Cinque Terre by Train: A Photographer’s Love Letter After 7 Visits

Why the train-only method is perfect for photographers:

• You arrive at eye level: the train doors open and you’re already in the heart of the village—no parking lots, no uphill walks with heavy gear.
• Golden hour mobility: jump on a train at sunset, and in 4–8 minutes, you’re in another village with completely different light.
• Zero fatigue: I carry two bodies, four primes, and a tripod. After a full day of shooting, I’m tired, but never destroyed.

Why we chose Genoa for our starting place?
Yes, Genoa (Genova in Italian) is incredibly proud of Cristoforo Colombo because he was born right here in Genoa in 1451. He always referred to himself as Genovese and stated in his will that he was from Genoa. The city has documents proving that his family, the wool weavers Domenico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa, lived in the old town.

However, Genoa is not just about Columbus; it is vibrant with Italian life, featuring excellent restaurants and charming street scenes, some of which date back to the 15th century. While it will be our starting point and we won’t stay long, you’ll need more than one day if you want to explore the city truly.

My next location is a bit further south, just a 30-minute train ride away, and it’s completely different from Genoa. Rapallo and Santa Margherita are beautiful places to stay. This will be our next “office,” and from there we will visit the amazing, picturesque towns of Portofino and Camogli. We’ll share the story of why these places are so famous after our visit. There will be many wonderful things to photograph there!

I remember my first visit to this region, and it felt like I was in another world. I still have millions of photos from this place in my archive, and every visit is a new adventure and challenge for me and my cameras. (I usually have two around my neck or in my bag, allowing me to take both wide-angle and standard shots. It’s much easier than switching lenses all the time, especially in this kind of location.)

I still remember my first glimpse of Vernazza from the hiking trail above: the little multi-colored houses tumbling down to a perfect harbor, the church bell tower rising straight out of the sea, and the smell of fresh pesto drifting on the breeze.

That was trip number one. Now, in April 2026, I’m about to board the plane for trip number eight, and the excitement feels the same. People always ask me: “Don’t you get bored after so many visits?”

The answer is simple: Cinque Terre is not a place you “finish.” It’s a place that changes with the light, the season, and the years—and somehow, every time, it gives you something new. The village that stole my heart: Vernazza.

If I had to live in only one of the five villages, it would be Vernazza without a second thought. It has everything in perfect miniature: the tiny piazza that becomes an open-air living room at aperitivo hour, the breakwater where older men play cards and fishermen mend nets, Doria Castle for sunset, and that little beach where kids jump into the water long after the day-trippers have gone.

Walk up to the cemetery at dawn, and you’ll probably have the whole village to yourself—just you, the cats, and the first fishing boats heading out.

Manarola & Riomaggiore – the other two that matter. Manarola is pure postcard: the pyramid of pastel houses, the famous Nessun Dorma bar perched above the sea, and the walking path to Corniglia that feels like flying.

Riomaggiore has the raw energy—taller houses, steeper streets, and the best late-night vibe when the restaurants spill onto the main street and everyone is eating spaghetti allo scoglio under strings of lights.

My perfect Ligurian warm-up. Every trip now starts the same way: fly into Genoa, pick up a rental car, and spend the first two days on the Riviera di Levante before dropping into the Cinque Terre for the grand finale.

To the repeat visitor – if this is your first time, everything will feel magical.

If this is your fifth, sixth, seventh you already know the secret: Cinque Terre doesn’t get old. You just discover new layers—another hidden bar, another perfect table, another sunset that somehow tops the previous one. See you on the trails.

I’ll be the one smiling like it’s my first visit all over again – a very biased, very happy 7-time (and counting) Cinque Terre addict.