The Cinque Terre has a reputation for being difficult to visit. It is not — one train line connects all five villages every twenty minutes, and everything else follows from that.
The train
Runs from La Spezia through all five villages to Levanto, roughly every twenty minutes, a few minutes between each.
The Cinque Terre Card covers unlimited train travel and the walking paths. There is a trains-included version and a paths-only version — the trains version is what most visitors want.
Trains are packed in summer. That is the price of the frequency.
The five, which are not the same
Monterosso al Mare — the largest, with the only real sandy beach and the most hotel capacity. Flattest, and the easiest with luggage.
Vernazza — the most photogenic, built around a small natural harbour with a castle above. Also the most crowded per square metre.
Corniglia — the odd one out, on a clifftop with no harbour, reached from the station by 380 steps or a shuttle bus. Correspondingly quieter.
Manarola — the classic postcard view, best from the path toward Corniglia at sunset.
Riomaggiore — the closest to La Spezia, lively, with a steep main street down to the water.
The walking
Check current path status before planning. Sections of the coastal path close periodically for landslides and maintenance, and the famous Via dell'Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola has been closed for long stretches of recent years.
The upper trails through the vineyards are open more reliably than the coastal ones, are harder, and are far emptier with better views.
The Monterosso–Vernazza and Vernazza–Corniglia sections are the classic coastal walks when open — around ninety minutes each, with steps and no shade.
The crowd problem
July and August are extremely busy, and cruise arrivals concentrate the crush between mid-morning and late afternoon.
Early morning and evening are calm even in peak season, which is the argument for staying in the villages rather than day-tripping.
April, May, September and October are considerably better throughout, with warm weather and a swimmable sea in the later months.
Where to base
In the villages — expensive, limited, and gives you the mornings and evenings.
Levanto, one stop north — a proper town with a beach, more accommodation and lower prices, five minutes by train.
La Spezia, at the southern end — cheapest, a working city, and well connected.
Portovenere, south of the park and not on the train line, which is arguably prettier than any of the five and reached by boat or bus.
Practical
Boats run between the villages in season except Corniglia, and give the view from the water that the train does not.
Do not drive. The villages are effectively closed to cars and parking is remote and expensive.
Proper shoes for the paths — sandals are a common cause of injury on the steps, and the park authorities have issued warnings about footwear.
The food is Ligurian: pesto, focaccia, anchovies from Monterosso, and white wine from the terraces above the villages.