to La Spezia.
My hostel's owner made pesto pasta on the house for everyone, so it was a great opportunity to get to know other people from around the world.
Notes about the hike:
Most of the Blue Trail closed from Riomaggiore to Corniglia
Must take the High Path/Alternative… which was a steep climb!
Supposedly, the trails should be open in 2023
Expect to take a lot of stairs up and down between each town.
Once on the Blue Trail, stairs were broken up by leveled paths along the hills and vineyards with gorgeous views.
Not all checkpoints were open to check/purchase a pass (again, probably due to the off season). I was only stopped twice.
There were many narrow paths. If it was the peak season, this hike would have taken much longer for sure.
Highly advised to wear shoes, not sandals.
Day 5 Down Day – Stroll in La Spezia and Cooking Class in Riomaggiore
It was raining all day, so not the best day to head to the waters. But a perfect day to sleep in, relax, and explore La Spezia.
Had brunch @ Ciao Baby with a new friend I made at my hostel. If you miss a little bit of American style food, this place is for you.
Window shopped and picked up souvenirs for friends and my family. Starting at Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi, there were lots of boutique shops and museums in Via del Prione
Coffee break @ Caffe del Corso 98 (€3.00)
Headed to Riomaggiore for a cooking class. I booked it through Airbnb Experience. We cooked tiramisu, pesto, and gnocchi. Loved how it was at a local’s house and met a lovely group of people to share this experience with. It cost about $100. Click here to find more info and book the experience.
Day 6 Portovenere + Manarola
Another rainy day… but it only rained in the morning!
Took the ferry from La Spezia to Portovenere. Here’s a site that includes all the information that you need to take the ferry.
I bought a roundtrip ticket to/from La Spezia and Portovenere. (€15)
€37 for a daily ticket to Cinque Terre, La Spezia, Portovenere, Levanto, and Lerici
There are no railroad stations here. Mainly bus and ferry.
Portovenere:
A UNESCO World Heritage site. The Gulf of Poets. Sometimes considered the “sixth town” of Cinque Terre.
Things to see:
Church of San Pietro
Bryon’s Cave – Luckily there were not many people around in the morning, so I took a moment to take some quick sketches of the breathtaking landscapes.
Doria Castle (Did not go)
3 Island Tour of Palmaria, Tino, and Tinetto (Did not go)
Kayaking (if only it wasn’t raining)
I mainly visited the church and the cave. Afterwards, I strolled through the town and had a quick lunch at a small café with a nice overview of the harbor (cannot remember the name of the place… sorry)!
Since there were limited times that the ferry was leaving for La Spezia and wanted to get to my wine tasting on time, I had to take the bus. It’s slightly confusing…
Here's my version of the bus information in Portovenere:
Head towards “Palmaria Restaurant Portovenere” on the hill and you'll find several bus stops along the road.
To get a bus ticket, head towards the parking garage and you’ll find this machine called ATC.
To get to La Spezia, click on “sub-urban city” and the correct area code, which you can find on the side of the physical machine. One way, €2.50.
Once you get on the bus, scan your ticket into the machine at the front of the bus. Here’s a picture of the bus stop.
Google Map helps.
Wine Tasting in Manarola:
I booked this experience in a store called “Explora” in Manarola. Here’s their website. You can also book ahead of time online.
Place: La Cantina Zio Bramante
€20 for 3 drinks and 3 snacks to accompany with each drink.
It ended up being a 1-on-1 wine tasting experience– so basically a private wine tasting session!
Since it was not raining, I decided to jump in the waters in Manarola to end the day with the sunset.
Manarola is a great place to go cliff jumping. No sandy beaches.
Day 7 Genova
Grabbed some pastries next door at Panificio Triangoleria Rizzoli again (~€3).
Took the train from La Spezia to Genoa. Checked into my Airbnb near the station and airport.
Since I arrived on a Monday, unfortunately most of the museums and mansions were closed.
However, most of the churches and cathedrals were open, which were free and equally beautiful. Magnificent paintings and frescoes decorate the ceilings, with long and rich history. Here are the two churches I visited, to include the Museum of Treasure.
Santissima Annunziata del Vastato
Cattedrale di San Lorenzo
The Museum of Treasure is located within this Cathedral. Walk to the left side of the cathedral facing the altar to find the entrance. It houses some holy relics that were preserved throughout history. Very small, but worth seeing it. It costs €6 to enter.
Other ~free~ things that I saw:
Piazza de Ferrari
Christopher Columbus’ House
Last stop for gelato @ Grom
Finally ended my trip with pizza from Amarillo Pizzeria Contemporanea. My first and only full sized pizza I had in Italy :’)
Day 8 Arrivederci
I wanted to arrive at the airport around 5am for my 7am flight. The buses and train stations did not operate before 5am, but fortunately, it was an easy 25 mins walk to the airport (probably faster if you don't have a lot of luggage with you). Grabbed my last cups of coffee in Genoa and Rome before heading back to Charleston.
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Final Personal Thoughts
I went through a burn out phase this past summer due to long working days and poor health. Mentally exhausted, I needed a break from my reality, and this trip provided this escape. It gave me a place to relax, yet still challenge myself to explore an unknown place by myself. When I returned to Charleston, reality was still there... of course. My problems still exist. But it’s ok. With a renewed sense of mind, I am ready to tackle and grunt it out with a more positive internal dialogue.
Cinque Terre was a beautiful place. And I hope to return there one day.
Stay tuned for more pictures and a vlog in my next post! If you have any questions about my trip or how I planned it, shoot me an email or drop a comment below.
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