Routes · Europe

Washington, DC to the Italian Riviera: Genoa and the Cinque Terre

Washington, DC → Genoa → Cinque Terre

Palaces, pesto & cliffside villages Best season (general guide): Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct

The Italian Riviera curves around the Gulf of Genoa, with a historic port city and the five cliffside villages of the Cinque Terre. This route spends two nights in Genoa and four in the Cinque Terre. From Washington, DC you'll connect through Europe to Genoa or fly to Milan and take the train.

How to pace it: Spend days one and two in Genoa: day one, the old port and aquarium; day two, Strade Nuove palaces and the caruggi. Then spend days three to six in Cinque Terre: day three, train to the Cinque Terre, then Vernazza; day four, coastal path between villages; day five, boat to Portovenere; day six, Manarola and Riomaggiore at sunset.

Genoa was once a powerful maritime republic. Its Strade Nuove, streets lined with grand palaces built by the city's wealthy families, are listed by UNESCO. Below them, the old town is a maze of narrow alleys, called caruggi, leading down to the port.

The old port was redesigned with a large aquarium and a promenade. Genoa is the home of pesto, made with basil, pine nuts and cheese, and of focaccia, which bakeries sell warm in the morning.

The Cinque Terre are five villages, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, built on steep cliffs above the sea. UNESCO lists them with Portovenere and the islands nearby, and they are part of a national park.

Trains link the villages in a few minutes, and footpaths climb through vineyards and olive groves between them. Some paths, such as the Via dell'Amore, may close for repairs or require a park card, so check before you walk. Boats also run along the coast to Portovenere.

April to June and September to October are the best seasons. Summer is very crowded.

In Genoa, leave time to wander the narrow lanes of the old town, the caruggi, and try focaccia from a bakery. Hiking trails in the Cinque Terre can close after storms, so check before setting out.

Good to know: Stay in one village and explore the others by train. Bring good shoes for the steep paths, and start early to avoid the crowds and the heat.

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