A Different Side of the Cinque Terre: 6 Ways to Fall in Love with Riomaggiore and Manarola

Imagine a rugged coastline where pastel-coloured houses seem to defy gravity, the air is scented with sea salt and Mediterranean scrub, and dry-stone walls trace the steep hillsides all the way down to the blue of the sea. Riomaggiore and Manarola are not simply places to visit: they are landscapes to feel, explore and experience slowly.

1. See the villages from the sea: boat tours

To truly understand the vertical beauty of the Cinque Terre, change your point of view and look at the coastline from the sea. Boat tours departing from the small harbours of Riomaggiore and Manarola offer a privileged perspective on the landscape: cliffs, harbours, colourful houses and terraced vineyards climbing up the hillsides.

From the sea, Riomaggiore and Manarola reveal their essence: villages suspended between rock and water, shaped by a spectacular and challenging territory. At sunset, when the light warms the façades and the coastline softens in the evening glow, the experience becomes even more memorable.

Perfect if you love: landscapes, photography, sunsets, slow experiences 

2. Taste heroic winemaking: Cinque Terre wines and Sciacchetrà

Behind the villages, the terraced vineyards tell one of the most authentic stories of the Cinque Terre. Here, vines grow on steep slopes supported by dry-stone walls and are often worked by hand, in a landscape where agriculture requires care, effort and deep knowledge of the land.

A tasting of local wines is therefore much more than a food and wine experience: it is a way to enter the culture of the landscape. Cinque Terre DOC and Sciacchetrà, the celebrated sweet passito wine that symbolises local tradition, express the close relationship between sea, wind, terraces and community.

In Manarola, Groppo, Volastra and Riomaggiore, wineries, farms and wine shops invite visitors to discover this heritage through tastings, stories and encounters with the people who continue to cultivate this unique landscape.

Perfect if you love: wine, local traditions, agricultural landscapes, authentic encounters.

3. Walk the Via dell’Amore

Via dell’Amore, the Way of Love, is much more than a scenic walk: it is an international symbol of beauty and pedestrian engineering. This short, panoramic route is about 900 metres long and almost flat, carved directly into the rock above the sea. It connects Riomaggiore and Manarola without requiring any hiking effort.

Originally created in the 1920s as a service path during works to double the railway line, the route has been fully secured and reopened in 2024.

Useful information for planning your visit:

The route is currently one-way only, from Riomaggiore to Manarola. The walk takes around 20–30 minutes. Access is limited and advance booking is required.

Perfect if you love: sea views, iconic places, simple but unforgettable walks.

4. Watch the sunset from panoramic viewpoints

At sunset, Riomaggiore and Manarola change their rhythm. Shadows stretch across the narrow lanes, the sea lights up with reflections, and panoramic viewpoints become the perfect places to pause.

The small harbours are ideal if you want to stay close to the sea, while the higher trails offer wider views over the coastline. In Manarola, Punta Bonfiglio is one of the most famous viewpoints. In Riomaggiore, the paths climbing towards the sanctuary and the ridges offer beautiful views of the village from above, with the sea in the background.

For those looking for a more active experience, the trails between the two villages and the mid-hill areas reveal quieter, more intimate perspectives, where sunset becomes part of the agricultural and natural landscape.

Perfect if you love: photography, open views, slow moments.

5. Follow the slow rhythm of tradition: wander through villages and hamlets

Riomaggiore and Manarola are not only to be admired from a distance. To really discover them, you need to step inside them: climb stairways, walk through narrow lanes known as caruggi, look out over small harbours, pause in little squares, and notice the details of houses, walls and everyday life.

The beauty of these villages lies in their vertical dimension. Every turn can become a viewpoint, every staircase a new perspective.

Continue towards the hillside hamlets, such as Groppo and Volastra, where the landscape becomes more rural and the relationship with the terraced vineyards is even clearer. Volastra, with the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Health, is one of the most evocative places for understanding the connection between trails, spirituality and agricultural life.

6. Experience the essence of trekking: historic trails

For outdoor lovers, Riomaggiore and Manarola are an ideal starting point. The trails connect the sea, villages, sanctuaries, vineyards and ridges, offering very different experiences: from panoramic walks to more demanding hikes. Depending on your fitness level, you can choose the route that best suits you.

The vertical challenge: Via Beccara – Trail 531
Before the railway and the Via dell’Amore were built, this was the only direct connection between Riomaggiore and Manarola. It is a short route, around 1.5 km, but very intense, with more than 500–600 steep stone steps crossing the hill between the two villages. Reserved for experienced hikers, it offers a powerful glimpse into the effort once required of local inhabitants.

Climbing through the vineyards: Trail 506
Trail 506 starts in Manarola and climbs the valley of the Groppo stream, passing through Piè di Fiesse and continuing towards the saddle of Monte Marvede, where it joins the network of higher-altitude paths. This hiking route crosses a variety of environments, including cultivated areas, olive groves, panoramic stretches and connections towards Volastra and the Alta Via delle Cinque Terre.

The panoramic high-level walk: Strada dei Santuari – Trail 530
If you are looking for the beauty of the hills without a steep climb, this almost level route connects Colle del Telegrafo with Volastra. Classified as an easy tourist route, it runs in the shade of pine and chestnut trees and offers frequent, spectacular views over the sea below.

Perfect if you love: trekking, panoramic views, rural landscapes.

The Cinque Terre are a fragile and much-loved territory. Before setting out, always check the status of the trails, the weather conditions, whether a Cinque Terre Card is required, and the access rules for regulated routes. Bring water, wear suitable footwear and respect a landscape that is as delicate as it is beautiful.