Cinque Terre (‘Five Lands’) is a collection of five little villages on the northeastern shore of Italy. The five villages include: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, and Corniglia.
Riomaggiore is largest of the five Cinque Terre villages and its history dates back to the 8th century. It is famous for it’s beautiful pastel-colored houses, picturesque views, and wines.
Getting To Riomaggiore
To get into Riomaggiore, you must take the regional train on the Sestri Levante (Levanto) – La Spezia Centrale line or you can hike in from Manarola on the Via del Amore.
Depending on the amount of time you want to spend in Riomaggiore and where you are coming from, you can purchase different tickets.
- If you plan to spend only a few hours in the village and plan to see all of the five Cinque Terre villages in one or two days via rail, I recommend getting the Cinque Terre Card.
- If you plan on taking your time and stretching out seeing each village over three or more days, I recommend buying one-way train tickets by the day, to allow yourself the flexibility of traveling at your own leisure.
- If you are hiking, you must purchase the Cinque Terre Card.
What to Do in Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore is a lovely little town with stunning views of the Ligurian Sea. There are not any major attractions in the town, however, there are a lot of photographic opportunities for the avid photographer, some nice hikes and trails for the mountain climber, some decent swimming for the water lovers, and some delicious food to eat for the food lovers.
What To Eat in Riomaggiore
Tegame di acciughe alla Vernazzana
Comprised of baked anchovies, potatoes, and herbs topped with a layer of freshly diced tomatoes, Tegame di acciughe alla Vernazzana is a local specialty of the Cinque Terre region.
Also, make sure to drink a glass of sweet Sciacchetrà wine that is native to Cinque Terre.
Where You Can Get It: La Lanterna da Massimo, located by the harbor in Riomaggiore
Where To Sleep in Riomaggiore
Looking to experience Riomaggiore by living like a local? Consider renting an apartment through the apartment rental site AirBnB.
Hotels
Budget: Viadeibanchi – Located along the main street, Viadeibanchi is a great budget hotel.
Mid-Range: Alla Marina Affittacamere – Located next to Riomaggiore’s harbor, Alla Marina Affittacamere offers stunning views of the Ligurian Sea. Rooms start at approximately USD $100/night.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, however, there is no cost to you for using these links.
I LOVED Riomaggiore. This is such a great overview, and I love your photos!
I did too Anne! Thank you 😀
I’ve always wanted to go to Cinqueterre, but I really don’t know much of the 5 towns that make it up. Thanks for the snapshot into riomaggiore!
Hi Emily 😀 Stay tuned for more in the upcoming weeks 😀
Hi Chanel, what a beautiful post of one of my favorite places in Italy. CT and its towns are incredibly charming. Your photos are beautiful and brings back fond memories of Riomaggiore, especially those lovely tangle of colorful homes and awww…those delish anchovy dishes!
For those who like to enjoy the trails of CT with less difficulty, I suggest the hike on Via dell Amore. The trail starts in Riomaggiore and ends in Manarola. It’s an easy 30-minute hike on flat trail that provides a picturesque view of the coast.
Oh yes! I love and miss CT a lot! When I was there this past summer, the VDA was closed unfortunately, but when I return, I will make sure to take the hike; I hear the views are outstanding 😀
Great piece! Not just showing all the beauty of Cinque Terre but practical advice of how to get there, eat, stay etc. I won’t miss this again on my return to Italy!
Thanks Nadeen, I thought that it was important not to only show the beauty but provide some practical tips 😀
We are going to CT in late April 2015. Where can we find up to date info on which trails are open/closed ?
Thanks!
Hi Allen! Make sure to check the Cinque Terre official website (parconazionale5terre.it) for up-to-date information. Have fun!