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Weather Overview for Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre (‘Five Lands’) is as unique as the name suggests. Being one of Italy’s unique and beautiful locations, Cinque Terre is a stretch of serrated cliffs spanning 18km on the Linguria Riviera and home to five villages@ Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Between these villages lie scenic mountains filled with rustic dry-stone wall vineyards and abundant olive groves, which have provided income for an economy of farmers and wine growers over the centuries.

Cinque Terre was bestowed a UNESCO World Heritage Site listing in 1997. Undisturbed by modern development and traffic, with locals adamant to keep it that way; only a certain number of tourists are allowed to visit each season. The status has prevented the area from environmental destruction and has predominantly helped Cinque Terra retain its unique charm. Farmers and wine growers still use monorail mechanisms as a means to ferry goods, and grape harvesting is still sometimes done by boat to reach the cultured terraced hillsides.

Cinque Terre boasts a protected marine area and became a national park in 1999. The train system connects each village with each other; about 5 minutes apart through tunnels. The village itself has an electrical bus system and each village has its own distinct appeal. For the adventurous traveller, the best way to experience and discover each village is to follow a trail of sunny villas from the far end of Riomaggiore to Monterosso, spending more than six hours in each stop if you don’t have that much of time, or spending a day or two in each stop.

Planning ahead is always necessary, and with Cinque Terre, it’s almost crucial. Each of its villages has rooms to rent, though you would need to book these rooms in advance in Riomaggiore where you will find several booking offices.

Climate

Cinque Terre enjoys mild Mediterranean weather, much like other Italian coastal towns such as La Spezia and Portofino, which is perfect for beautiful walks between the picturesque villages. Rainfall is moderate during the summer but frequent during autumn and spring. The best time to enjoy Cinque Terre is from mid March to the end of October. Some hotels and restaurants tend to close from November to March when the weather gets colder. Due to the influx in tourists over the years, the restaurants, bars, pubs and hotels have made a collective system to open at least one eatery in each village per day all year round.

Spring / Summer

Summer  is Cinque Terre’s peak season and the best time for hiking and walking, although heavy rains can occur. The summer months signal celebrations of the many patron saints in all five villages. North winds from the Alpine mountains provide a cool breeze and clear the humidity in the air. The highest recorded humidity is about 65 per cent. July to August is when temperatures rise and one can expect daytime temperatures to reach up to 28°C and nighttime temperatures drop slightly to 18°C.

Sunshine has an average of 13 hours per day whereas rain fall is averaged at about three to four days a month, and the amount of precipitation recorded has been about 18mm to 22mm. Wind speed from July to August can reach about 46kph, and average between 5kph to 8kph on a daily basis. Since Cinque Terre is a coastal location, temperatures of the sea are around 24°C, which provides warm and pleasant swimming conditions.

Autumn / Winter

November and March tend to be cold. If you are in Cinque Terre during the winter, don’t miss out on the chance to see the world’s biggest lit Nativity in Manarola, which takes place from 8 December to the last week of January.

Daytime temperatures in Cinque Terre at the start of winter go down to 24°C and nighttime temperatures can drop to 15°C. Temperatures gradually decrease as the months go by with December recording the lowest daytime temperature of 12°C and nighttime temperatures of 5°C.

Rainfall during the colder months have recorded a higher number of precipitation, from 74mm to 84mm. Rainfall is about 9 days per month. Sunny days are about 5 hours per day in December with wind speed of 9kph or 5 knots. Foggy conditions are to be expected from October onwards with at least one day each month.