Cinque Terre is fast becoming one of the most popular destinations in Italy for its stunning vistas, culture, and gorgeous local wine and food. But what should you do when you get to Cinque Terre? Check out our Cinque Terre travel guide and take a look at our pick of the best things to do in Cinque Terre:
Taste Cinque Terre Wine
Cinque Terre wine is unique and special. If you’re interested in learning more about the wine of the region, you can join us for one of our wonderful wine-tasting experiences. Visit an organic winery on our Bonassola Organic Wine Tasting Experience. Visit a farm that doesn’t just make incredible wine but also honey and fruits. Learn how organic wine differs from conventional wine by visiting the vineyards and indulging in a tasting in the winery itself.
Alternatively, if you’re visiting Manarola, you might be interested in our Manarola Wine Tasting Experience. This day doesn’t just include wine tasting, but hiking in the gorgeous countryside too. You’ll get to visit historic sites and cemeteries, before diving into the winery and vineyards of an important local winemaker, who will tell you all about the secrets to great winemaking in this region.
Take a Cooking Class
Did you know that pesto is from this region of Italy? Master the art of this simple-ingredient-difficult-to-master sauce in our Traditional Pesto Cooking Class. Here, you’ll learn all about the origins of this famous sauce, before a professional local chef Mariza will teach you exactly how to make it. Learn how to prepare it, what the best ingredients to include are, and have a go at mixing the sauce yourself. Finish the experience with your very own pesto served with focaccia (also a local specialty) and a glass of local wine. Bellissimo! Another option to learn more about the local cuisine is to join a family in La Spezia for a private cooking class!
Hike the Cinque Terre Villages
The Cinque Terre villages surely offer some of the most stunning sights in the whole of Italy. If you’re in Florence, you can join us on a Cinque Terre hiking day from Florence, or join us from Manarola or Montecatini and Pisa instead. On each tour, you’ll be joined by an enthusiastic local guide who will take you around the famous hiking trails around these stunning villages, with stops in the villages so you can soak up the atmosphere for yourself. These are camera-friendly places to be sure to snap a few photos along the way!
Sample Local Food and Wine
The best way to learn about an area is through its cuisine, which is what makes our food and wine tour in La Spezia so special. Learn all about Ligurian cuisine – one of the best in Italy – by visiting 5 different eateries, and trying different classic dishes in each one. Your guide will be a gastronomic expert and will lead you through delis, shops, and restaurants across the city. This is a perfect way to learn more about the heart of Cinque Terre-based cooking.
Take a Sunset Kayak
Being on the water is the best way to see a city from a new angle, which you’ll definitely get on our sunset kayak tour from Monterosso. This will be an evening of sunsets, swims, and quietness, like you, a small group, and your guide, glide through Liguria’s waters on the way towards a cave complete with a waterfall, right into the ocean. The experience also includes an aperitif and a snack of local focaccia. The pictures you’ll capture from this experience will be worth it alone; Cinque Terre in the day is nice, but at night, it’s glorious.
E-bike Around a Vineyard
The hills around Cinque Terre can be challenging, which is why an e-bike is just the ticket. Our Bonassola E-Bike Wine Tasting Tour from Levanto combines exercise and wine in one wonderful evening! Head out into the local hills and cliffs with an enthusiastic local guide before taking a tour of one of Cinque Terre’s marvelous wineries. Enjoy a tasting or two right in the heart of a vineyard. What a way to spend an evening.
Enjoying Your Time in Cinque Terre
There isn’t a much better place to base yourself in Liguria than Cinque Terre, as our best things to do in Cinque Terre shows. There is so much culture, wine, and food in the area, you’ll never want to leave! To make the most of your visit, book one of our Cinque Terre guided tours or check out our list of the best guided tours of Cinque Terre. If this is just one of the places you’re planning to visit in Italy, be sure to take a look at all our holiday packages in Italy. And if you’re traveling from Florence, you might like some information on how to get from Florence to Cinque Terre. One thing is for sure, you’ll never regret visiting this gorgeous part of Italy.
