Sentiero Azzurro, hiking trail in Italy

The Sentiero Azzurro is a walking trail that winds about 12 kilometers along the Cinque Terre coast and connects five villages. It comprises old mule tracks, stone steps, and pathways, some carved into rock, passing along the waterfront, through village centers, and over hilltops offering sea views.

The route follows paths local inhabitants used to walk between the five villages; it is now listed as CAI route 592, formerly SVA2. The Riomaggiore–Manarola stretch, the Via dell'Amore, was closed on 24 September 2012 after a landslide injured five Australian tourists, and reopened in summer 2024. The Manarola–Corniglia section has been closed since 2013.

The Sentiero Azzurro has connected the five villages for centuries and served as the main route for locals to travel for work and trade. Along the way, visitors can see terraced fields with grapevines, dry stone walls, and colorful houses that show how people adapted to and shaped the steep coastal landscape.

The trail is walkable year-round but is best explored in stages over several days, as the complete route takes about five hours. Wear sturdy footwear, bring water, and be careful on narrow sections and slippery spots, especially when wet.

A section of the trail called the Via dell'Amore is carved into cliffs and was originally built to keep explosives away from homes during railway work. This scenic route with direct sea views has become a favorite with visitors, though it occasionally closes due to ground stability.