Marta Correale is an Italian mama of two. More sporty families may want to tackle the path between Vernazza and Monterosso. My best tip is to come equipped with a good stroller (I recommend super light and foldable for this area) and opt for a baby carrier on most days. Families do need to plan carefully to experience kid friendly Cinque Terre as the terrain is varied. Portovenere Here the Italian coast is exceptionally high and over the course of the centuries locals had to adapt to the challenges of this peculiar environment, which resulted in many houses being built on almost vertical coastlines, in what look like a precarious and unlikely position. ", "Visiting the Trulli houses in Alberbello in Puglia was so fun.". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin.
Portovenere is the lesser known medieval fishing village and mostly overlooked. The town has all the charms of the typical Cinque Terre town, including colorful houses, gelato, boats and it also has a lovely playground for children, with amazing views! Unlike Monterosso however, it doesnt have a large sandy beach so it is less suited for days at the beach than for a day sightseeing.
The path is easy but not stroller friendly as it has steps. The Cinque Terre is made up mainly by five picture perfect Italian Villages named, Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The vibe of Rimaggiore is younger and I felt, out of all to them, this was maybe the town with the least family friendly vibe and more of a young student style/. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The town is narrow and full of steps so I recommend it with older children only: if you have small ones, you can still enjoy its pretty harbor and Main Street however, I feel other towns will leave you more scope to play and rest. The question about how family friendly Cinque Terre is and how to visit with kids comes up often in Italy with kids travel groups and the answers are always the same: visiting Cinque terre with kids is great but you need to know where to go and plan in advance. Although it was much less arduous than our inland hike, the landscape was similarly varied, revealing stunning ocean and cliff views as well as some of the inland agricultural area. Bacicio Via G. Capellini, 17 This is an easy path that can be waked in about one hour and a good one for accessibility if open. However, I recommend you dont forget to include: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For sure you have seen the photos all over the internet when searching for the Italian Riviera Coastline, but you might not be quite sure where this beautiful place actually is. 
The area of the famous Cinque Terre spans over 15 km only and this means it can be visited in one day. Already when the boat turns the corner and enters in to the harbour area you are in awe. I have info of suitable paths for families below. [] traveling to the Cinque Terre area, a fun off-the-beaten-pathoption is a stay at the medieval Castle of Malaspina di Fosdinovo, still owned by the chivalric family thathas inhabited the fortress since the 12th century. Another kid-friendly town in Cinque Terre is lovely Manarola.
If you are interested in hiking, you need at least 2 days in the area to fully enjoy it, 3 days being the perfect length. Just right: Vernazza to Monterosso If you follow our guide Cinque Terre with Kids How best to visit in one day Stress freeyou will still experience the beauty this unique stretch of Italian Riviera Coastline has on offer and experience the perfet day in Italy with or without kids.
Excellent guide! Corniglia is the only town out of the five not to be on the sea. This is also where you can get your permit to hike the National Park paths. It does not store any personal data.
The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". At this time the weather is mild, the views stunning and the paths, usually, open. What I wanted to show you with this Cinque Terre with Kids How Best to visit in One Day guide, is that sometimes less is simply more.
The ferries are timed to allow you to see all coastal Cinque Terre towns in a day: it is possible to buy a day pass, which is handy. Best Cinque Terre towns for families and practical travel tips for visiting Cinque Terre with a baby, toddler or school age kids. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Vernazza is probably the most scenic of all Cinque Terre villages and the one you see in photos depicting colorful houses perched on top of a small harbor.
Gianni Franzi, Piazza Marconi, 5, Riomaggiore Each town sells passes. The first thing that strikes the traveler, when visiting this area, is the steep and rugged coastal landscapes.
Hit the trails find a list of family friendly trails in Cinque Terre below, Play in a scenic playground playgrounds here are small but usually in very pretty position with stunning views, great for kids and their parents, Go boating several companies offer day excursions to see Cinque Terre from the sea or kayaking tours, Go to the beach in Monterosso, you have space to relax and play on the sand, Eat! The short walk on its own is a beauty in itself as it brings you over the hill where earlier there must have been a castle or some kind of royal building. You can get train tickets on the day at any train station and they are valid on any of the regional trains, giving you maximum flexibility in terms of when to get on and off. Vernazza is often considered the most beautiful of the five villages in Italys Cinque Terre, it dates back way in to the Medieval time and the village has beautiful stony narrowed passageways leading up to the hillside vineyards. Monterosso is the biggest of the 5 villages in Cinque Terre and the most popular with families thanks to its reasonably large beach (bigger than others in the area) a lovely and flat seafront for evening walks and a nice playground. Cinque Terre are easy to visit with kids once they are out of a stroller and enjoy a walk but can be a challenging place to visit with a toddler. Second, the area has beautiful sea and if you have kids who love to splash about and even better love a boat ride, the place will be the perfect destination for them. The hike from Monterosso to Vernazza sounds really interesting, not heard of this one before. The Cinque Terre is a national park, and entrance fees are charged to walk between the towns. Please note: this post contains affiliate links and, should you make a purchase though them, we might make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Two days later we took the ferry back to the Cinque Terre from our rented villa in the town of Portovenere, for what was to be our favorite hike of all, an approximately two hour walk between the villages of Vernazza and Monterosso. This is the fast and most sustainable way to get around and it will help you avoid one of the biggest headaches when traveling Cinque Terre: parking! Packing for Cinque Terre is no different than packing for the rest of Italy so I recommend you find our all season packing list for families with kids here.
We hiked three very different trails with our two kids, ages seven and nine, when we visited in late April.
Cinque Terre is very well equipped with tourist information points, located in the towns train stations. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. This will give you a taste of how beautiful the Cinque Terre is and a first experience of what could be done on a second visit. For pic-nics, I recommend you stop in the local deli to stock up on freshly baked breads, prosciutto and mozzarella for maximum flexibility.
Manarola is a wonderful child friendly location in Cinque Terre stealing the heart of adults with incredible views over the Mediterranean sea and the hearts of children thanks to its beautiful playground! Find here >>> our family guide to visiting Manarola with kids. Hike from Vernazza to Corniglia this part has slightly a shorter walking time at only 90 minutes and has some very impressive sections. Seeing the villages from a boat gives you a superb perspective of how tiny and cramped these villages actually are and with the colourful houses, the azure sea and the forestation behind, this is a view long to be remembered. All you need to know to visit Cinque Terre with kids in tow. This will give you the time to see the villages with ease and also tackle some of the trails without having to rush. We look forward to your mail! Depending on the time of the year you visit, the train might be quite full and so will be the station. There are some steep steps involved and if it is a hot day you need to ensure to take plenty of water. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. There is an amazing restaurant- Nessun Dorma which offers uninterrupted views over to the village and its harbour. On the lively promenade near a family-friendly beach, visitors can easily access the Cinque Terre villages by ferry. Like the rest of the path above, it is currently closed: check with local info points for updates.
and of course let them indulge in gelato to their heart content. Hi Elizabeth, thank you for your comments. The 5 villages of Cinque Terre may all seem similar when you look at photos in the area but they all have distinctive traits that make them worth an individual stop. Please note that to access some of the paths you need a permit: one more reason to stop at the info point first! Ciao!
The town is well served with hotels, restaurants and shops (other towns have B&B more than hotels), it has easy access to the beach and has a playground ideal for small kids. In terms of family friendly addresses, check out Losteria in Monterosso and the friggitoria (kind of a local chipper!)
in the center of Riomaggiore. I wish I had gotten to go to Cinque Terre that young! Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. I had heard the towns and villages are a nightmare for cars so had wondered how we could do it without stressing ourselves out. Over the years this place has been visited by thousands and thousands of people and during peak times it is literally swamped by tourists coming from far and near.
The train to Monterossodeparts from La Spezia Centrale Station. The official tourism board actually urges travelers and visitors not to visit the Italian Riviera Coastline during peak summer times, as they cannot cope anymore. The hike offers breathtaking views along the Italian Riviera coastline whilst the vegetation mixes olive trees with vineyards. Just for info if you visit during off season the beach has no umbrellas nor sunbeds, perfect to enjoy the nature without any colourful obstacles in the way.
It is outdoors where we feel the most connected and happy with each other.
This is also a very busy time for tourism and prices are at a premium. If you want this best day in Italy with kids to be stress-free and super enjoyable then do take the train and boat as the villages are not car accessible. Italiakids.com recommendations for Liguria. As this is your Cinque Terre one day trip, and probably you travel Italy with kids, then make the compromise of skipping the other two Cinque Terre villages, enjoy the Italian Riviera coastline on the boat ride and get off again in Porto Venere. Why not? These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. As you carry on walking the path splits. In summer, this can be a wonderful activity to do with teens in the area: you can check prices and details here. Note that for all hiking you need a hiking permit which you can buy at the beginning of the path. Nice! Corniglia is wonderful and has maintained its authenticity more than other towns in Cinque Terre but is probably the least kid friendly of all Cinque Terre due to the difficulty of access especially if traveling with a toddler or with a stroller. Cinque Terre is a stretch of five towns (Cinque=5) on the coast of Liguria, in the North West of Italy. The worse time to visit Cinque Terre is the autumn and the winter. Cinque Terre are a scenic and charming part of Italy so unique UNESCO included the area in their list of World Heritage Sites. The distance between the cities is tiny and it only takes 3 to 5 minutes to hop from one to the other by train. While more tiring, you can entice older kids to tackle it with the promise of swimming in the sea on arrival! You will thank me for it. Last but not least, Cinque Terre have many lovely hiking trails suitable for different levels: tiny kids may enjoy a walk in the stroller while older ones are likely to love some of the more challenging hikes. Trust me. This town is famous for its wonderful church and stunning views; however, it is not the easiest with kids! 2 is a walk of less than an hour between the villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola. Portovenere has so much to offer that it is well worth to spend the night here or if not definitely to pencil it in for a longer visit on your next trip to Italy and the Cinque Terre with kids. Inspired by Goldilocks, we came to name these separate hikes too easy, too hard, and just right. The most popular trail in the Cinque Terre, called Footpath No.
Well I always feel that some things have to give when travelling with kids but not everything. Walk along the path (sea on your right) to bring you to the 2ndbay and the less crowded one. Hi, And this is why it says on the post, visit by boat . The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Especially with kids, such a short trip will rob you of the most beautiful of all the moments in this area: sunrise and sundown, when the crowd of day trippers leaves the towns and you get a glimpse of real local life under the shiny rays of the setting sun. Manarola would be your Cinque Terre village for this. Stay on the boat until PortoVenere which you simply cannot miss.
No problem, take some photos and head on. Well now it can also be your photo that can be featured. These might have to be planned well in advanced especially if you do visit during Peak Season. The downside of this season is that the heat is intense and hiking not recommended.
Dear Sarah, Thanks for commenting.
Please note that even when easy, these are hikes so you should only approach them with suitable shoes and with a baby carrier rather than a stroller. The two getaway towns to Cinque Terre are Levanto on one side and La Spezia and the whole area is very well served by frequent regional trains. The five charming villages clinging to the cliffs that give the region its name (Cinque Terre means five lands) were built around the 11th century and for centuries were accessible only by boat or by footpath. There is a lovely gelato shop right at the harbor! There is affordable off-street parking around the station just drive around until you find a place. The Golfo dei Poeti ferry service offers six daily departures from Portovenere (east of Riomaggiore) and stops at each of the Cinque Terre villages except Corniglia. 26 Amazing Photos through Otrantos Old Town, Lecce 11 Amazing family friendly activities not to be missed, FLORENCE :: Best way to visit Florence in a day with kids, PISA :: Visit Pisa Piazza dei Miracoli in half a day with kids, Italy travel tips for first time visitors, How to choose the Best Maldivian Resort Island For YOU, Why Reethi Faru Resort was our Perfect Island in the Maldives, Visit Iceland in October Weather, Tips and Q&A. Just check the train time to Monterosso and ensure not to miss the connections with the boat later on. Author Alexandra Regan is a librarian and travel writer who currently lives in France.
Dont have any kids to take with me but yours certainly looked like they love it. To make the most of the vertical land, locals came up with an ingenious system of terraces that can still be seen when walking along the famous Cinque Terre hiking paths. Born and raised in Rome, Marta has a passion for travel and especially enjoys showing off Italy to her kids, who are growing up to love it as much as she does!
Dont forget to bookmark this guide and simply Pin it for future use. Colombo, Ferries How to get to Cinque Terre with kids: easiest access, Cinque Terre with kids in one day: how much can you see, Cinque Terre towns: what to expect in each town, The best place to stay in Cinque Terre with kids, Best places to stay near Cinque Terre for families, Cinque Terre info points: where to get updated info, Tips for visiting Cinque Terre with toddlers, family guide to visiting Manarola with kids, How many days in Cinque Terre? La Posada, Via Alla Stazione 11, Vernazza By the RegionsSwiss ItinerariesTravel InspirationsSwitzerland on a Budget. Loved this post? Vernazza is gorgeous and a must see but it hasnt god much for families as such: the best thing to do here is to watch the boats and have a snack, while the adults take an endless number of photos! This is a safety measure and rules are getting strict: make sure you are well equipped to avoid fines, Insect repellent and after-bite (for mosquitoes) in summer.
Proper hiking shoes (for you) essential in this area! The main issue you have in Liguria in general and in Cinque Terre in particular is parking. Dont worry as if you follow the way we visited the Cinque Terre with kids in one day then you will soon lose most of the crowds. Use our Italy Trip Planning Tool to create an account for your own personal Italy family travel inspiration. The best way to do so is to start from the farthest place from your accommodation and work your way back to your base stopping at each train station for a wander. The Blog will give you lots of information on Swiss Adventures & Beyond. This path brings you from Corniglia to Vernazza in about 1 hour and a half. and the expert updated advice of a local friend.
Techically, you can visit all Cinque Terre villages in one day but two or even better three days are ideal for visiting Cinque Terre with kids.
Our kids were too young when we visited to stay out for a sunset and dinner activity but we have done it pre-kids. Trains run past midnight so you can make the most out of your one day in Cinque Terre. You can get the Cinque Terre Pass, which gives you access to trains and hikes: find all the info here. Cinque Terre is one of the most visited parts of the whole of Italy. Where is Cinque Terre?
This is one of the best and newest in the area and is likely to stay as a highlight for children: this is the type of place that shows Cinque Terre are for kids after all! To visit by train and boat is super easy and fun. This option is available during the summer season only and can be very handy also for families who want to avoid the premium prices of accommodation in Cinque Terre and prefer a stay in nearby Levanto. If you plan to visit during the week you might just have to drive around a bit longer to find a parking as the locals are using them as well for commuting to work. If you are in this area, consider stretching beyond Cinque terra and discoer more of Liguria, there is so much to do here for families!
This guide is written on the basis of first hand knowledge of the area will enable you to plan a great family trip to Cinque Terre with kids. Where to stay October and November are rainy, hiking paths are closed and temperatures tend to be rigid. Cinque Terre famous for beautiful scenery more than actual things to do and the best things to do here as a family are a mix of sightseeing, hiking and of course eating!
Focaccia, gelato, pesto, farinata Ligurian. While I do understand that it can make sense if you dont want to change hotel each night, I believe a day trip Florence to Cinque Terre is too long and too tiring.
Because of the short distances between the towns and the good train connections, you can easily see all of the Cinque Terre towns in one day. Each ticket is valid for 75 minutes so if you are planning on taking several trains in one day you may want to consider the Cinque Terre card instead. There are 3 main ways to reach Cinque Terre, some more suitable for families with kids than others. At a glance, the best time for visiting Cinque Terre is: The best time for visiting Cinque Terre for weather and hiking opportunities is the spring. Articles on this website may contain affiliate links and, should you make a purchase through them, we might make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Hiking between the villages is still the best way to discover the terraced vineyards, the lemon trees and olive groves, the scents of rosemary and lavender, and the tiny clusters of multicolored houses in this unique region. During peak season this beach has sun-umbrellas and sunbeds. All five towns can be visited with kids by some are easier than others.