The Cinque Terre is one of Italy’s most beautiful destinations, and one of its most expensive during peak summer season. With colorful cliffside villages, limited accommodations, and high demand from travelers around the world, prices can rise quickly.
We visited the Cinque Terre in the summer with our kids and quickly realized that staying inside the five villages would stretch our budget more than we wanted. Instead, we chose to base ourselves in La Spezia, a nearby city just minutes away by train. It wasn’t as picturesque as staying in Manarola or Vernazza, but it was significantly more affordable, easy to access, and gave us the flexibility to hike, swim, and explore without overspending.
If you’re traveling on a budget (especially with kids), you don’t have to skip the Cinque Terre. With a smart home base, a mix of hiking and train travel, and a few simple money-saving strategies, you can experience all five villages without sacrificing the experience.
The Cinque Terre for Budget Travelers
This guide is for travelers who want to experience the Cinque Terre without paying premium prices to stay inside the five villages. If you’re comfortable using the train and don’t mind staying just outside the towns, you can save significantly on accommodation and meals — especially in peak summer.
1. Stay in La Spezia
La Spezia is a small city that sits just to the south of the five towns of the Cinque Terre. Most travelers will arrive in La Spezia by train before catching a second train to one of the five towns.
Accommodations are significantly cheaper in La Spezia than in the Cinque Terre. Sure, it may not be as scenic or as romantic as staying in Manarola or Vernazza, but it does not take long to get to these towns by train. In fact, it takes only 9 minutes to get to Riomaggiore, the first of the five towns on the train route.
We stayed in Hotel Birillo, a small, budget hotel. It was decent, with small rooms, an interesting bathroom (you actually had to walk through the shower to get into the bathroom…LOL), but it was only a five minute walk to the train station.
When Staying in La Spezia Is Not a Good Choice
La Spezia is a practical and affordable base for visiting the Cinque Terre, but it’s not right for every traveler.
1. If you only have one night in the Cinque Terre
If you’re arriving late and leaving early, staying inside one of the five villages lets you maximize your time. Sleeping in Vernazza, Manarola, or Monterosso means you can wander the streets after the day-trippers leave and enjoy a quieter atmosphere in the evening.
2. If you want sunrise or sunset in the villages
One of the biggest perks of staying in the Cinque Terre is experiencing the towns when they’re nearly empty. Early morning light in Riomaggiore or sunset in Manarola is magical, and much harder to catch if you’re commuting from La Spezia.
3. If you want a romantic or atmospheric stay
La Spezia is a functional port city. It’s convenient and affordable, but it doesn’t have the charm, views, and cliffside drama of the five villages. If ambiance is important to you, staying in the Cinque Terre may be worth the higher cost.
4. If you prefer slow travel over efficiency
Staying in one of the villages lets you move at a relaxed pace, swim mid-day, rest in your room, enjoy long dinners, without watching train schedules.
When La Spezia Is the Smart Choice
La Spezia is ideal if you:
- Are traveling on a tighter budget
- Want easier luggage handling
- Prefer larger hotel options
- Plan to visit the Cinque Terre primarily during the day
2. Hike the Cinque Terre
Hiking is the cheapest way to get from town to town and you can’t beat these views.
It takes a full day to hike the entire length of the Cinque Terre but it is an awesome experience. One of the best parts of hiking here is making a pitstop in each town for a gelato break. Yum!
Please note, it is not unusual for a section (or two) of the hike to be closed because of rockslides. The main routes are relatively flat so they are not too strenuous. If the main route is closed, you can skip to the next town by train or hoof it up and over the mountains, taking an alternate hiking route. Climbing the hillsides is tiring and can be very hot during the summer months. But you will have these trails almost to yourself and you will be rewarded by stunning views of the coastline.
In order to hike the Cinque Terre, you will have to purchase either the “Cinque Terre Card” or the “Cinque Terre Card Treno.”
The Cinque Terre Card gives you access to all of the hiking paths and access lifts. The sections from Monterosso to Vernazza and Vernazza to Corniglia have a fee (€7.50 in the off-season and €15 in peak season).
The Cinque Terre Treno Card adds train travel to the Cinque Terre Card. With the Treno Card, you get unlimited train travel between Levanto and La Spezia. In recent years this has gotten quite pricey (peak season prices start at €32.50) so I recommend getting updated prices on the official website.
We cover the full hiking route, trail closures, best direction, and logistics in our Cinque Terre Hiking Guide ↓
Planning to Hike the Cinque Terre? Here’s What to Know for 2026
How to hike the Cinque Terre: trail guide, train tickets, photos, and tips.3. Go to the Beach
This is the perfect way to cool off after a day of hiking. Monterosso al Mare has the largest beaches and the only beach with sand in the Cinque Terre.
Monterosso has public (free) beach areas, where you can lay out your own towel at no cost. These sections are first-come, first-served and can fill up quickly in summer, especially July and August. If you want a good spot during peak season, arrive early in the day.
You’ll also see sections lined with neatly arranged umbrellas and lounge chairs. These are private beach clubs, and you’ll need to rent a chair (and usually an umbrella) to sit there.
Expect to pay:
- Around €20–€40+ per umbrella setup, depending on the season and location
- Higher prices for front-row spots closer to the water
While more expensive, renting chairs gives you guaranteed space, shade, and access to facilities like changing rooms or restrooms.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: If you’re visiting Monterosso on a budget, bring a lightweight towel and use the free public beach areas. You’ll still get the same beautiful water and coastal views — just without the rental fee.
Each town has a “beach.” In Manarola, people lay their towels out on the hard concrete down by the water.
If you are traveling with kids, it’s worth spending your money on one of these paddle boats with a slide. I think Tyler and Kara’s favorite memory from Italy was our one hour rental with this super fun contraption.
4. Use the Train to Get Around
If you purchase the Cinque Terre Treno Card your train travel will be included for the one or two days you have this pass. These have gotten relatively pricey in recent years, costing €19.50 to €32.50 for a one-day pass, depending on the season. You can see the full price list here.
If you elect not to purchase the Treno Card then you can purchase single tickets at €5 to 10 each (get updated pricing here).
The trains are run by Trenitalia. For more information on pricing and timetables, check out www.trenitalia.com.
5. Cheap Eats in the Cinque Terre
Buy your food at co-ops and grocery stores. The grocery stores and markets are stocked with fresh fruit, bread, chocolate, and snacks…the perfect food to fuel your journey through these five towns. Assemble a picnic lunch, grab a bench with a scenic view, and enjoy your meal.
Eat pizza and sandwiches. They are delicious, cheap, and you can find them everywhere.
Go to a focacceria. For just a few euros you can have warm focaccia bread. Yum! Add to your meal some fresh fruit or deli meat and you have a tasty, cheap meal.
Eat the gelato. In every town. Seriously.
Expect to Pay:
- Focaccia: €2–4
- Slice of pizza: €3–5
- Gelato: €2–4
Many restaurants can be expensive, but for those travelers on a budget, dining at a nice restaurant, eating seafood while overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, may be worth the splurge.
Have fun exploring the Cinque Terre!
Do you have any questions about visiting the Cinque Terre on a budget? Let us know in the comment section below!
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