March vs May

Strong option

Early spring — the hillsides greening up, light improving, and still very few visitors.

• ↑The terraced vineyards above all five villages begin to show new growth in March and the lemon and citrus orchards are in blossom. The hillside walks that avoid the coastal trail — notably the routes above Corniglia and Manarola — are fully open and offer the Cinque Terre landscape at its freshest.
• ↑Restaurant owners are happy to see visitors and will recommend dishes and take time with guests in a way that is simply impossible in summer. The focaccia at Frantoio Rolla in Monterosso, the anchovies from Vernazza — this food is always good, but March is when you can actually appreciate it.

Best match

The locals' answer to "when should I visit" — warm, golden, and not yet overwhelmed.

• ↑May is the month that regular Cinque Terre visitors and the Italian tourism industry alike consider the sweet spot. Temperatures hit 21°C in the warmth of the day; the sea turns properly blue and swimmable by late May; the coastal trail between all five villages is fully open for the first time of the year. The light is warm and golden, mornings smell of wildflowers and salt air, and the grape vines are in new leaf on the terraces above.
• ↑Crowds are present but manageable. Vernazza and Manarola fill between 11am and 4pm with day-trippers, but they are navigable in a way that July and August are not. Book restaurants for 8pm rather than 7pm and you will find the villages genuinely pleasant. The Osteria Frantoio in Monterosso and Dau Cila in Riomaggiore can still be walked into without a week's reservation.