Vernazza

A look around

What you’ll be living next to. Swipe through.

1/5

Where it sits

The circle is Vernazza and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.

How far is everything?

From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.

• A boat along the villages8 min taxi2.6 km
• Corniglia & the Lardarina steps8 min taxi2.6 km
• Monterosso al Mare (beach)8 min taxi2.7 km
• Monterosso beach8 min taxi2.7 km
• The terraced vineyards & sciacchetrà9 min taxi2.9 km
• The Manarola sunset view14 min taxi4.7 km
• The Via dell'Amore16 min taxi5.3 km
• The Cinque Terre Express17 min taxi5.7 km
• Riomaggiore17 min taxi5.8 km

On your doorstep

What you’re living next to if you stay here.

• 1.The Sentiero Azzurro coastal trail — The reason many come — the 'Blue Trail' links the five villages along the cliffs, with heart-stopping views down to the turquoise sea and the coloured villages ahead. The Vernazza–Monterosso stretch is the classic (and toughest); buy the Cinque Terre Card, check which sections are open (landslides close bits), and go early before the heat and crowds.
• 2.Vernazza — The prettiest of the five — a natural harbour of bobbing boats framed by tall coloured houses and a little church right on the water, with a medieval tower above. Have a drink at a harbour table, climb to the castle for the view down over the roofs, and stay past sunset when the day-trippers leave; postcard-perfect.
• 10.Pesto & Ligurian cooking — This is Liguria, the birthplace of pesto — the real thing, basil pounded with pine nuts, garlic and Parmigiano, tossed through trofie or trenette pasta with potato and beans. Eat it at a harbour table with a glass of crisp local white; fresh, green and unforgettable, and a world away from the jarred stuff.
• 11.Swimming off the rocks — With only one sandy beach, the Cinque Terre swims off its rocks and harbours — dive into the clear water from the ledges at Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore like the locals do, or find a tiny pebble cove. Bring water shoes and a towel; a refreshing plunge in that turquoise sea is the perfect break from the trails.
• 17.The Doria Castle, Vernazza — The medieval watchtower crowning Vernazza — a short, steep climb up from the harbour to a stone terrace and round tower built to spot pirates, now the best viewpoint down over the village's coloured houses and harbour. A quick, cheap hit of history and the finest photo angle in Vernazza; lovely in the late-afternoon light.