Practical Tips Liguria
Getting Around
Liguria is perfect for train travel: The railway line follows the entire coast from Genoa through the Cinque Terre to La Spezia and further to Pisa/Florence. Trains run every 15–30 minutes. For the Cinque Terre: Cinque Terre Card (16 €/day) for unlimited train rides + hiking trails. A rental car is useless in the Cinque Terre (no roads between the villages!) and more of a hindrance on the Riviera (lack of parking).
Best Travel Time
April–June and September–October. July/August is hot (30–35°C), crowded (especially Cinque Terre and Portofino), and expensive. November can be rainy (Liguria's curse: the Alluvioni, floods from heavy autumn rains), but the Cinque Terre are atmospherically empty and the colors intense.
Accommodation
In the Cinque Terre themselves: Rooms and holiday apartments from 80–150 €/night (high season from 150–250 €). Budget alternatives: La Spezia (rail hub, significantly cheaper, 10 min. train to the Cinque Terre), Levanto (north, own beautiful beach, 4 min. train to Monterosso), Riomaggiore and Corniglia (slightly cheaper than Vernazza and Manarola).
Achtung
The hiking trails of the Cinque Terre have been limited on peak days since 2024: The Cinque Terre Card (16 €, bookable online) is mandatory for the Sentiero Azzurro. In heavy rain, the trails are closed — landslides are a real risk. Sturdy footwear is mandatory (no flip-flops on the hiking trails, fines up to 2,500 €!).