Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Path), Cinque Terre

The coastal path that links the five ancient villages of the Cinque Terre ('five lands'), clinging to steep cliffs above the Ligurian Sea among terraced vineyards and olive groves. The full route from Monterosso al Mare to Riomaggiore is about 12 km and takes around 5 hours with stops, mostly on narrow, steep paths and steps. The Monterosso to Vernazza section is the most spectacular and the hardest.

You need a Cinque Terre Card to walk the paths, which can also include the trains between the villages. Some sections close after landslides or heavy rain, so check the national park website before you set out. The famous Via dell'Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola reopened in 2024 with a limited, booked, one-way entry.

Take your swimsuit: there are beaches and rocky swimming spots just outside most of the villages. Start early in summer to avoid the heat and the crowds, and stay a night in one of the villages to see them at their best. Trains run between all five villages and to La Spezia.