7 Most Instagrammable Spots in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre's Southernmost Village

Riomaggiore is the southernmost of the five villages that make up Cinque Terre on Italy's Ligurian coast, and for travellers arriving by train from La Spezia, usually the first one reached. Its houses, painted in the ochre, pink and yellow typical of the coast, are stacked tightly up a narrow ravine behind a small working harbour, a layout that keeps almost everything within a short walk and makes it one of the more efficient of the five villages to photograph properly in a single visit.

1. The harbour and breakwater

The classic Riomaggiore shot: small fishing boats pulled up on the ramp, coloured houses rising behind them, and a breakwater giving a clear vantage point back toward the village. Early morning, before the day-trip crowds and boat traffic build up, is the quietest time to shoot it.

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2. The view from the sea, looking back at the village

Riomaggiore's stacked houses are best appreciated from the water, either from a short boat trip or the ferries that run between Cinque Terre's villages in season; the ravine setting that's hard to capture from land reads clearly from just offshore.

3. Via Colombo, the main street

The village's pedestrian main street runs down the ravine toward the harbour, lined with tall, narrow buildings in typical Ligurian colours; it's the connective shot that links most of Riomaggiore's other viewpoints together.

4. Riomaggiore Castle

A 13th-century fortification above the village, later used as a cemetery, the castle grounds give an elevated view back over Riomaggiore's rooftops and out to the sea, with fewer crowds than the harbour level below.

5. The start of the Via dell'Amore

The famous cliffside path toward Manarola has been repeatedly closed for repairs after landslide damage, so check current access before planning around it; even from its Riomaggiore end, where it's usually open as a short viewing point, the coastal outlook is one of the area's better-known frames.

6. The train station tunnel entrance

Riomaggiore's station sits at sea level with a short tunnel connecting it to the village above; the contrast between the plain modern tunnel and the colourful village it opens onto has become its own small, offbeat photo stop.

7. Sanctuary of Montenero

A hilltop church above the village reached by a steeper uphill walk or a longer road route, Montenero trades the compact harbour views for a wider outlook across Riomaggiore's ravine and the coastline beyond, with far fewer visitors making the climb.

Traveller tips

• La Spezia is the main rail gateway to Cinque Terre; local trains connect all five villages, and driving into Riomaggiore itself is heavily restricted.
• A Cinque Terre Card covers park access and, in some versions, train travel between the villages; buy it before arriving to save time.
• Late spring and early autumn avoid the worst of the summer crowds and heat on the coastal paths.
• Check the status of the Via dell'Amore and other cliffside trails locally, as sections are periodically closed for landslide repairs.