A Complete Guide To Hiking Cinque Terre On A Budget
Hiking the Cinque Terre trail on a budget is entirely possible and doesn’t make experience any less whimsical. In fact, I believe that traveling minimally and more locally enhances our adventures by brining the world around us into fuller color.
The Cinque Terre Trail Blue Path
The Cinque Terre blue trail (the most popular path) in Italy is strung along between five quaint cities that each have their own unique personality and mood. Each of them are seated dangerously close to the seaside, sometimes looming off the cliff altogether; an image that fills the perceptive traveler with curiosity and amazement. The trail not only emphasizes these architectural feats, but provides a look into the past by beckoning travelers down its well-trodden footpaths. Lined with hearty green foliage and terraces topped by sun-grown grapes, Cinque Terre opens the door to a quieter side of Italy often missed by the tourist. Here’s how to hike the trail on a limited budget.
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Is Cinque Terre Expensive?
My partner and I hiked Cinque Terre in the beginning of 2025 after a short stent in Rome. In the Eternal City I spent $72.65 a day, which you can read about more in this budget guide to Rome. My spending on the Cinque Terre trail was similar; I spent $74 for two nights and one full day on the trail. This price included two nights stay at a room in La Spezia, tourist tax on our room, train tickets to and from the hike, coffee along the trail, and groceries for our meals plus trail snacks. Because we hiked the trail in the off seasons there were no hiking permit fees along the way, an added expense to account for in the busy months. (We’ll talk about the benefits to hiking the trail in the off-season later in the post.)
If I was traveling around with barely any money like I used to do, I could have skirted by on less than $15 a day by work trading or CouchSurfing for a place to stay; all extreme budget backpacking tools that I discuss in detail in The Art of Unruly Travel On A Budget.
Where To Begin The Cinque Terre Hike
Deciding where to begin your Cinque Terre hike is an important factor to sticking to a budget. The towns where the hike begins and end are incredibly expensive; using La Spezia as a base point is the most economical decision. It puts you close enough to the hike via a quick train ride but keeps you out of prime tourist hotspots with elevated prices. All in all our room in La Spezia (the Titi Rooms) was $39 a night, split between two people, coming to $19.5 per person. It was a five minute walk to the train station and grocery stores, restaurants, and the town square were easily accessible by foot. We spent $3.60 per person to take the train from La Spezia to Riomaggiore at the beginning of our day, and $2.88 to return from Riomaggiore at the end.
Additionally, you’ll find lower accommodation prices for Cinque Terre on HostelWorld.com and can browse through campsites at Booking.com, as this area of Italy doesn’t really do wild camping.
Which Direction To Hike Cinque Terre
While it’s up to each hiker to decide which direction they’d like to set out in, I recommend starting in Monterosso and ending in Riomaggiore. Personally, my favorite towns were at the beginning of this experience, so seeing them with fresh eyes and fewer people confirmed our directional decision. But the trail can be hiked either way and ultimately there’s no wrong choice. There is a steep climb/decent at the beginning and end of the trail, so no matter which way you go you’ll have some thigh burning to work through. For those who are more interested in civilization than the greenery, you can catch a train from town to town and skip parts of the hike.
How To Get To Cinque Terre From La Spezia
From La Spezia you can hop on the train at La Spezia Centrale Station. I advise arriving 10 minutes early so that you can find your train and be ready when it comes. The easiest way to book your train tickets are through TrainLine, which we used all thought out Italy. The trains tend to arrive and leave right on the dot, so even a few minutes delay on your part can result in a missed train, though they’re not expensive and run most of the day. After a 20 minute ride you’ll arrive at Monterosso and walk down the station stairs to the paved path that runs along the coastline. From there the trail is pretty self-explanatory; you’ll see directional and informational signs along the way to guide you.
Following The Cinque Terre Map
Intuitive hikers will have little problem following the coastal trail, but for those who want a little extra support I recommend downloading an offline map of the area on Maps.me for free. Additionally, the official Cinque Terre website has all sorts of maps to the area, including additional hikes that you might want to copy and paste into your own route to extend it. Following the blue path is the best and easiest way to get a taste of all the towns, clocking in at 7.5 miles long with an elevation of 1,970 feet, but there are countless other hikes for those who want to venture deeper into Cinque Terre.
Is Cinque Terre Hard To Walk?
My partner and I are fairly active people, regularly hiking in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. The Cinque Terre trail didn’t prove to be difficult for us even after indulging in endless bread, pasta, and other carbs in Rome, but everyone will experience it differently. Sure, I was sweating when I was climbing up and side-stepping down some of the steepest parts, but there were many flat sections that opened up into pleasant strolls through the hillside.
Though we meant to stick to the blue trail, at some point we took a wrong turn out of town and started heading up, up, up. We knew that something was off but decided to keep going in the name of adventure. Our off-road detour took us through some epic terraced land and even brought us face to face with one of its farmers; it was worth the extra sweat even if I could be heard complaining about the seemingly endless stairs along the way. If you get lost, don’t fret — check the maps, ask a local, and remember that you’re never that far away from a small (albeit steaming) cup of coffee or punctual train to get you back on track.
How Long Is The Cinque Terre Hike?
Overall the hike took us around 9 hours, excluding train rides to and from the trail. Our original 7.5 mile hike was made closer to 9.5 miles when we veered off track. It may be a bit shorter for faster hikers and for those who stick to the main route elusively, but longer for those who want to stop and really soak in each city along the way.
Hiking Cinque Terre In The Off-Season
If you’re serious about sticking to a budget and want an overall more serene experience, consider hiking Cinque Terre in the slow season which spans November 4 to March 14th. Not only are accommodation prices generally lower, but the trail fees are waived or dramatically reduced. Check the Cinque Terre website to learn about the fees in different season and purchase your pass. Hiking permits can also be purchased once on the trail, but we saw signs indicating that they must be paid for in cash so be prepared.
We caught the train from La Spezia at 7:04 AM on a chilly morning in early January. That landed us in Monterosso around 7:26 AM, right before the sun made her slow yet brilliant debut. The town stirred quietly as a man swept the park with an antique wooden broom and older couples walk alongside the sea hand in hand. Between Monterosso and the following city we didn’t see anyone else on the trail, another benefit of hiking in the off-season. As the day grew longer we saw people sprinkled here and there, but the trial was never over run with people as it would be in the summer months. The only downside to hiking in the winter is that a delicious summer swim in the sea turns into a cold water plunge, so weigh your options wisely.
English On The Cinque Terre Trail
Since the off-season isn’t as touristy, you’ll find less English being spoken along the way. Thinking that I could get by with decoding some of Italian via my Spanish knowledge, I was surprised that it the two languages weren’t as similar as I thought. You can surely get by speaking English on the Cinque Terre trail, but if you’d like to go deeper Pimsler is a great language learning tool that I’ve been using for years. Practicing with the app, which teaches pronunciation and relevant conversational skills, is a smart way to gear up for your trip.
Budget-Friendly Food On The Cinque Terre Trail
So far we’ve discussed how to save money on accommodation, transportation, and even hiking fees. The last thing to discuss is food, and it ain’t cheap! Purchasing meals in restaurants along Cinque Terre is expensive regardless of season. If you purchase a proper meal in one of the towns expect to pay anywhere from €20 to €40 a plate as of 2025. Dining options are limited in the slow season, but I imagine that they’re packed and hard to grab a table in the summer season. Regardless of season, there are free water stations built into the cities that you’ll find along the way. Be sure to bring your reusable water bottle and fill up for free!
To lower our costs we bought groceries and brought them with us. On the train our breakfast consisted of oranges and banana with peanut butter, and come mid day we built our own plant-based sandwiches using warm focaccia bread that we bought along the way. Pulling me in through my nose, I couldn’t help but follow the delicious string of sent that wafted out of the small focaccerias along the way. I made sure that they were free of dairy or eggs using offline Google Translate before savoring each bite of the best bread that I’ve ever had for a whopping €2.50.
Eating Plant-Based On Cinque Terre
In the third town we entered a small farm stand store where we were able to purchase locally grown wine for €8, juicy lettuce for €2, and affordable fresh produce. For vegans I recommend packing some of your own snacks but being keeping your eyes open for focaccia and local produce along the way.
If you decide to stop for a prepared meal at a restaurant, I did notice vegetarian signs. I assume these dishes could be made vegan-friendly with a little bit of imploring. If you’re not confident to make that happen without some coaching, reference my guide to eating vegan at non-vegan restaurants around the world. The HappyCow website also has some great suggestions for Cinque Terre, so check the specific towns for recommendations along the way.
Packing List For Cinque Terre, Italy
Whether hiking in the warmer or cooler months, the following items will help you hike Cinque Terre on a budget and more sustainably:
- Reusable water bottle to fill up along the way
- Reusable to-go container to pack a lunch or pick up produce along the way
- Credit card with no international fees — I used this credit card while traveling (sign up for a $100 bonus!), dodging withdrawal and foreign transaction fees
- Lightweight backpack and clothing — the lighter you pack, the more willing you’ll be to complete the hike and overall have a more pleasurable experience. Some of my go-to items are the Barrage Technical Shell and the Trailhead Pants by CoalaTree.
- Download Google Maps or Maps.me for free offline maps to navigate Cinque Terre
- For those who want to use internet internationally, I highly recommend purchasing an eSim over roaming with your regular provider. It’s easy to use and a big money saver.
- Travel insurance. This felt optional for me in Italy; it didn’t seem as high risk as many other countries that I’ve been to. But anyone can step off a step wrong and twist an ankle or spend the night hugging the toilet thanks to food poisoning, so if you don’t want to risk hospital bills in another country compare travel insurance via InsureMyTrip.
- Hiking boots or trail shoes
- Sunglasses
- Swimsuit and towel
Is Cinque Terre Worth It?
All in all, Cinque Terre was worth much more than the $74 that I spent. It was one of our highlights in Italy, leaving us to feel like characters in a fairytale, climbing winding cobbled stairs and pausing to take in the dappled sun lighting the path. I wish you great peace as you traverse the epic coastline, meander through small Italian villages, and experience a quality of focaccia that you didn’t know existed.
