In the off season, have the Cinque Terre’s famous hiking trails all to yourself!
We love the Cinque Terre—even in the winter! Before you go to this grouping of five small towns on the Ligurian coast, famous for their seaside views, spectacular beauty, and gorgeous hiking trails, there are a few things you should know.
(This post is part of a series on popular destinations in Italy in the off season; check out our earlier posts on what Venice and Lake Como, Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore are like in the winter!).
When is the off season in the Cinque Terre? Mid-September to mid-June, excluding Easter.
What to expect in the off season: In the summer, this group of five tiny, seaside towns gets overwhelmed by foreign visitors. Hotels and B&Bs book up far in advance, the narrow streets are filled with English speakers, and the hiking paths, for which the Cinque Terre is so famous, become practically shoulder-to-shoulder. So getting to visit these towns outside of the high season can be a real treat! (Note: Although much of the damage from the devastating floods of October 2011 has been repaired, it’s not completely. Two of the trails remain closed, because of rock and mud slides, and will be open in the spring. Vernazza is also still in disrepair; we’d suggest staying in Riomaggiore or Corniglia).
Even in winter, the Cinque Terre is stunning!
However, it’s worth keeping in mind that these villages are usually best appreciated in non-rainy weather. This isn’t just because of the spectacular, natural scenery, but also because the hiking paths—usually an activity that’s on the top of visitors’ lists—are closed if the weather is inclement. Even if it’s not raining by the time you arrive, if it rained recently, sections of paths might have washed away, forcing the entire route to be closed down until the path is repaired (something that can take one day, or several). When we visited the Cinque Terre last March, for example, the weather was clear and beautiful; because of recent rains, however, only two of the paths were open during our four-day stay.
On the plus side, while rain (or even snow) is more likely in the winter months, it’s by no means guaranteed; there are plenty of cold, sunny days this time of year, too! And we, at least, would prefer going for a hike on a deserted trail in the cold, than on a packed trail in the (sometimes very uncomfortable) August heat.
As far as the cold goes, remember that these towns are on the seaside. So yes, it is quite cold in the winter!
Finally, as with other resort towns, some restaurants and shops in the Cinque Terre close down in the quietest months of the off season.
Beautiful Vernazza will be quieter in the off season…. but every bit as pretty!
If you come to the Cinque Terre out of season: Pack lots of layers of warm clothes. And when it comes to hiking, prepare to be flexible!
Before you go, you can check to see which hiking paths are currently open, but be aware that this changes on a day-to-day basis.
Pretraveller
/ November 9, 2012I have visited Cinque Terra in both peak and off peak (August and January) and I totally agree with your comments.
Even with all of the tourists summer is fantastic. You can swim at the beach, enjoy the walks and enjoy lazy meals into the evening. We walked all the way from Vernazza to Riomaggiore and had a wonderful day.
Winter is different – I visited 20 years ago by myself and arrived in Corniglia on a Wednesday. The local shop was shut, the restaurants were all closed. I managed to find somewhere to stay, and they opened the shop just for me!
It felt pretty empty, and I walked to Vernazza in the fog and light rain the next day all by myself. I had one of those moments where I felt totally alone and if something happened to me no-one would ever know…
When I saw Vernazza appear in the mist I was so happy – and even happier when I went to the local bar and had my first ever Italian Hot Chocolate!
Pall Forloney
/ November 10, 2012The via dell ‘amore and the lower #2 trail is completely closed and will not be open till spring. Due to rock slides on the via dell ‘amore and mud slides on the vernazza & monterosso trails. Please be advised of this problem and do not cross on to the closed trails. You can follow me on Facebook for up dates on all happenings in Cinque Terre.
walksofitaly
/ November 11, 2012Hi Pall, thanks for catching that! We realized our error shortly after posting and have updated the post accordingly. We’ll be following you for more updates! Thank you!