Our First Full Day in Cinque Terre, Italy
Day 2 greeted us with a breathtaking sea view from our apartment in Riomaggiore—truly one of the best ways to wake up in Italy. We wandered over to our now-favorite local café for a breakfast of cappuccinos and crepes, the perfect fuel for a day of adventure.
Interestingly enough communication was not really too bad at this point. Most spoke great English and we spoke terrible Italian. Noah’s knowledge of Spanish was helpful in some cases and the rest we either tried with what we knew or used google/chatgpt. I wasn’t worried going into it really, just curious about how it would play out.
Hiking the Via Beccara Trail: Riomaggiore to Manarola
With caffeine in hand and sunscreen applied, we set off on the Via Beccara, the Blue Trail route from Riomaggiore to Manarola. The first part of the walk wraps calmly around the train station… until you look up and realize your path goes way over the top of the hill.
This trail is steep, rocky, and essentially straight up, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Before the Via dell’Amore was created, this was the only walking path between the villages—unless you were lucky enough to use one of the mini rail carts that navigate the cliffside terraces.
Hiking Tip: The path is challenging but not impossible. Take breaks, bring water, and wear good shoes. The views of the coast and the carefully terraced hillsides are absolutely stunning.
It’s mind-blowing to realize how much work went into making these dramatic cliffs livable. Generations of locals built the terraces stone by stone—clinging to the coastline and creating vineyards, homes, and footpaths with incredible ingenuity.
At the top, you’re rewarded with a glimpse of Manarola tucked into the cliffs below—and about a thousand (very uneven) stone steps to get there.
Swimming & Street Markets in Manarola
Once in Manarola, we grabbed another cappuccino (because when in Italy…) and wandered the street markets down toward the sea. By mid-morning, the sun was blazing, and it was officially time for a dip in the Ligurian Sea.
The kids found perfect cliff-jumping rocks (much taller than this mom prefers!) while the rest of us cooled off on the sun-warmed stones. Fair warning: the rocks are sharp and covered in barnacles—definitely bring water shoes if you plan to swim here or be prepared to get cut up. Both Mark and Noah left with a few decent slices on their feet (which should make hiking fun tomorrow)!
We grabbed a quick lunch in Manarola at Da Aristide and then walked the Via del’Amore back to Riomaggiore—no one was ready to hike that hill in reverse! With our tourist card and the Cinque Terre card it was only 8 Euro each. We picked up the tickets at the information station right next to the entrance to the path. Because we had the tourist card, we did not need a reservation – a perk of staying in one of the 5 Villages. Tourists coming from La Spezia and other areas no staying in the Cinque Terre are required to have reservations ahead of time (and pay 12 Euro). You can pick up your tickets ahead of time online.
Sunset Kayaks & a Birthday in a Cave
After a shower (so much salt!), a glass of local vino (thank you AirBnB host!), and a quick nap, we geared up for one of the highlights of the day: sunset kayaking in Riomaggiore.
We checked out two great local kayak rental spots:
Both offer guided and unguided kayak rentals, but availability can go fast—so check early if you’re visiting in summer. We ended up renting from Cinque Terre Dal Mare – they typically have someone posted down in the harbor, part way up the hill and then at their actual office.
Kayaking along the cliffs in the golden hour light was pure magic. We slipped into hidden coves, paddled through sea caves, and even sang Happy Birthday to my husband while floating inside a glowing echo chamber of a cave. Definitely a core memory.
It’s so interesting as the harbor closed down at night, all the boats get pulled in onto the ramps and they each have their one numbers parking spot. They don’t typically leave them all out on the harbor over night (a few stay but not all). By the end of the evening everything is stacked nicely up and down the sides.
Dinner on the Water & an Unexpected Parade
We made it back just before 7 p.m., picked up a “fish cup” on the walk back (fried seafood in a paper cone—delicious!), shopped for another 5 Euro bottle of wine (so good!) and then changed quickly to head back down to the harbor for dinner at Dau Cila, a beautiful spot right on the water. Reservations are typically necessary if you want a deck spot or are a group larger than 4 (that’s true in most places in Cinque Terre) but we winged it figuring we had options if they were full.
As the last bits of sun were setting, we walked up to the view point at the edge of the harbor (not hard to find, follow the hoards of people trying to get up and down a VERY narrow set of steps), grabbed some—you guessed it—gelato, and watched the sea extinguish the sun.
We’ve been noticing something being set up all day – lanterns, flowers, an alter at the harbor and didn’t have to wait long to find out what it was (we assumed wedding) but it was a small religious procession winding down from the church to the harbor. With an attendant at the front holding a VERY large crucifix and a parade of clergy, children and parents we believe it was in honor of the children. But they were chanting in Italian and all I could pick up was that they were thanking God for something:) Regardless, it was a really neat to see life in these little villages.
Cinque Terre Travel Tips from Day 2:
Via Beccara is intense but scenic—avoid in peak heat if possible
Bring water shoes for swimming off the rocks
Book kayak rentals early, especially in summer evenings
Trains are your friend—don’t be a hero on that hill climb
Keep an eye out for local festivals and processions—they’re part of the charm
- General rule of thumb on restaurants in Italy – they’re open from 12 – 3 and then again later in the evening, typically 5 – 11 or 6-10. Unless they offer breakfast fare, they won’t open until much later in the day.
- Coffee Shops are “bars”
- Don’t rely on google maps to find food, not everything is listed. You’ll find MANY amazing eateries by just walking by and checking out the menu. We listened to Rick Steves and favored the ones with hand written menus over ones printed in 4 languages.
Ready for more? Tomorrow brings vineyard walks, more cliffside towns, and (probably) more gelato