Bonus town: Levanto
If you have extra time and five towns simply isn’t enough for you, the Cinque Terre Card also allows you to take the train to a pair of neighboring cities—Levanto to the north and La Spezia to the south. It’s a useful option for catching connecting trains to other parts of Italy and Europe or breaking up your Cinque Terre vacation with something a little different.
It’s not a world of difference, but Levanto is bigger than the Cinque Terre towns and it does have a long beach that was mostly uncrowded when I was there. While in Levanto, I also indulged in another Italian food favorite, focaccia. The Ligurian region of Italy (which Cinque Terre and Levanto belong to) specializes in the oven-baked, olive-oil-infused flatbread. And Levanto has at least a couple bakeries that sell focaccia with a variety of toppings.
Check out the delectable focaccia topped with olives, cherry tomatoes and anchovies from Focacceria Il Falcone. Perfect for a quick bite at the nearby beach.
Focacceria Il Falcone on TripAdvisor | Yelp | Foursquare
Bonus town: La Spezia
La Spezia is the largest city in the vicinity and is an enjoyable half- or full-day trip from Cinque Terre. In the heart of town, you’ll find the vibrant La Spezia Food Market. A few blocks down is a fantastic restaurant called Locanda del Mercato. Sit out on the patio, order the heavenly bucatini all’Amatriciana and thank me later.
Locanda del Mercato on TripAdvisor | Yelp | Foursquare | Facebook
Another notable eatery in La Spezia is La Pia Centenaria. They are known for their farinata (Italian chickpea pancake) and their castagnaccio (chestnut cake, pictured here with its maker/baker).
La Pia Centenaria on TripAdvisor | Yelp | Foursquare | Facebook | Official website
