Yes and no … 😉 Below I explain why 😉
Sentiero Azzurro is the most famous trial that connects all 5 Lands of Cinque Terre. It is very popular because it offers stunning views and it is very easy to go thought. You don’t need any special preparation to go through it. You need only a pair of comfortable trainers, a bottle of water and a little bit of patience … because during high season there is a lot of traffic there. Below I describe the trail a little bit better.
Basic information
- Entrance to the trial costs 7,50€ (if you travel on a train and you have a Cinque Terre Card it’s enough to show it when you enter the trail).
- In every Cinque Terre railway station, you can find a Tourist Information Center. They give you all information about the trail and the weather conditions and provide you with a free map of the Cinque Terre.
- There is no toilet on Sentiero Azzurro. It’s a good idea to go to a toilet before entering the trial. In every village of Cinque Terre, you can use public toilets. They are free of charge.
- Sentiero Azzurro is 12 km long and you need about 6 hours to go through it. Currently, 2 parts of it are closed for the tourists.
Let’s start!
Riomaggiore – Manarola (Via dell’Amore)
Length: 900m
Journey time: 15 min/30 min
Difficulty: none. It is equipped and it is wheelchair friendly for disable persons.
Height (meters): beginning 5; end 6; max 45
It is the shortest part of all Sentiero Azzurro. It is also known as Via dell’Amore (Lovers Line). It was created in the 20’s of the XX century when the railway tunnel between Manarola and Riomaggiore was constructed. It is very easy and beautiful path, however, during the high season, it is very congested.
!!!Warning!!! The main part of this part of the trail is closed. In September 2012 a rockslide closed Via dell’Amore. During that slide, four Australian tourists were injured. After that incident, the path was closed for the tourist. Since that day some works were done and now only a little part from Manarola is reopened. It is expected that the whole trail will be reopened in 2023 …Â
 Manarola – Corniglia
Length: 2 km
Journey time: 40 min/ 1h
Difficulty: low. The path is quite large and cobbled.
Height (meters): beginning: 6; end: 10; max: 55
The second part of Sentiero Azzurro connects Manarola with the Corniglia’s railway station (for reaching the village you have to climb 382 steps of the lardarina stairway). This part is very similar to the first one. What is more, it leads very close to the sea.
!!!Warning!!! In 2012 an extended slide interrupted it. Now it is closed for the tourists. It is said that probably it will be reopened in 2023 …
 Corniglia – Vernazza
Length: 3,2 km
Journey time: 1h 30 min/ 2h
Difficulty: low. It is easier to start from Corniglia’s side.
Height (meters): beginning: 100; end: 10; max: 220
From Corniglia, the trail leads considerably higher than before. It is laid through the forests. From there you can get a beautiful panoramic view of the Cinque Terre Riviera.
Prevo – it is a small village located close to Sentiero Azzurro, exactly on the halfway between Corniglia and Vernazza. It is located on the high hill with a beautiful view of the sea and Corniglia. The biggest attraction of Prevo is its … bar 😉 There you can drink a fresh-squeezed lemon juice, eat a cake (made with lemon or apricot jam) or drink a lemon granita*. As you can imagine this zone is full of lemon groves … that’s why you should try them absolutely! The most beautiful thing that you can do in the bar is to go on its huge, panoramic terrace …. sit down and admire a fantastic view of the sea and Corniglia. It is a kind of paradise for me 😉
Then Sentiero Azzurro leads close to another village San Bernardino and after that starts going down steeply. From there you can see Vernazza. Then you see a panoramic point where you can take the pictures of the village and of the Ligurian shore. The trail brings you to the centre of the village.
*Granita is a crushed ice with a concentrated fruit juice … delicious!
Vernazza – Monterosso
Length: 3,3 km
Journey time: 1h 20 min/2h
Difficulty: low. Only at the beginning (both sides), a rise is very steep.
Height (meters): beginning: 2; end: 8; max: 175
This section is very similar to its preceding part. Almost at the very beginning, you come across a beautiful glade, where all tourists stop to take pictures on Vernazza background. Then the trail leads through the trees, however, you can admire a beautiful panorama of the Ligurian Sea. Then a sleepy descent to Monterosso. From here you can admire a view of the village. The trail ends on the Piazza Garibaldi in the old town of Monterosso.
Extra Information
- The section between Corniglia – Vernazza is easier when you start from Corniglia. From the Vernazza’s side, you find steep rise.
- Even if some parts of Sentiero Azzurro are closed (Corniglia-Manarola and Manarola-Riomaggiore) you can choose other trials to move between that villages. They are all free of charge but they are more difficult and higher than Sentiero Azzurro. More information you can get in Cinque Terre Tourists Centers.
- The ticket offices that are located at the entrances to Sentiero Azzurro close at 6.00/7.00 pm. It means that after that time you can enter the trail without paying a ticket. However, when it starts becoming dark outside it is very dangerous.
- Also when the weather conditions are bad, the ticket offices are closed. So it is possible to enter the trail without paying. However, you do it on your own responsibility. The National Park of Cinque Terre informs the tourists about the weather conditions and when they are bad it advises against going on Sentiero Azzurro.
- Very often, after winter time the trail is damaged and needs to be repaired. That’s why during springtime it is closed and it is forbidden to enter it. It is a period of spring reparations and preparation for the summer season.
What else can I say? Have a nice trip!
so informative and beautiful pictures!
Thank you so much! I’m very glad you like the blog 🙂