Manarola
The most photogenic of the Five Villages, with brightly painted houses rising straight from the cliffs to the sea. Sunset from the Punta Bonfiglio viewpoint trail is the iconic Cinque Terre scene.
Manarola is the second smallest of the Five Villages and the one most often seen on postcards. Its houses are stacked up both sides of a steep river gorge, and at the mouth of the gorge lies a small harbour, where fishing boats are simply hauled up onto the square. The classic panoramic viewpoint is Punta Bonfiglio, the headland across the harbour. From the port, walk north along the seafront path for about 5 minutes (the street is called Via Belvedere), passing a lookout below the cemetery. In the 30 minutes around sunset, when the lights come on, the pink and yellow houses against the deep blue sea make the most famous picture of the Cinque Terre. In peak season the spot is crowded with tripods, so arrive at least an hour early to claim a place. The rocky platforms of the harbour are where locals dive and swim. The water is clear, but there is no sandy beach. The main street, Via Discovolo, runs from the railway station tunnel down to the harbour, lined with restaurants and gelato shops, where you can try the local Sciacchetrà dessert wine made from grapes grown on the terraces behind the village. Walk up the main street past the church square, and paths through the terraced vineyards offer views over the village and the sea. The Blue Trail north to Corniglia (about 1 hour), reopened in 2024 after a long closure, requires a Cinque Terre Card or a paid ticket. The Via dell’Amore (“Lovers’ Lane”) to the south, running to Riomaggiore (1 km), reopened in 2024 after being closed for a long time, and needs an online reservation. It is a 5-minute walk from the railway station to the village centre. Every year from 8 December to the end of January, the hillside above the village is lit up for what is said to be the largest illuminated Nativity scene in the world. Staying overnight is recommended, so you can enjoy the calm of early morning and evening.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Church of San Lorenzo, Manarola
- Manarola Nativity Scene
- Via dell'Amore
- Volastra
- Riomaggiore
- Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montenero
- Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail)
- Corniglia