Trail Running in Cinque Terre

What Not To Do in Cinque Terre

When we arrived in Cinque Terre at 10am on Monday morning, the sun was beating down, people were queuing in stop-and-go traffic on a tiny section of coastal trail on the way to Vernazza. It was really not how you want to spend your time on a trail run. But the trails were still beautiful and had awakened the trail runner within me. So, I was determined to figure out a way to enjoy a run on these popular trails. Hint: I hit the trails early and ran fast. If you’d like to do the same, keep reading!

Overview / Route

Running up trail though coastal cliffs, down to pastel-colored villages, and running up again through terraced vineyards is an experience you won’t soon forget. My route in Cinque Terre was 30.54km with 1911m elevation gain from Levanto, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore, to La Spezia. I took some extra time and visited all the cities, clocking in five hours. If I had more time, I would have gone all the way down the peninsula to Portovenere. I took the train back from La Spezia to Levanto.

You can find the full trail running route on AllTrails here.

Best Time to Go

Go from June to August if you want great weather. Go in September or October if you want less crowds. During the fall and winter, sometimes the trails are not accessible due to very heavy rainfall. If you’re into trail running, your best bet is to go in summer but avoid the crowds by following the tips below.

How to Get to The Trail

You can take a train from Milan or Genoa, depending on where you are coming from. Milan has a well-connected international airport. But you would have to take one train from the airport into the city center, and then another train to Cinque Terre. If you fly into Genoa, you can take the train towards La Spezia, and then get off at any of the five villages. Because we were already in Milan Center, we booked a direct train to Levanto with Trenitalia.

Where You Should Stay

If you want to beat the crowds, you’ll have to get up early. We decided to spend the night on the coast to help us do this. If you’d like to save money, camping (really just glamping in a park) is an option here. Wild camping is not allowed within Cinque Terre, so we stayed in a campsite just outside, in Levanto. Staying in Monterosso, or another coastal town is also an option if you prefer. I’d recommend Monterosso if you want to run Southeast along the coast and visit all the cities in one direction. Cornigilia and Manarola if you want something more quiet.

How to Plan Your Run Through Cinque Terre

Since I was starting in Levanto and wanted to make it to La Spezia, I woke up at 4am. Crowds of people start to get out on the popular trails (Monterosso to Vernazza to Cornigilia) around 9am. Pro tip: these popular trails have toll booths where you need to pay a fee. However, they aren’t occupied before 9am. So basically, make it to Cornigilia before 9am to beat the crowds and the fees.

How to Navigate While Trail Running

The trails are really well-marked. You have signs to the next city at most intersections. The trails are also blazed with symbols and numbers. In the case that you get lost, you can use maps.me to find your way.

Finding Water and Bringing Food

Water and food are the most important considerations when you’re trail running. Water is easy to come by if you don’t mind drinking tap water. All of the cities have water fountains in the center. I filled up at Vernazza, Corniglia, and Riomaggiore. For food, there are supermarkets and bakeries in all the cities. But I’d recommend bringing some with you if you can. Depending on how early to leave, the supermarkets and bakeries might not be open. I brought a banana, some bread, and a few energy gels (carbohydrates and sugars).

Cost

• Camping for one night - €21
• Train from Milan to Levanto - €26
• Train from La Spezia to Levanto - €5
• Food during the run - €12
• Witnessing the beauty of Cinque Terre without crowds - Priceless

As you can see, the costs of trail running in Cinque Terre are quite minimal. Of course, these are only the basics. We bought pizza, gelato, and beer after the run. Optional, but recommended of course :)

Final Thoughts on Trail Running in Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is a beautiful coastal paradise with pastel-colored villages, terraced vineyards, and delicious food. If you want to trail run or even hike here, spend the night and go early in the morning. In all 30.54km, I didn’t see a single other person on the trail. With a little more planning and getting up at the crack of dawn, you’ll be rewarded with a peaceful sunrise void of crowds and a trail run in Italy like no other. You can make the route longer or shorter by not taking the train back, or by going all the way down to Portovenere. Just make sure to get past Corniglia before 9am. Thanks for reading 😊