Cinque Terre

If you are staying in Milan and are looking for a day trip then Cinque Terre is the one to do. Cinque Terre means five lands which refer to five fishing villages which are strung along the cliffs bordering the Ligurian Sea. You can tour these five picturesque villages by foot or by rail or a combination of the two and you will see sights out of a picture that you won’t believe to be real. This day trip is a real contrast to the faster fashionable city life in Milan which will make it even more special.

The air is fresh, the views are spectacular and each village you come to is prettier than the last one. There are parts of the trail when you actually feel like you are walking on the clouds because the clouds are so low and you are so high. As you approach the villages you are suddenly hit by a fantastic burst of colour after all the greenery you have been walking through, it reminded me of the Wizard of Oz when the film changes from black and white to colour. You have to see it to believe it.

The five villages are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia which is smaller and quieter than the other villages and also the only one that is above sea-level, Manarola which has the best  gelateria of all the villages called “5 Terre Gelateria e Creperia” and Riomaggiore to the south which has a good selection of bars and restaurants. Monterosso is the most toursity/resorty one out of the five. It is not as quaint or special as the other four. If you use the beach at Monterosso, there is a paid section and a free section.

The path that connects the five villages is called Via del Amore (The pathway of love) and as you walk along you will come across a cluster of padlocks locked on to the railing which is the result of a nice optimistic custom to lock a padlock and throw away the key to ensure never-ending love.

Out of all the five villages Vernazza is possibly (although it’s a very close contest) the prettiest and its gorgeous harbour full of colourful boats provides the perfect setting for a good meal enjoying the freshest fish (you can even catch your own!) and a bottle of wine – Shirley Valentine eat your heart out!

When you are on the Via del Amore Vernazza is the one village that you walk down into and walk out of and will provide amazing photograph opportunities.

Cinque Terre Trail

One could theoretically take a very early train from Milan, walk the trail, and take the train home, maybe even have an early dinner in the last town. You should estimate about 5 hours, but maybe 6 if you stop for lunch somewhere on the trail or in a town or even to go swimming off the rocks.

Getting To Cinque Terre From Milan, Italy

There is a direct train from Milano Centrale to Monterosso that takes approximately 3 hours. Check the Tren Italia site for bookings.

One could also go by coach, but I prefer the train.

If you are traveling to Milan from Rome you or elsewhere in the south, you will have to change trains in La Spezia. From Florence you most likely have to change trains in Pisa and La Spezia, but there is a Florence to La Spezia direct.

Its a common traveling strategy to use an open jaw flight and fly into either Rome or Milan. This plan allows the traveler to experience many different places in Italy as you work your way through Italy to your departure airport. Cinque Terre makes for a very nice midway stop between Rome and Milan.