Things to do in Manarola

Manarola is the second village north from Riomaggiore. By most votes, it is also the most photographed. Houses in ochre and pink stack straight up a cliff above a harbour with no beach at all.

Volastra's hill people settled here in the twelfth century. They came down for the sea and for the vines terraced above it.

The village and its wine

Those terraces still grow the grapes for Sciacchetrà, a sweet wine made from partly dried bunches. Roman writers already praised the wine of this coast. That was long before the village existed in its current form.

There is no sand here, no promenade either. Boats sit winched up the harbour ramp, and swimming means stepping off the rocks at the end of it.

Via dell'Amore and getting here

• Via dell'Amore. The cliffside path to Riomaggiore reopened in 2024 after twelve years shut for repairs; entry now runs in timed thirty-minute slots.
• By train. Manarola sits on the same line as the other four villages, two minutes from Riomaggiore and a few more to Corniglia.
• By boat. Most of the boat tours along this stretch of coast, including the sunset runs, are sold from La Spezia rather than from Manarola's own small harbour.

Practical

• Sunset point. Punta Bonfiglio, the headland above the cemetery, is where the whole village lines up cameras before dusk.
• Steps. The village is built on a slope with no flat ground; leave the wheeled suitcase behind.
• Weather. Summer runs near 28C with the sea around 24C; winter days stay near 12C, and heavy autumn rain is what closes the trails.
• Booking ahead. The Via dell'Amore slots and the better wine tastings sell out in summer.
• Trail closures. The Corniglia side of the coastal path shuts often after landslides. Check before setting out.