Planes

Genoa International (Cristoforo Colombo)
This airport is located 6km west of Genoa central in Sestri Ponente. It handles domestic and international flights. The airport is linked by bus to the nearest train station Brignole with departures every 20mins. €3 for the tourist ticket and can be bought on the bus.

Trains

The coast is served by the Genoa-La Spezia trains which make journeys up and down every hour from 7am-10pm. The times between villages are only a few minutes. The Cinque Terre Card offers combinations for travel between the 5 Villages for one day, 3 days or weekly.

Boats

• Cooperativa Battellieri del Golfo Paradiso operates boats from Genoa to Cinque Terre during the summer.
• Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio operates boats from Porto Venere through to Cinque Terre on a seasonal basis.
• Navigazione Golfo dei Poeti has daily shuttles between the villages, except Corniglia, operating from late March until October, as well as organized excursions.

Buses

The villages are closed to vehicle traffic, however the backpacker tour operator Busabout makes regular stops at La Spezia.

Foot

Cheap and environmentally friendly. All the villages are linked by trails. Appropriate footwear is recommended as some of the paths are narrow and rocky. A good level of fitness is a plus.

Fish

It doesn't come any fresher than this. Often you will see the boats pull up and the cooks already picking their choices for the menu off the boat. A local specialty is 'fritelle di bianchetti' or baby anchovy fritters and also the 'cotoletta di acciuga' or stuffed then fried anchovies. You might also like to try stewed cuttlefish, stuffed calamari and octopus salad.

Pesto

Heaven in a jar. This sauce originates in Liguria and is a mix of basil leaves, olive oil (extra virgin of course), pecorino cheese, pine nuts and herbs. Can be bought fresh from the deli shops by the spoonful. Great with fresh pasta or mixed into a leafy salad.

Wines

Looking up at the step cliffs and rocky slopes it's a wonder anyone managed to grow anything up there. However this just adds to the experience of trying some of the best Ligurian wines. The tracks are cut into the hillsides are accessible only by monorails in some places. The main wine produced is white table wine and there is a variety from each of the five villages.

What Does Primo And Secondo Mean?

Most Italians spend a lot longer on eating dinner than they do with their lightning quick breakfast, hence the long menu. A primo piatti is the first course, usually smaller than a main but bigger than an appetiser. The secondo is the main dish and usually comes without vegetables which have to be ordered as a separate 'contorni'. Unless you are really hungry and go for all courses you can mix and match a starter with a primo or secondo, or just have the main and then head straight for dessert.

To Tip Or Not To Tip

This is a very common question. There will probably be a cover charge, this is for the table cloth 'covering' the table and cutlery or a 'service' charge for the service provided by the staff, check on the menu or with your waiter if this included or not. If it isn't then the amount will be between 12 and 15% of the total bill. In this case it isn't necessary to tip as the locals are notoriously bad tippers and just pay the service charge. Or just leave the change if it's a couple of euros and the service has been good.

Where Do I Pay?

Paying can be a confusing experience. If you are wanting just a coffee or Panini from a café you have two choices. One- look at what's on offer in the display case, find a table and sit down to wait for the waiter and tell him, at the end just ask him for the 'conto' or the bill. Two- check out the display case, make your way to the 'cassa', pay for your choices and then take the receipt over to the serving counter. It's all about the Italian tax system, but in some ways it makes sense that the food servers are not spending time working out change etc.

Free Stuff

Eating your dinner down by the bay and watch the sunset over the med. Climbing the hills to view the vineyards and coastal views, provided you have enough energy to get to the top. Floating in the blue waters watching the odd bird fly by or topping up the tan on the rocks. Or take a leap of faith with the boys in Riomaggiore as they cliff dive into the deep. Magic.

Other Stuff

Apart from the walking and sights there are a few activities to try out while you are here.
Bike rental from the National Park Office in Riomaggiore.
Diving gear to visit the stunning underwater marinelife, there are specific dives and maps available; canoes and kayaks can be rented from Cooperative Sub 5 Terre, Via San Giacomo (Rio) or
Mar Mar (Rio) also hire 2 person kayaks between April and September by the hour and day.
Fishing - asking around you may find some locals willing to take you out for a spot of fishing for the day
Bird watching of the feathered kind can be done from the Torre Guardiola, a nature observation centre and botanical trail on Riomaggiore's Fossola Beach.