This is a bonus article to complement our May 2014 Special Report on the Cinque Terre:
The Cinque Terre are at their best during the shoulder seasons of summer. Late-April and May offer less crowds and cooler walking temperatures but the weather can be unpredictable. The second half of September and all of October are usually beautiful. After the kids go back to school, the towns clear out a little and you can have the beach all to yourself. After all of the summer’s heat, the water is still warm enough to swim in, often until early November.