Vernazza Hike – Cinque Terre
Monterosso to Vernazza Hike
One of the most fascinating things about the Cinque Terre is that all the villages connect via hiking trails. Hiking those trails is what I was looking forward to the most. High on the cliffs that overlook the Ligurian Sea, there are walk ways, stairways, and paths you can take from one village to the other. So we hiked from Monterosso to Vernazza. This hike is said to be of Average difficulty, it is 3.5K long (2.175 miles) and ascends 550 meters. The estimated time to complete the hike is 2 hours. The paths are mostly rugged terrain, parts of it have tall & steep stairs going up and down the cliffs and some of the paths are quite narrow. Plus, it was 95* HOT! It wasn’t a walk in the park! But we enjoyed every minute of it!
Plan Ahead
-Due to weather, erosion or other hazards, the trails may be closed. The best bet is to check the following site for current updates. https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/cinque-terre-current-situation . This site also has maps and more info on each trail. As a matter of fact, couple of the trails were closed while we were there. Luckily, the one from Monterosso to Vernazza was open!
-Once you are on the trail there are only two ways out: keep going forward or backtrack. So bring plenty of water with you. We brought our cooler backpack *** full of cold drinks. Some were frozen to keep everything colder for longer. These cooling towels *** we brough with us ended up being lifesavers. We had purchased them a while back for our trips to Disney World. This summer they had already proven their worth in Rome but they had never been as handy as they were on this hike. I used them not just to cool down. Putting them over my shoulders also shielded me from the sun and kept me from getting sunburned.
-Having comfortable shoes with some traction is very important. I saw a couple wearing flip-flops and just couldn’t believe it. There are signs at the trail heads that specifically say you must have closed toed shoes. Now I know why.
– The Cinque Terre trails are part of the national park and require an entrance fee. You can purchase them at the train station, so we headed there first. The tickets are sold out of ticket dispenser. There several options for train & trail tickets and it can be quite complicated. I have to admit, if it wasn’t for a very nice attendant at the info desk, I may not have been able to figure it out on my own. I do recommend buying your passes ahead of time on the park’s web site https://card.parconazionale5terre.it/en . It easy to use, and it will save you time. There are different passes to choose from. We knew we’d be taking the train back from Vernazza after the hike, so we bought a train combo ticket (Treno Card) that gave us access to the regional trains and the trails.
Monterosso to Vernazza Hike
With tickets in hand, we were ready to cross the tunnel and find the trailhead. The trail to Vernazza begins on a paved pathway on the far east end
of old Monterosso, right behind the sandy beach area. Up the trail we went. As we reached the top we were immediately wowed by the view. From there, we could see all of Monterosso and it was breathtaking. As we kept going, we would look back and see it getting smaller and smaller.
The path started pretty smooth and level, but it wasn’t long before we had to go up steep stairs and the road was no longer paved. There were sections that were quite narrow, and we had to go through them single file while hugging the cliff. Stretches that were very rugged made me grateful I had worn the right shoes. The hike gradually got harder and harder. The views on the other hand, got better and better.
At one point we had to stop for a while because a couple of guys were working on a part of the trail that had eroded a bit so it was blocked off. This caused a little bit of a ‘traffic’ build up. We were surprised to see a tiny little guy about 3 years old, as well as a couple who must have been in their 70s.
But don’t let that fool you. This hike is not easy! I had to take frequent breaks. At times, I was short of breath, it made my heart beat a mile a minute and the heat did not make it any better. Occasionally we’d come across a small pond or creek where we could soak our Cooling Towels in the cold water and freshen ourselves up. You can see the towels around the boys’ shoulders and neck on some of the pictures. Packing as many water bottles as we could in our Backpack Cooler was a great idea. We had frozen mineral waters to keep everything cold. By the end of the hike, I was drinking those as well.
Vernazza!! There you Are!
Before long we began to see glimpses of Vernazza in the distance. Yes!! We were almost there… almost. We had gone up approximately 550 meters and now we had to go back down. I think the descent was harder on the body than the climb. My knees! And it wasn’t just me. We were all feeling it. But we were glad to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Seeing Vernazza in the distance gave us motivation. When you fully see Vernazza’s harbor, it is just stunning. The turquoise water sparkles like a gem and the sun washed buildings give it a storybook appearance. The church bell tower stands tall as does the castle lookout on the farther cliff. We stood there and gazed at it all for a few moments to take it all in. Or maybe we just needed to rest. 😊
Vernazza! We made it!
We entered town through a small tunnel and directly into a winding alley with colorful stone buildings towering on both sides of us. It is so quaint and has that authentic old world feeling that transports you to the past.
The main square, Piazza Marconi, faces the harbor. The small beach was packed with sun lovers and people cooling off in the crystal-clear water. The piazza is surrounded by restaurants and shops. The restaurants here are a sea food lover’s dream! We found a great place to eat and took our place on the patio seat that overlooked the harbor. After a long relaxing lunch, we strolled through the town and found some gelato.
The yellow church with the beautiful bell tower is Chiesa di Santa Margherita di Antiochia. It has stood there since the 14th century. Overnighters in Vernazza will be glad to know the church bells do not ring at night.The Castello Doria watch tower was once used to guard the town against invading pirates. Now it is the only part of the castle that remains and still offers great views from the top. After strolling around Vernazza all afternoon we took the train back to Monterosso. That evening we laid on the beach, had a huge pasta dinner at La Canitna di Miky on the promenade, and slept like babies.
