Cinque Terre Packing List for Hiking in the Summer

Cinque Terre is one of the wonders of Italy. It consists of 5 lovely coastal villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Moreover, one of the best ways to explore this area is hiking the Cinque Terre paths. Last June, I hiked a large part of the Cinque Terre hike in one day. In this post, I will share my recommendations for your Cinque Terre Packing List if you’re travelling to Cinque Terre during the summer months. (However, I hope this packing list will still be helpful if you travel during a different season.)

Cinque Terre Packing List

A comfortable backpack

Since you’ll likely by hiking for a couple of hours, it’s important to wear a comfortable backpack. I recommend wearing a hiking backpack that has a waist buckle, such as this Camel Crown backpack. Don’t bring a backpack that it is too big, since it will only hinder you while hiking!

If you’re looking for a backpack that you can use for hiking and for everyday use, I would recommend the Herschel Supply Co. Little America Backpack. It doesn’t have a waist buckle and may be a bit large. However, the contoured shoulder straps and air mesh back padding provide extra comfort. I took this backpack with me on my 2-day trip to North Wales and it served me well (actually, it still serves me well, I love this backpack!).

Shoes

I recommend wearing hiking boots on the Cinque Terre paths, such as these Timberland Hiking Boots. When you’re wearing hiking boots, you’ll have more grip on the sometimes uneven terrain. Moreover, when wearing hiking boots, I almost never have sore feat, whereas I get sore feet very easily when walking long distances in my regular shoes. Important: don’t forget the hiking socks!

Sports wear

When I hiked the Cinque Terre path, I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. However, after 30 minutes I was already sweaty all over. At the end of my hike, my t-shirt was completely drenched. That wasn’t great. Don’t be like me and dress at least in a sports top on a hot day.

A reusable water bottle

One of the necessary things on your Cinque Terre packing list is a reusable water bottle. Even when you start early, you’ll be thirsty from the hike in no time and it’s important to stay hydrated. I love my Dopper reusable water bottle (I’ve got a bright green one). Also, their mission is a very important one:

Dopper wants to live in a world where people are aware of the environment, where we actively reduce single-use plastic waste, and where everyone, close to home and far away, has access to safe and fresh drinking water.

So, you’ll support the environment as well when you buy a reusable water bottle! However, fountains with potable water aren’t always easy to find. I couldn’t find them in Vernazza, but I saw three of them in Corniglia. Keep your eyes out for fountains and make sure to fill your bottle beforehand.

Snacks

Make sure to take enough snacks with you, since there are almost no restaurants on the path. You can have ice cream, lunch, and dinner in one of the Cinque Terre villages. Still, make sure to have something to snack for when you start to feel hungry on the hike.

Swimwear

If you’re looking for a Cinque Terre packing list for the summer months, be sure to take your bikini or swim shorts with you. Cinque Terre isn’t famous for its beaches, but the opportunity might arise in Vernazza or Riomaggiore. Make sure to take a Quick Dry Towel (that almost doesn’t take up any space) with you as well.

More items on your Cinque Terre packing list

• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Camera/phone with camera
• Some cash (it’s not always possible to pay by card)
• Map of the paths (if you plan to take the longer path from Corniglia to Manarola)

Something important missing on this list? Let me know in the comments!

Tips for hiking Cinque

• Start your hike in Monterosso al Mare and end in Riomaggiore. This way, you’ll start with the toughest part of the hike. The hike will get easier later on.
• Start early! It can become very hot as the day wears on and you’ll get tired from the heat. Also, hiking in the heat isn’t very healthy. Moreover, if you start early, you’ll have more time to explore the villages.
• Don’t hike with all your luggage! I would recommend storing your luggage in Monterosso at the “Lavarapido” laundry (Via Molinelli, 17), which costs 5 euros per bag.
• Check whether the trail is open. When I visited Cinque Terre in June 2018, the lower path from Corniglia to Manarola was closed, as were both paths from Manarola to Riomaggiore.

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