10 Things to Do in Cinque Terre in April

Throughout the year, the best things to see and do in Cinque Terre are constantly changing and that has to do with the fact that several activities are only available in high season while others depend directly on the weather to be able to take place. Fortunately for you, there is the fact that during the month of April several of these plans are suitable.

Keep reading this post, as this way you will find out about several concrete plans that can be part of your travel itinerary. These will be even more recommendable if it is a visit of more than 48 or 72 hours in which you need several entertainment alternatives so that you can invest your time and money wisely.

Although Holy Week is a holiday that does not have a specific date, every year it usually takes place in mid to late April. For this reason, if your visit to Cinque Terre coincides with the most important dates for Catholicism, you cannot miss the privilege of observing how religious traditions are celebrated in the five villages that make up this region declared World Heritage Site by Unesco.

Vernazza and Riomaggiore are the two villages that I would recommend you to visit during your trip if you coincide with the dates of the week. This is due to the fact that they both have churches with processions along the small main streets which are full of shops and visitors.

Chances are that depending on the exact time you visit both sites you will find open air masses and there may also be celebrations by the youth as the night draws in. This knowing that Easter has also become synonymous with springtime fun for the younger generation in countries such as Italy.

However, be aware that if a three day visit to Cinque Terre happens to coincide with Easter then you will have to deal with an increased influx of tourists due to the fact that many people choose to make pilgrimages throughout the five villages as part of their religious traditions. This is an event that you shouldn't miss out on because of its cultural importance which is ultimately what you want to see when trying to learn about the places you visit around the world.

You should also know that these are perfect days to partake in some of the best nightlife in Cinque Terre. Especially as bars and restaurants often have special drinks to commemorate this date. Reinventions of the Negroni, the Bellini and the Apperol Spritz are some examples of these representative drinks of Italian cocktails.

On the other hand, there is the fact that during the month of April the temperatures of the Mediterranean Sea start to warm up and the weather in general is much more favourable due to the proximity of summer. Therefore, it is very likely that during your visit to Cinque Terre you will be interested in the idea of enjoying a day at the beach and, despite the fact that four of the five villages in this national park have direct access to the coast, it is still true that an excursion to Portovenere is something you should not miss.

This is due to the fact that April is the least crowded month of the year and means you can enjoy the beaches in complete peace and quiet, as well as wander the streets without having to deal with crowds of visitors.

This also affects the price of tourist services in this town at the southern end of the Cinque Terre National Park. An excellent way to get to know this site during the month of April is by a guided tour. Even more so knowing that this way you are guaranteed to be served in restaurants and commercial establishments even though it is the last days of the low season.

Another Italian tradition that occurs during the month of April and that you can enjoy during your visit to Cinque Terre is April Fool's Day. This date takes place on the first day of this month and basically follows the same patterns as in the rest of the world, that is, all the participants of the tradition usually play pranks on each other. Always knowing that people who are aware of the date and its meaning will understand that it is a very innocent activity.

Pesce d'Aprile is a way of saying this date specifically in the coastal regions of the country such as Liguria and it has to do with the fact that in the past a quite common joke was to stick a fish on people's backs without them noticing so that the smell and the laughter without reason would accompany them until someone would warn them.

Nowadays this tradition is not so common, but it is very likely that you will encounter innocent and totally harmless pranks from the place of your accommodation to the very restaurants where you eat throughout the day. In fact, it has become a tradition for fake news to be published in newspapers and the signal to readers that this is part of April Fool's Day is a fish hidden somewhere in the text.

25 April is a very important date for the cultural identity of Italians and has to do with the fact that it is the commemoration of the day on which the country was liberated from Fascism and Nazism at the end of World War II.

You are likely to find the streets decorated with the tricolour of the national flag and there is likely to be a very festive atmosphere in bars and restaurants alike. It is even common for some restaurants to develop special menus with recipes more representative of everyday Italian fare.

Both Corniglia and Vernazza tend to have the most activities. This is due to the fact that the first village is usually preferred by the locals thanks to its inaccessible character that requires people to climb stairs to a hilltop if they arrive by train. The other has public spaces large enough for tourists and locals to come together for a collective celebration.

The Cinque Terre region and all this part of Liguria is characterised by an area of the country that has a past closely connected to the world of agriculture. The advent of modernity has made tourism and fishing the most important industries, but this does not mean that the appreciation of agricultural traditions, which for centuries have been part of the economic and social life of all these villages, has been left aside.

So a visit to the agricultural fields during the month of April is not to be missed as it is the peak harvest time of spring. Matarrana, Torriglia, Rapallo and Brugnato are just some of the places you could visit on a short excursion to come face to face with the agricultural fields that persist to this day. This, knowing that these are localities that continue to bet on this sector.

Aubergines, peppers, cucumbers and courgettes are the most notorious crops in the region. Although there are also vineyards and there are even companies with chestnut fields that offer guided tours so that you can get to know the crops of this lucrative plant up close.

Likewise, you should know that the best way to get to these fields is through the local train system that will take you directly from these villages in Cinque Terre to the locality of your choice. That is, as long as they have their own train station.

One of the greatest benefits of spring is that many foods that were scarce or non-existent during autumn and winter become available again so that the best recipes from certain places shine again to captivate the palates of those who enjoy them.

Exactly for this reason, one of the best plans you can make during the month of April is to participate in a gastronomic tour of Cinque Terre that is focused on offering you the best of the recipes that characterise this time of the year.

The duration of this type of experience is quite convenient, as it does not usually take more than 3 hours of your day. In addition, you will have a guide who will take you from restaurant to restaurant so that you can try the most representative dishes on their menus. Although in this case these are recipes that are not available during most of the year, but in the spring they become the locals' favourites.

Another decisive factor that makes this type of gastronomic tour more recommendable during the month of April is the fact that in the spring there are changes in sea temperatures. This allows specific fish to return to the recipe book of the local Cinque Terre chefs.

Cinque Terre has more than 120 km of trails that at one point in history were the only means for people to move from one village to another in safety. Today they have become one of the main attractions of the national park and so taking part in a hiking tour is one of the best things to do in April. Knowing that the weather makes it more comfortable and the lower tourist influx than in summer makes you enjoy the experience more.

And you have to take into account that the weather is a decisive factor in making hiking through the mountains a safe and fun activity. For this reason, these types of plans are not usually part of the best things to do in Cinque Terre in December. This is because this month of the year is the beginning of winter and rain is a common part of everyday life in the region.

When visiting any part of the world the idea is to have the possibility to explore as many of the nearby sites as possible according to the amount of time you have available. For this reason, if you have the time, making a short or long visit to Portofino from Cinque Terre is a recommendable plan for a trip in April.

The weather that characterises the month makes the idea even more advisable. The truth is that December could also be an economical month to visit this locality departing from Cinque Terre, but it is a time of the year with a climate that will not allow you to fully enjoy this place that has become the favourite destination of many rich and famous people from all over the world.

You should also know that this is not a recommendable activity for those who have very little time to visit the national park. This knowing that if someone has a one-day visit to Cinque Terre then you have to make the most of every minute of their time to see as many of the sites within these five villages as possible.

The fact that there aren't as many tourists in April as there are in the summer months means that entertainment activities are readjusted and this means that you'll have to go for more unusual plans that are still entertaining at this time of year. One of these is an Italian cooking class, which can be organised either by local chefs or by cooking teams from the restaurants that are inoperative in any of the towns in the national park.

It is also possible that to take part in this recommended entertainment activity you may have to go to La Spezia, which is the neighbouring town of this national park that has the cruise terminal that allows hundreds of thousands of visitors to arrive annually to this site.

You should know that these kinds of classes are also one of the best things to do in Cinque Terre in winter. Especially since these months of the year also tend to have many limitations in terms of entertainment within these five small villages.

A plan that is fun and advisable all year round is the idea of enjoying a boat ride right at sunset along the Cinque Terre coast. This plan also stands out during the month of April due to the fact that the demand will be less significant than in the summer and, therefore, it is more likely to get a seat on the day of your visit without booking in advance.

However, this is also part of the best things to do in Cinque Terre in the summer. Although if you compare the experience of a spring or summer seaside walk, it can be said that during the month of April you will enjoy a much more pleasant climate that will spare you from the high summer temperatures.

Temperatures in this national park during the month of April remain mild, but by standards that are much more comfortable for enjoying both the sea and the mountains. Maximum temperatures are usually around 20 to 22 °C while minimum temperatures can reach 10 °C at the coolest times of the night.

April is less crowded in this national park and in the rest of Italy than in summer and this allows you to enjoy the five villages in much more comfort and without having to plan too much time for each of your decisions.

Organising a trip to Cinque Terre during this month is a decision that allows you to save some money compared to the prices you would have to face if you decide to visit during the high summer season that goes from the end of May to the end of September.

Your suitcase should be packed with plenty of sunscreen, knowing that you'll be spending most of your time walking outdoors. This, along with a suitable coat and clothes that are comfortable and breathable, will be necessary for you to be able to walk with peace of mind, knowing that while you sweat you will also be protected from the wind.