Month guide · Cinque Terre · Italy
Cinque Terre in January
What January is really like in Cinque Terre: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves . Feel free to use my photos, but please ment, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 12°C (54°F), lows of 5°C (41°F), about 8 rainy days and roughly 9.2 hours of daylight. Quiet and mild, with many restaurants and hotels closed; trains still run and Manarola's hillside nativity is lit at night.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 12°C (54°F) / 5°C (41°F)
- Rainy days
- About 8
- Daylight
- About 9.2 hours
- Sea temperature
- 14°C (57°F)
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Weather in January
January is the coolest month in Cinque Terre: days average 12°C (54°F) against a yearly average high of 20°C (68°F), and nights fall to about 5°C (41°F). Rain falls on roughly 8 of its 31 days. Compared with December (13°C (55°F)), January is about as warm; by February highs stay near 13°C (55°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 07:53
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 17:08
- Daylight
- About 9.2 hours
- Sea
- 14°C (57°F)
Winter (December–February). Quiet, mild and partly closed, with the Manarola light nativity and clear days for walking when the paths are open.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 1 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 1 for hotel prices (highest in July). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- Manarola light nativity (usually until late January)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Waterfront · Vernazza
Vernazza harbour
For the postcard shot, walk a few minutes up the Sentiero Azzurro towards Corniglia and look back down on the harbour.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Free
- Couples
- Views
Viewpoint · Manarola
Manarola and Punta Bonfiglio
Manarola's tower houses spill down to a harbour of rocks and boats, and the paved path north around the headland to Punta Bonfiglio, with a small park and the village cemetery above, gives the famous view back across the village.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
- Free
Neighbourhood · Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore
Take the path along the rocks just south of the harbour for the best view back at the village, especially in evening light.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Photo spot
- Free
- Views
- History
Neighbourhood · Monterosso al Mare
Monterosso old town and Fegina
Monterosso's old town has the black-and-white striped Church of San Giovanni Battista, an oratory of a medieval confraternity and a hill crowned by a Capuchin convent, while the Fegina seafront has the longest beach in the Cinque Terre.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Outdoors
- History
What to pack
For highs near 12°C, lows near 5°C and 8 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Cinque Terre?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, May–June and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Cinque Terre in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is January a good time to visit Cinque Terre?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Quiet and mild, with many restaurants and hotels closed; trains still run and Manarola's hillside nativity is lit at night.
+How warm is Cinque Terre in January?
Average highs are around 12°C (54°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Cinque Terre in January?
Expect rain on about 8 days of the month.