Things to do in Manarola (then come up for lunch)

Start with the water. Below the village there is no beach, only rocks, and that is where everybody swims — flat ledges on the seaward side of the marina, deep water a step away, and ladders bolted into the stone for getting out. Go early, before the day-trippers come down from the station.

Then walk. The path up behind the village climbs through the vineyards to Volastra, one stone step at a time, and you are in the terraces within ten minutes: dry-stone walls, vines, and the sea falling away behind you. It is steep and it is worth it. If you would rather stay low, the coastal path towards Riomaggiore leaves from the marina — check locally before setting out, as access on that stretch is sometimes timed.

The other four villages are twenty minutes apart by train, and from Easter to autumn the ferries run along the coast as well — the boats are slower and much better looking. Riomaggiore, Vernazza and Monterosso all reward an afternoon, and the last train back to Manarola runs late enough for dinner.

And if you are here in December, you will see why the map on this site marks the Presepe: the hillside above the village is lit up with hundreds of figures, built by hand over the years by the people who live here. It is the one time of year the terraces are more famous than the wine.

Whichever you choose, come up to us afterwards. We are five minutes above the marina, and lunch runs until three.