Cinque Terre 2026: Park at La Spezia, Book Via dell'Amore
Cinque Terre, Italy
You cannot drive into the Cinque Terre villages. Leave the car at La Spezia or Levanto and take the train, and buy the park card for the date you are travelling - it is priced in seasonal bands, and the Via dell'Amore needs a booked slot on top.
You cannot drive into Cinque Terre — the five villages, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, cling to cliffs above the sea and are linked only by train, footpath and boat. The handful of village car parks fill before breakfast in the summer months. La Spezia, the gateway town to the south, is the sensible place to leave a car: park near the station and ride the Cinque Terre Express, which runs every fifteen minutes.
Some villages have roads that descend from the hills above, but they end in tiny car parks that fill before breakfast in summer. The overwhelming majority of visitors arrive by train from La Spezia or Levanto, and that is the right approach.
This guide is about getting your car close, parking it, and forgetting about it until you leave.
Where to Leave the Car
La Spezia (best option): La Spezia is the gateway town on the south side. Park near the train station and take the Cinque Terre Express — it runs every 15-20 minutes and reaches the first village (Riomaggiore) in 8 minutes.
- Parcheggio Stazione — multi-storey near the station, €15-20/day
- Via Carducci lots — street parking, cheaper but fills quickly
- Parcheggio Centro Commerciale (shopping centre) — €10-12/day, 10 min walk to station
Levanto (north side alternative): Smaller, quieter, with a nice beach of its own. Parking is easier and cheaper than La Spezia.
- Street parking from €1-2/hour, free lots on the outskirts
- The train from Levanto to Monterosso takes 4 minutes
At the villages themselves (not recommended):
- Monterosso: Small car park above the village, about €5/hour or €30/day in summer. Fills by 09:00. Steep walk down.
- Riomaggiore: Tiny lot above the tunnel entrance. Even smaller capacity. Forget it in July-August.
- Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola: No practical car access for visitors.
Getting to the Area by Car
From Milan (230 km, 2.5h): A7 south to Genoa, then A12 east along the coast to La Spezia. Motorway tolls total about €20. The last section through the Ligurian tunnels is spectacular — you emerge from a tunnel to a cliff-top ocean view.
From Florence (170 km, 2h): A11/A12 through Lucca and along the coast. Tolls about €12.
From Pisa (100 km, 1.5h): A12 north along the coast. The closest departure point — easy for a day trip.
From Nice/French Riviera (280 km, 3h): A10/A12 along the Ligurian coast through Genoa. Tolls about €30. This is the classic Riviera-to-Cinque Terre road trip.
The Train — How It Works
The Cinque Terre Express connects La Spezia, Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso, and Levanto. Trains run every 15-20 minutes in peak season.
The park card comes in two versions. The Trekking Card covers the trail network, the Via dell’Amore, the local buses inside the villages, station facilities and the park’s guided visits. The Train Card adds unlimited second-class regional trains between Levanto, the five villages and La Spezia, which is what most visitors actually want.
Both are sold for a specific date at card.parconazionale5terre.it and priced in seasonal bands, so the figure depends on when you go — check your own date rather than a headline price. The date can be changed once, up to 24 hours before, within the same band.
The Via dell’Amore needs a booking. Entry to the clifftop path is capped and a reservation is compulsory; you can make it after buying the card, but the park recommends booking online, because a slot can be full before you arrive.
Cards are also sold at La Spezia and Riomaggiore stations and at the park offices, but on a summer morning the queue is the reason to buy online.
What About the Roads Above the Villages?
They exist, but they are not meant for tourists. The mountain roads above the Cinque Terre are narrow single-track paths carved into vineyard-covered hillsides. Hairpin turns, no guardrails, oncoming traffic with nowhere to pass — and at the end, a tiny car park that might be full.
The road descending to Vernazza from the SP51 is notorious. Locals drive it confidently in small Fiats. Tourists in rental SUVs do not enjoy it.
If you must drive to a village: Monterosso has the most accessible parking. Arrive before 08:00 in summer. But honestly, the train is right there.
Italian Motorway Tolls
Italy charges per-kilometre tolls on the autostrada. The A12 to La Spezia uses a ticket system — take a ticket at the entrance, pay at the exit (cash, card, or Telepass).
| Route | Approx. Toll |
|---|---|
| Milan → La Spezia | ~€20 |
| Florence → La Spezia | ~€12 |
| Genoa → La Spezia | ~€8 |
| Pisa → La Spezia | ~€7 |
Speed Limits
| Road Type | Limit |
|---|---|
| Urban | 50 km/h |
| Rural / mountain roads | 70-90 km/h |
| Autostrada | 130 km/h (110 in rain) |
Italian speed cameras (autovelox) are common on the A12 and in tunnels. Fines are steep — €170+ for 10 km/h over the limit. Rental companies add €30-50 admin fees.
Day Trips by Car (from La Spezia)
| Destination | Distance | Drive Time | Why Go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portovenere | 15 km | 20 min | Island views, Byron’s Grotto, fewer crowds than Cinque Terre |
| Lerici | 12 km | 15 min | Castle, beach, literary history (Shelley lived here) |
| Lucca | 100 km | 1.5h | Walled city, cycling on the walls, no tourist crush |
| Pisa | 100 km | 1.5h | Leaning Tower — worth the stop even if you have seen the photos |
| Carrara marble quarries | 40 km | 45 min | Where Michelangelo sourced his marble — tours available |
Fuel
| Fuel | Price |
|---|---|
| Petrol (Benzina) | ~€1.80/L |
| Diesel (Gasolio) | ~€1.65/L |
Fuel up in La Spezia or Levanto. There are no petrol stations in the Cinque Terre villages.
Required Equipment
Italian law requires:
- Warning triangle
- Reflective vest (must be worn if you exit the car on a road outside urban areas)
- Recommended: first aid kit
Emergency Numbers
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| European emergency | 112 |
| Carabinieri (police) | 112 |
| Ambulance | 118 |
| Fire | 115 |
| Coast Guard | 1530 |
Coast Guard matters here — the villages are on the sea and boat emergencies happen.
Related Guides
- Complete Italy Driving Guide — ZTL zones, tolls, speed camera rules
- Italy Tyre Laws — winter equipment requirements
- Driving in Pisa — nearby, and Pisa has its own ZTL headaches
- Driving in Como — another Italian lakeside destination
- More City Driving Guides
Renting a Car in Cinque Terre?
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Winter tyres in Italy — 2026–27 season
Winter tyres are required in Italy whenever conditions are wintry — 15 Nov - 15 Apr (varies by region and road).
- Tread minimum: 1.6 mm — Italy sets no separate winter figure.
- Accepted marking: M+S / MS / M-S / M&S (3PMSF not required)
- Studded tyres: restricted
- Penalty: €87–345
In Italian the rule is pneumatici invernali, and snow chains are catene da neve — that is the wording on signs, in hire-car paperwork and on any penalty notice.
Verified against national legislation, August 2026 · Full Italy tyre law · Compare all countries
Frequently Asked Questions
No. All five villages are car-free. Monterosso and Riomaggiore have small parking areas above the village, but you walk down steep paths to reach the waterfront. Vernazza, Corniglia and Manarola have no car access at all.
La Spezia is the best base. Park at the train station (€15-20/day) and take the Cinque Terre Express train — it reaches all five villages in under 15 minutes. Levanto on the north side is a cheaper alternative with easier parking.
Two versions are sold: the Trekking Card, which covers the trail network, the Via dell'Amore, local buses, station facilities and guided visits, and the Train Card, which adds unlimited second-class regional trains between Levanto, the five villages and La Spezia. Both are bought for a specific date at card.parconazionale5terre.it and priced in seasonal bands, so check the price for your own day rather than a headline figure.
The roads above the villages are narrow, steep, hairpin-filled mountain roads with no guardrails in places. The access road to Vernazza from above is one of the scariest drives in Italy. Honestly, take the train.
Yes, from roughly April to October and weather permitting. Consorzio Marittimo 5 Terre runs between Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore; Corniglia sits above a cliff with no harbour and is the one village the boat cannot serve. Day tickets are sold at the jetties and are separate from the park card.
La Spezia or Levanto. Both have proper parking, restaurants, and train connections to all five villages. Staying inside a Cinque Terre village with a car is impractical — you would park above the village and haul luggage down steep paths.
The Via dell'Amore does. Access is capped and a reservation is compulsory — you can book it after buying the card, but the park advises doing it online to avoid queueing for a slot that may already be full. The villages themselves are free to walk into; it is the trail network the card funds.
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