The sea temperature at Cinque Terre today is 21.6 °C (71 °F) – cold to refreshing water, better for a short swim. The usual October average is 21.3 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea has cooled from 25.2 °C to 21.6 °C. Swimmable from May to November, when the sea averages 18 °C or more. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14.2°C / 57.6°F | 14.4°C / 58.0°F | 14.8°C / 58.6°F |
| February | 13.4°C / 56.1°F | 13.6°C / 56.4°F | 13.8°C / 56.9°F |
| March | 13.5°C / 56.3°F | 13.9°C / 57.0°F | 14.3°C / 57.7°F |
| April | 14.6°C / 58.2°F | 15.3°C / 59.5°F | 16.0°C / 60.8°F |
| May | 17.3°C / 63.1°F | 18.6°C / 65.4°F | 19.5°C / 67.1°F |
| June | 21.8°C / 71.2°F | 23.4°C / 74.0°F | 24.5°C / 76.0°F |
| July | 25.3°C / 77.5°F | 26.3°C / 79.4°F | 27.4°C / 81.3°F |
| August | 25.4°C / 77.7°F | 26.6°C / 79.9°F | 28.0°C / 82.3°F |
| September | 24.0°C / 75.1°F | 24.3°C / 75.8°F | 24.8°C / 76.6°F |
| October | 20.8°C / 69.4°F | 21.3°C / 70.4°F | 22.1°C / 71.8°F |
| November | 18.2°C / 64.7°F | 18.7°C / 65.6°F | 19.6°C / 67.3°F |
| December | 15.5°C / 59.9°F | 15.9°C / 60.6°F | 16.3°C / 61.3°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5.4°C / 41.7°F | 6.5°C / 43.8°F | 8.6°C / 47.5°F |
| February | 6.0°C / 42.8°F | 7.8°C / 46.1°F | 10.5°C / 50.9°F |
| March | 6.6°C / 43.9°F | 9.4°C / 49.0°F | 12.5°C / 54.5°F |
| April | 8.7°C / 47.7°F | 11.8°C / 53.2°F | 14.8°C / 58.6°F |
| May | 12.6°C / 54.7°F | 15.7°C / 60.3°F | 18.5°C / 65.3°F |
| June | 17.4°C / 63.4°F | 21.0°C / 69.7°F | 24.1°C / 75.4°F |
| July | 19.6°C / 67.4°F | 23.4°C / 74.0°F | 26.8°C / 80.2°F |
| August | 19.7°C / 67.5°F | 23.4°C / 74.1°F | 27.1°C / 80.8°F |
| September | 16.2°C / 61.2°F | 19.0°C / 66.2°F | 22.2°C / 72.0°F |
| October | 13.3°C / 56.0°F | 15.4°C / 59.8°F | 18.0°C / 64.5°F |
| November | 8.8°C / 47.8°F | 10.3°C / 50.6°F | 12.6°C / 54.6°F |
| December | 6.6°C / 43.8°F | 7.7°C / 45.9°F | 9.6°C / 49.2°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Cinque Terre holidays
Cinque Terre means "five lands": Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, five villages on a steep stretch of the Ligurian coast north-west of La Spezia. Their coloured houses, terraced vineyards and cliff paths are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a national park, and cars are kept out of the village centres.
Beaches
Monterosso has the largest beach in the area, with sandy and pebbly stretches split between the old village and the Fegina side by the railway station, and facilities for families. Vernazza has a small harbour beach, while at Manarola and Riomaggiore swimmers step off the rocks and concrete platforms into deep, clear water. Corniglia sits on a cliff about a hundred metres above the sea and is reached from its station by a long flight of steps. The sea temperature on this page is measured off Vernazza.
Things to do
The Sentiero Azzurro, the coastal path between the five villages, is the classic walk; its paid sections need a Cinque Terre Card, and parts can stay closed for long periods after landslides, so it is worth checking the national park's trail status first. The Via dell'Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola reopened in 2024 after a landslide closed it for twelve years, with timed entry. Higher paths climb through the vineyards to sanctuaries above each village. In Vernazza, the tower of the Doria castle looks over the harbour; in Monterosso, a large statue of Neptune known as Il Gigante stands above Fegina beach. Boats between the villages give the best view of them from the sea, and Portovenere lies just beyond La Spezia.
Weather and best time to visit
The sea at Cinque Terre warms fastest from May to June, by about 5 °C (9 °F) in one month.
Summer brings day-trippers and cruise passengers, and trains and paths are crowded from late morning. Spring and autumn suit walking better, with fewer people and cooler days. Heavy autumn rain can close trails, as the 2011 floods in Vernazza and Monterosso showed.
Hotels and where to stay
The villages have few hotels and many rooms and apartments, so booking early matters. Monterosso has the widest choice and the beach, while Vernazza and Manarola are smaller and quieter at night. La Spezia and Levanto, at either end of the line, are cheaper bases with frequent trains.
Signature hotels: Hotel Porto Roca (Monterosso al Mare)
Airport and getting there
Pisa Airport (PSA) and Genoa Airport (GOA) are each roughly 100 km away; from both, trains run via La Spezia or Levanto. Frequent regional trains between La Spezia and Levanto stop at all five villages, and from spring to autumn ferries link Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore with La Spezia and Portovenere; Corniglia, high on its cliff, has no boat landing.