The Italian destination Cinque Terre lies in the northwestern part of the boot (just below Genoa) and is made up of five towns: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, e Riomaggiore. All five are ancient fishing villages on hills (though Monterosso is noted for being quite flat), and according to the region’s website, until fairly recently the towns were only connected by mule tracks. So the terrain is beautiful, but definitely rustic. The best way to travel in and among the Cinque Terre is by hiking — but you have to wear the right shoes!! I guess too many tourists coming to visit the seaside have tried to hike in their beachgear, because in 2019 Cinque Terre National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — officially enacted a NO FLIP-FLOPS policy. This year they’re upping the ante, warning visitors that violating the rule could end up costing you a $2,900 fine. No flip-flops are worth that kind of lira!
While the town on the Italian Riviera coastline is a popular destination for travelers looking to take in the stunning blue waters and spend time in the sun, the Cinque Terre National Park authority is enforcing a fine for hikers wearing flip-flops, strappy sandals and other similar shoes.
The rule began in 2019 when the park authority started warning travelers that they should wear the proper footwear when hiking the trails, as they can be slippery and the local mountain rescue team wants to prevent incidents, according to Travel + Leisure.
“These are difficult paths, in some cases, similar to mountain paths,” Patrizio Scarpellini, director of the Cinque Terre National Park, told CNN Travel at the time. “Essential to have proper shoes!”
As part of the enforcement, visitors who wear flip-flops or sandals on the trails could be fined up to €2,500, or about $2,900.
“The fines will be high,” Scarpellini added.
Posters will alert travelers about the fines, as well as when buying an entry ticket online. They also encourage hikers to stick to trails that suit their skill level, and to bring sunscreen, a hat, hiking boots, food and other necessities.
Along with wearing the right type of shoes, a one-way system has been slowly rolled out since 2023 along popular trail stretches to prevent crowding.
The Monterosso-Vernazza stretch is just one of the trails, as it becomes one-way from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time on packed days in April, May and June.
The decision “is aimed at improving the use of the trail and ensuring the safety of visitors by avoiding dangerous intersections and congestion along a particularly narrow and steep path,” park authorities have said.
To access the Cinque Terre National Park, visitors can pre-purchase a Cinque Terre Trekking Care with tickets starting at €10 (~$12) or €15 (~$17) on peak days.
I’m with Cinque Terre on this all the way! Frankly, I don’t think flip-flops belong anywhere outside of beach or pool settings. As I get older, supportive footwear becomes more and more important to me. I need a shoe that’ll give me a bounce into each step. Flip-flops give NOTHING! They’re all flop and no flip. (Don’t get me started on this flip-flop heel trend, it’s like Sneex 2.0 except with no comfort technology!) So aside from not fathoming why anyone would want to walk around, let alone hike in those flat contraptions, I totally understand a National Park deciding they have to cover their liability. Even at $2,900 a sandal. They don’t want anyone falling and injuring themselves on Cinque Terre turf, and sometimes we humans are best only motivated by financial penalties. But really, this isn’t a punitive act by the National Park — it’s an act of love! They want you to survive their wilderness! And I, for one, will definitely be heeding their advice to stick to the trails that suit my skill level… by staying at the beach this summer.
photos credit: Domenico Adornato, William Posser, Kindel Media, Anne van der Valk on Pexels