I agree with another poster, this is a confusing itinerary. Relaxing on the beach in one town, taking a train? or ferry? to another for lunch and then back again for a winery all within a few hours is absurd. Just hang out on the beach and grab a sandwich. You are in Italy. Relax a little. And yes, the place is packed with Americans and while it was lovely, we likely won't go back because of that. But, if you want to go, be wary of this 36 hr suggestion.

Travel shoulder or off-season. Late September we encountered no crowds, lovely weather, few Americans (if that's your irritation), and ready seating at restaurants.

Reading how to dodge crowds by avoiding the very attractions that draw touristd affirmed the Wisdom of Yogi. "Nobody goes there anymore 'cuz it's too crowded."

Spectacular: hiking between the Terre and using the boats as our return taxis.

Gelato basilico, acciuga (local anchovies) and local wine were an unanticipated delight.

Swimming in the Med: clear, cold, and uncrowded.

In 2003, I was amused at seeing so many Americans clinging to their Rick Steves' guidebooks to one of his “backdoor” discoveries. Even then there were almost more visitors than the small villages could accommodate. But it was still manageable and enjoyable.

His introduction to this wonderful place now seems pale compared with it being overwhelmed by the hordes of tourists, many from the same cruise ships that are sinking Venice and other once delightful gems. With some 2.5 million tourists visiting the Cinque Terre last year, I’m glad I saw it when it was still sort of undiscovered.

we went for a day trip and the only reason we could even move around was because it was raining the whole time, and that kept a few less hardy souls away. Crowding made food tough to get unless you stood in line or ate what was essentially italian fast food.After this summer (when I went because my daughter was spending year living and working there) I will never go back to Italy in the high season. Tour buses and cruise ships have made it unbearable. I would rather remember my trip to Florence of 25 years ago when the street shops were still small and family owned, and there was no "5th Avenue of Florence" with every designer you can find in every other major city. Glad we took our kids to Europe when they were young too. They will have lovely memories as well.

The Italians (especially in Liguria) consider the overcrowding of this destination a crisis and for other than pretty views there's not much of an Italian experience to be had here. Ironically, perhaps the most under touristed destination in Italy is about 20 miles away. The city of Genoa (Genova to the Italians) has one of the largest untouched medieval quarters in Europe, lovely churches, great museums, pretty views, and true Ligurian cuisine that's cooked for the discerning locals, not the tourist hoards.

We were there last September, and yes the amount of tourism is overwhelming. Hordes of tourists marching behind tour guides holding flags made it seem a bit like Myrtle Beach. Yet we did manage to find some sublime moments; looking down at the sea from the terraces of our hotel enjoying a picnic of bread and cheese and wine from a local store. Later that evening a dancing in the square to the strains of "Gloria" and finishing the night at a wine bar on the main street of Monterosso sampling grappas and chatting with our waitress. The next day a hike up to the Cappucian Monastery and spending the afternoon at the beach swimming, eating and drinking. In all, it was a lovely time but it takes energy, imagination and luck to find the real Cinque Terra amongst the sea of tourism.

Oh phooey! Please be quiet about this special place. I want to go again and don't want to be fighting the crowds. Selfish I know. I've been very fortunate to travel to many places is this wonderful world and Cinque Terre is near the top. I was in Bali in 1975 and will not go back. I don't want my memories of that place ruined. Better get back to Cinque Terre before it's too late.

This was so poorly explained. I visited the Cinque Terra in the 2002 before the floods and we were able to walk the full trail. But this article is so confusing: are you walking some of it; are you taking some ferries; are you taking a train, if so from where to where and how often does it run? Which towns are now disconnected? Where was the writer staying overnight? I think anyone trying to follow this 36 hour itinerary is going to be hot, frustrated and disappointed.

The Cinque Terre deserve much more than 36 hours. Besides that, I'm not totally sure where Ms. Williams got her restaurant ideas from, but one of the places she is recommending was closed down last year for serious health code violations - it was all over the news. I'm glad they've reopened, but I'd be hesitant to recommend so highly such an establishment after the violations they had. The same 12 restaurants she says are promoted in every guide book are promoted for a reason - there are tons of touristy places here that don't use local product, and everyone here knows which ones are worth visiting. They're popular for a reason.
Also, the accommodations in the cinque terre are all mom and dad, family run businesses, even the hotels - let's not promote the booking,com and trip advisor world monopoly - it's better (and you get better prices) doing a little research and contacting these small businesses yourself.

We stayed at a B&B in Manarola a few years ago and loved it. The last time the NY Times did a 36 hours in Cinque Terra, Trattoria dal Billy was recommended so we made a reservation for our 2nd night there. When we arrived at the B&B, which was up the hill and away from the coastal restaurants, we realized that Trattoria dal Billy was about 75 feet down the path from our B&B. It's on the side of the hill so we went there and loved it. Fresh fish grilled with herbs and spices, great potatoes, and white wine, on the hillside, sitting outside. It was so good, we went there the 3 nights we were there.

This time, the recommendations are to go to Portovenere and La Spezia bay. Do it. Coming into La Spezia bay on a glorious sunny day was fabulous. Glorious. We really loved our stay in Manarola.

I'm fortunate to have been there twice, with different girlfriends, first in late August 1987 and again in April 2002. Both times we stayed in Vernazza, by far my favorite village. I love the harborside piazza, the stairs and the cats. Far more tourists in 2002 than 1987 but we didn't find their numbers overwhelming (probably because it was April instead of summer.) In 1987, we hiked from Monterosso from Vernazza; didn't have time for the rest of the trail. In 2002, we hiked from Vernazza to Riomaggiore. The day after we hiked it the trail was closed due to a Italian woman falling to her death from the trail. While I wouldn't say the trail was scary, there were definitely spots where you had to watch your step. Stayed in a pensione in 1987; didn't like it at all. Stayed in a private room in 2002; very tiny but it overlooked the piazza and we loved it. All this is from 2002: we took the ferry from Monterosso to Portovenere; loved Portovenere, especially the Chiesa di San Pietro. We had to return our rental car in La Spezia. A few doors down from the rental office was a no-frills restaurant with no tourists where we had our best meal. Most romantic (and memorable) meal: at Belforte in Vernazza. Romantic because we were alone inside a candlelit stone watchtower listening to waves crash below through portholes, and memorable because, while reaching across pur table's candle to remove a plate, our waiter's sweater sleeve caught on fire (we played pompiere and put it out.)

It's bordering on irresponsible for the Times to promote travel to the Cinque Terre, which suffers the ill effects of tourism more severely than anywhere else in Italy except Venice. What made this area unique and charming was its remoteness, but those days are gone, never to return.

Stay home. Visit someplace near where you live. Stop traveling all over the world just to say where you have been. It's beautiful, of course, at the Cinque Terre, and now totally overrun with tourists. You missed your chance about 20 years ago to enjoy it. Look at the pictures.

I first explored Cinque Terre 17 years ago. I was determined to go back while I was in Italy this summer. The hordes of tourists were appalling. Italy is being loved to death.
I wouldn't recommend going to CT during the height of tourist season anyway. It's way too hot. When I return, which I will, it will be in early to mid-Spring or mid- to late Fall. Or whenever it isn't raining during the winter. But then the great little restaurants will be closed.
Too bad about how many people there are in the world who can afford to daytrip. But then there are too many people on the planet.

Recently returned home after traveling to Russia and neighboring countries. The last stop was Italy, adding several days to tour the villages along the Italian Riviera. I surrender to youth those villages of the Cinque Terre with its hoard of bathers filling every nook of every rock to capture every ounce of sun. What was cool and quiet was my stay in Lerici, not to far from the maddening crowd by easy transport. It is a relaxing find suggested by a friend, where the sea kisses the sand and time stands still and one can wander through unpopulated narrows without effort.

We went to Cinque Terre planning to spend a few days walking between the different villages, with a day in each. After arriving, we were horrified to find the place overrun with obnoxious, loud American tourists fully outfitted with mountaineering boots with gaiters and walking sticks. It's a regular real Himalayan trek!

Staff at restaurants were generally rude. Food was overpriced and mediocre. There were signs touting the locavore, artisanal food cooperative origins of everything. Uh huh. The entire place seemed and felt artificial. It reminded us of when we were in Marrakesh and saw boxes of goods labeled with Chinese characters being spirited into stores at odd hours.

We decided to change our entire itinerary and leave after one night. The cafe we found wi-fi to change reservations only gives their password if you spend 5€… but with a 20 minute limit. We spent 20€ but had to ask an incredibly nasty waitress several times to get it. We couldn't get away from that place soon enough.

We went to Genoa instead. It's authentic and far cooler! There's fantastic food and shops of clothing by local designers in the twisty alleys of the old town. Sardinian wine, amazing fish. The people were warm and friendly. Can't wait to go back.

My husband and I did the hiking trail twice -- once in the spring, the second time in the fall. It was a spectacular experience. I recommend beginning in Riomaggiore so you will have the sun at your back. The initial blue hiking trail from Riomaggiore to Manarola takes about 20 minutes and is delightful. From Manarola to Corniglia is deceptive because when you think you've reach Corniglia you need to climb way up to the top of the hill -- when we finally did, we flopped ourselves down at a table and asked the waiter to bring us whatever the chef would like. He brought us fresh tomato salad, a baguette of bread followed by pasta (known as priest's ears -- little round discs) al pesto. I asked the waiter why most people were descending to the water instead of climbing upward. He explained there was a nude beach down below.
When we reached Vernazza it was heavenly. Incredibly beautiful. We spent the rest of the afternoon there then walked toward the train station on the outskirts of town. We rode back to our hotel in La Spezia and collapsed after more pasta al pesto and gelato. The next day we rode the train back to Vernazza and continued our hike to Monterosso al Mare. This part of the hike is more dangerous. The vineyards here are nearly vertical and the path is much more rugged.
Two years later we did the blue hiking trail again but took the boat ride around all the villages first and got a better glimpse of Manarola (pictured here) but nothing beats Vernazza.

We went to Cinque Terre 3 years ago in the fall/October. It was simply amazing. We stayed at Corniglia. It didn't feel as touristy as the other villages. We enjoyed our stay at local bed and breakfast with our friendly octogenarian hosts Beppe and Ines. During the day we hiked the beautiful trail, which was not crowded at all. At night we ate at local restaurants (Enoteca con Cucina IL Pirun & A Cantina de Mananan). We had our table for the whole night 3+ hours and ate delicious food. Cinque Terre/Corniglia was the most relaxing part of our Italy trip. So serene. Highly recommended. Try to go in October when it's not packed with tourists. :)

Perhaps the best way to save the area is, don't go there.

Cannot emphasize enough the large numbers of tourists you find everywhere. You cannot get away from the crowds really except in Portovenere.
Best time to go is after the 15th of September and before 1 July if you are not looking for the beach. It is all in the timing.

Beautiful place, but almost comically "americanized". The last time I went there with my wife we decided to walk the rugged paths between the villages during a hot summer day, and all the people we met greeted us with very un-Italian "Hi!", "How ya doin'!" or "How's it going!" which we found extremely amusing.

Apparently the Italians were smart enough not to go hiking in the brutal heat of a summer day, instead enjoying their siesta at the beach while leaving the yankees to get heatstroke in the hills...

Had the great pleasure of visiting for a week in late May. Stayed in Portovenere and hiked between the villages. It was perfect, not crowded with drop-dead vistas. Absolute perfection!

The lead photo is well-chosen, but the town is misidentified as Riomaggiore: it's actually Manarola.

The feature photo is not of Riomaggiore, it is Manarola.

Beautiful place. I went in November and there were few tourists, and great weather for hiking. One correction: The photo at the top of the article is Manarola, not Riomaggiore.

Lovely, but very crowded. Take the advice to visit nearby towns, such as Levanto, Portovenere, Lerici.

Having just returned, the pictures in this article illustrate everything that makes the Cinque Terra so photographical. NOT shown in the photos are the enormous hordes of tourists that makes visiting the area so disappointing.

So I know there must be resources to research, but my first question is does this area operate well off season, such as February? And my second question, can one simply travel the whole area hiking from town to town, using a backpack for one's belongings? I hope the author might give a response, or others that have been there. Thanx!

First visited almost 10 years ago. Recent visit gave proof to it being bombarded by day trippers and tourists in general. 36 hours are insufficient to give these five towns their due. Come late in the year and stay a week to really get the flavor of Cinque Terre.

Summer of 2013, I walked the trail from north to south..Cinque Terre. The trail had been washed out and had yet to be upgraded.

Now come 2016..Because of the demand for walking the 'trail", I understand the walk requires advance ticket purchase due to the demand. Unfortunately, due to the demand, parts of the trails is a "walking freeway" of tourist.

Best bet is late May, early June or September. The train and boat run between most of the five villages..also an excellent option to visit this beautiful part of Italy.

And lastly, as 2016..drove from Bari (ferry from Dubrovnik to Bari). I was surprise how the roads were is dis-repair (except the toll roads). One can readily see the economic "despair" in Italy.

I love Italy. Haven't yet been to Cinque Terre, but it just made my list for next summer . . .

The Cinque Terre is one of the finest, most resplendent, and fascinating places my wife and I have ever visited. To all other visitors: godetele!

It is absurd to complain about "over-tourism" in a series about visiting places in 36 hours.