Cinque Terre in June: all you need to know for a perfect stay

Cinque Terre in June Travel Guide: Cinque Terre weather, crowds overview, best things to do, transport and accommodation tips.

June is a wonderful month to visit Cinque Terre, one of the best!

In June, the weather in Cinque Terre is sunny yet not scorching hot (yet!), so you can explore with ease, and rain is possible but usually light and short-lived; this means you have a high chance of being able to take boat tours, go hiking and possibly even swim!

I love traveling around Italy in June and last year I brought the kids to Cinque Terre for a June weekend.

We had the best time and we got all that June in Cinque Terre can throw at you: sun, rain, calm waters, stormy waters… we had them all, and made the most of them all!

One the basis of our experience in Cinque Terre, this is our guide to planning a trip to Cinque Terre in June.

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The weather in Cinque Terre in June

June weather in June Cinque terre is normally sunny, with the occasional rain shower.

Average temperatures during the day over around 22C/72F, which means you can expect to be in short sleeves but not in sweltering heat.

The beginning of the month tends to see the lowest temperatures and is a time when you may still need a cardigan at night, while the end of the month tends to have proper summer temperatures and not require a top layer.

The sea tends to be still a little chilly at the beginning of the month, suitable for swimming if you are used to cold waters (but way too cold if you’re used to Caribbean type temperatures), and gets increasingly warmer as the month progresses.

While the sea is never properly warm in Cinque Terre, late June is usually swimming season.

June is usually a good time for boat tours and ferry tours to see the Terre from the water.

Sea conditions, however, vary, and this may have a significant impact on sightseeing plans.

Due to the rocky nature on the coast, some of the docking areas are not usable during stormy weather and ferry cancellations are possible even in June. We learned this during our last stay: on one of the days, the seas was too dangerous for docking in most of the towns and the only open harbors were Monterosso and Porto Venere.

This was not a big issue as we got a discount on the ticket and we were able to take the train to the other towns instead, but it is definitely worth knowing it can happen.

In June, it may rain in Cinque Terre and it can be a drizze or a downpour. We got both last June!

However, we also got a glorious day so, if visiting Cinque Terre in June it is a good idea to be prepared for rain or shine yet not despair if you say a rain forecast – it’s beautiful anyway and it may open up!

For packing tips, find here >>> my packing list for Cinque Terre

The Crowds in June in Cinque Terre

Overcrowding is a problem in Cinque Terre in peak season; however, I am happy to report we found crowds in June to be at an acceptable level during the week.

At the weekend, however, the situation changed.

While we found the towns to be quiet and livable on Thursday and Friday, come Saturday morning, we noticed a significantly higher number of visitors and found the train stations packed.

This is because as well as overseas visitors, at the weekend Italians come to the coast as well, especially from Milan area, which everyone tries to escape on their days off!

This was not enough to ruin the experience. However, if you have a choice of day of the week, there is no doubt: weekdays are the least crowded in Cinque Terre and the best time to go.

The best things to do in Cinque Terre in June

June is tourism season in Cinque Terre and you will be able to enjoy all that Cinqe Terre has to offer!

In particular, I recommend you:

Stroll around the towns

A stroll around the pretty villages of Cinque Terre is the simplest and mos budget-friendly way to enjoy this area and a fantastic opportunity to feel the atmosphere of this lovely part of the country.

The five Cinque Terre towns have a lot in common with one another yet they also have distinctive traits that make each worth exploring.

Monterosso is larger, flatter and has a beach, so you have a strong vacation vibe and a very family-friendly atmosphere. Find our guide here

Manarola is scenic and has a scenic viewpoint that attracts photography enthusiasts from all over the world.

Vernazza is romantic and a favorite spot for aperitivo

Riomaggiore is popular with college students and has a young vibe

Corniglia is quiet and scenic, only getting a fraction of the visitors than the others, do to the hundreds of steps into the town!

Each town is special in its own way and this is why different people tend to have a different favorite. To find your own favorite, the only way it so see them all! (See below for how to do it)

See the Terre from the water

Cinque Terre are fishing villages perched on spectacular sea cliffs; therefore, they are spectacular from the water!

There are two ways to see Cinque Terre from the sea:

Take the ferries that operate as shuttles between the towns. The ferries are excellent, pleasant and cheap. (see below how to get hold of ferry tickets)

Take a boat tour with swimming stops. This second option is the most costly but also the most pleasant. However, I recommend you take the seasons into account if planning on swimming in June in this area.

Especially at the start of the month and far from the shore, water can be a little chilly so, if you are used to warm waters, you may want to be prepared for, potentially, a bit of a shock!

If going with children, you may want to prepare them to avoid disappointment.

My favorite boat tour in Cinque Terre is this Cinque Terre Boat Tour by LivTours: an excellent experience with one of the best tour operators in Italy, perfect for a quiet, top end day on the water (private boat / up to 6 people only)

Go for a hike

Cinque Terre is famous for its hiking trails connecting the towns and June is a lovely time to tackle them.

Trails are proper mountain path and require some planning.

In particular, you want to:

Have proper hiking gear: the trails are proper mountain terrain, they are steep and some strenuous. Proper hiking shoes are a must, as well as water, sunglasses and anything you normally carry on a serious hike.

Check closures: in June, Cinque Terre trails are usually open but always check at the local info points.

The trails face regular closures because of wether and the need for maintenance. You can keep an eye online here; however, always also check on the day before venturing up.

Get your hiking permit: access to some trails is regulated and required a permit. You can get it here.

Catch a view

CInque terre have some spectacular view points.

Among the best spots to catch a view in Cinque Terre there are:

Manarola – follow the road up from the port, towards Nessun Dorma restaurant, to catch the iconic Manarola view (top tip for families: there is a fab playground here too!)

Vernazza: from the town center, follow the sings to the trails to the other towns. You’ll find yourself climbing up stairs (some are rather steep) but before you get to the trails proper, you’ll get stunning views of the promontory and the port!

Riomaggiore: the iconic view of Riomaggiore is from the right of the harbor, just follow the road up from the port and you’ll get it!

Take a pesto cooking class

Cinque Terre and the region they are in, Liguria, are famous for pesto and, in Manarola, there is a place where you can learn to make it!

The place is called Nessun Dorma, it is located in a wonderfully scenic spot and the class is fun. The pasta is, of course, as delicious as you can imagine fresh pest to be!

Explore nearby towns

If you have more than a day in Cinque Terre, it is worth exploring beyond the famous five.

Places I recommend you seek you in June are:

Levanto – lovely and local, her you can also rent bikes to goto Bonassola along a dismissed railway line

Portovenere – one of the prettiest towns you will ever see, with colorful houses and stunning coastal location

How to get to Cinque Terre

You can reach Cinque Terre directly from:

La Spezia, the main getaway town to the area, connected to Cinque Terre by train and ferry. La Spezia is the most common and easiest entry point into the Cinque Terre national park and a pleasant town and it is convenient by all means of trasport: the train station and the port about 15 minutes walk from one another across the town.

Milan is much further than la Spezia, but has a direct train into Monterosso in the good season. You can find the schedule on the train provider website trenitalia.com

Genova, also further than la Spezia but connected by several trains to the Cinque Terre towns.

If you are traveling from further afield you may find the following guides useful:

The nearest airport to Cinque Terre

How to get to Cinque Terre from Rome

How to get around Cinque Terre

In June, you can get around Cinque Terre in three main ways:

Train – this is the most popular way to move around Cinque Terre.

Trains connect the cities in a matter of minutes and operate, effectively, a little like public transport in a city: once you have your ticket, you can hop on: no need to secure seats in advance or make reservations.

You can buy tickets on your phone on the trenitalia.com website, or get your ticket or even a pass at the station once on location.

Ferry – ferries are an excellent way to explore Cinque Terre and they are operational in June.

The schedule is done in such a way that you can see all towns in a day, should you want to, and they have a open deck at the top which is wonderful to catch views.

While not a luxury ride, the ferries are nice and have the basic facilities you need for a these short distances.

You can find here >>> Cinque Terre ferry schedule

There is usually no need to buy tickets in advance. We have traveled Cinque Terre by ferry in all crowds conditions, including exceptionally busy August days and always managed to get tickets there and then.

Of course, this is never guaranteed but I think it is useful to know it is not usually an activity that requires months of planning.

Where to stay

Cinque Terre has a limited supply of hotel and a more generous offering of private apartments. For a two night stay, I am fond of hotels and my recommendations are:

Hotel Villa Adriana, in Monterosso, a lovely hotel with pool and restaurant, walking distance from Monterosso beach, the best beach in Cinque Terre. Family rooms available.

Hotel Baia, in Monterosso, nice hotel close to the beach and the station, a handy base for exploring the area

Hotel Marina, in Monterosso, charming hotel close to the beach, suitable especially for couples.

I recommend Monterosso due to the choice of hotels there, but if you want to consider other towns, I have here >>> my guide to the best town to stay in Cinque Terre.

Cinque Terre in June itinerary

I recommend you spend at least 2 nights in Cinque Terre in June.

This way, you can spend a few hours in each of the towns, take a half day boat tour and also venture to the towns nearby or hike.

Our Cinque Terre itinerary is as follows:

First evening: settle at your accommodation, explore your town of choice (we stayed in Levanto)

First day: use train and ferry to visit 3/4 of the towns – in our case, we visited Manarola, Vernazza, Corniglia and Monterosso.

Second full day: visit Porto Venere, then departure via La Spezia.

I hope you enjoyed this quick overview of Cinque Terre in June and it helped you plan your trip! Safe travel planning!