Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail)
The Sentiero Azzurro runs twelve kilometres along the Ligurian cliff-face, connecting Riomaggiore to Monterosso al Mare through four villages that have no road between them worth speaking of. You walk where mule tracks once carried everything — wine, fish, building stone — and the path still feels like necessity rather than recreation. Rosemary grows at elbow height. Agave plants erupt from terraced walls. Below, the sea breaks against rock you can hear but often can't see.
The trail peaks at around 200 metres near the hamlet of Prevo, in Vernazza's municipality, then drops back toward the coast past olive groves and lemon allotments. Not all sections are open — the Corniglia–Manarola stretch has been closed since 2011 landslides — so what you walk is a route in progress, shaped as much by geology as by any plan.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who've done it more than once tend to start from Monterosso rather than Riomaggiore, hiking into the hardest section first while legs are fresh. The steep steps through the lemon allotments above Monterosso are unrelenting, but the Corniglia–Vernazza stretch — almost entirely exposed — is where the heat catches you if you leave it late in the day.
The story behind Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail)
For most of the medieval period, the Sentiero Azzurro was simply the road — the only reliable connection between the coastal settlements of the Cinque Terre. Villagers carried goods along it for centuries before any carriage track existed. The medieval tower in Vernazza that the path passes near once watched the sea for Saracen raiders; the trail itself was the infrastructure of daily survival.
The Via dell'Amore segment, linking Manarola and Riomaggiore, came much later — built between the First and Second World Wars as a byproduct of railway tunnel excavation. Its original purpose was unglamorous: storing explosives at a safe distance from houses. Its panoramic position above the sea turned it into something else entirely. The Cinque Terre Trekking Card permit system was introduced in 2001, formalising what had long been an informal passage.
Good to know
A Cinque Terre Trekking Card (€7.50 in 2024) is required; buy it online or at National Park Info Points. The Via dell'Amore section, reopened August 2024, is capped at 100 people per 15-minute slot and runs April–October until 9:30 pm. Check trail status at the park authority before setting out — closures happen with little notice. Allow a full day or split across two.
April to May and September to October offer the most reliable conditions — temperatures between 18 and 25°C, shorter crowds, and enough green on the terraces to make the exposed sections bearable. July and August are genuinely hot on the cliff-face, particularly the Corniglia–Vernazza stretch; an early start is less optional than it sounds. Winter brings grey skies, frequent rain, and a higher chance of closures.
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What travellers say about Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail)
Very nice hike between Vernazza and Corniglia! Probably more on the easy side going from Corniglia to Vernazza but definitely recommend going from Vernazza to Corniglia too!! Took me and my mom about 45 minutes. The start is just a lot of stairs but middle to end section is quite flat.
This was a short easy/moderate hike between the 2 towns. The start and ends of the trail were steeps but most of the middle section is quite flat. There are some juice/drink shops along the trail which was a nice pit stop if you want to take a break and enjoy the view. Some of the rocks were quite smooth so when going down I would suggest taking it a bit slower to not slip.
Il Sentiero Azzurro was honestly such a magical experience! We only did the part between Corniglia and Vernazza due to limited time, but the views were breathtaking the whole way! It’s not the easiest hike, so you do need to be a bit prepared, but it’s definitely worth it!
This is a great trail but I would rate it more difficult than All Trails did... There were tons of steps in very long succession which was hard on the knees by the end of 2 km. We hiked from Monterosso to Vernazza. The views were outstanding around every bend, and there was shade along much of the trail. The trail was extremely narrow in most places, so we often had to stop to let hikers going the opposite direction through.
These hiking trails are among the best things Cinque Terre can offer, in my opinion you won't get the full experience of this wonderful place without them. Remember to have good shoes, water, a hat and of course energy :) (the trail is difficult in some places). Highly recommended!
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