Shopping · Cinque Terre · Italy
Shopping in Cinque Terre
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
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
Shopping is small-scale: local wine, pesto, anchovies, lemon products and olive oil in village shops, with a wider choice of fashion and everyday shops in La Spezia. Best souvenirs: Sciacchetrà, Cinque Terre DOC wine and Pesto and Ligurian olive oil.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 3
- Markets
- 1
- Top souvenir
- Sciacchetrà
Where to shop
Monterosso old town
Lanes of food shops selling pesto, anchovies, lemon products and local wine, plus a few clothing boutiques.
Via del Prione, La Spezia
La Spezia's main pedestrian shopping street, with Italian chains and independent shops.
Via Colombo, Riomaggiore
The village main street, with wine shops, delis and small art studios.
Markets
Mercato di Piazza Cavour, La Spezia
The city's covered market for fish, mussels, produce and cheese, busiest in the morning.
What to buy
Sciacchetrà
Half-bottles of the rare sweet wine, the most prized local product.
Cinque Terre DOC wine
Bottles of the dry local white from small terrace producers.
Pesto and Ligurian olive oil
Jars of pesto and bottles of Riviera Ligure DOP olive oil; check liquid limits for hand luggage.
Salted anchovies
Jars of Monterosso anchovies preserved in salt or oil.
Lemon products
Limoncino liqueur, lemon jam and soaps made with lemons grown on the terraces.
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Focaccia, Vegetable pie, Cinque Terre DOC white and Sciacchetrà. Bakeries and focaccerie in every village and in La Spezia; buy it by the slice. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Vernazza | $$$$ | Postcard harbour village with a castle tower and a tiny beach |
| Corniglia | $$ | Hilltop village above the sea, the only one without a harbour |
| Manarola | $$$$ | Vineyard-framed village tumbling down to a rocky harbour |
| La Spezia | $$ | Port city and rail hub with lower prices, minutes from the villages |
| Levanto | $$ | Relaxed beach town at the northern end of the line |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Tipping is not expected and a coperto is often charged; rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated.
- Buy the Cinque Terre card only for days when you hike or make several train hops; on other days use single tickets.
- Lunch on focaccia, farinata and fruit from village shops, and save restaurants for dinner.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February and November; the busiest months are July–August.
- May: Sagra del Limone — lemon festival in Monterosso (usually May)
Staying near the shops
$$ · Best for budget, first-timers, food lovers and shopping
La Spezia
Port city and rail hub with lower prices, minutes from the villages
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Cinque Terre?
Sciacchetrà, Cinque Terre DOC wine, Pesto and Ligurian olive oil and Salted anchovies.
+Where is the best shopping in Cinque Terre?
Monterosso old town: Lanes of food shops selling pesto, anchovies, lemon products and local wine, plus a few clothing boutiques.
+What are the best markets in Cinque Terre?
Mercato di Piazza Cavour, La Spezia.