Cinque Terre (Monterosso) weather in March
March in Cinque Terre: cool, rainy — a good time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#8 of 12 months in Cinque Terre · #1103 of 1413 destinations to visit in March · comfort 65/100 (tier C)
- Days
- 14°C
- Nights
- 9°C
- Wet days
- 12
- Sun
- 9.2 h
- Humidity
- 74%
- Daylight
- 12 h

Traveller notes on Cinque Terre in March
Other months in Cinque Terre
Regulars are honest that nobody can say in advance which version of this month a trip will get - genuinely sunny and warm into the high teens, or cool and rain-storm-prone, especially in the mornings. Our row backs that mild, genuinely wet read, 16.6C over 11.3C nights, with 101.3mm of rain across 11.4 days and humidity at 74 percent. Regulars are specific that heavy rain can force trail closures along the famous coastal paths, worth checking conditions before committing to a full hiking day. Late April also coincides with Italy's Liberation Day and the run-up to May Day, making it one of the busier stretches of the shoulder season despite the unpredictable weather. The sea sits at a cool 15.2C. The record: 10.9 hours of sun, an 11.6 kph wind and AQI 54.
May is the month the board recommends over June, which brings the first heat waves: sunny, less hectic, and busy mainly at weekends. The rain column is less romantic than that - 127.2mm across 14.3 days, close to half the month - and here it carries a specific consequence. The paths between the villages are steep, narrow and exposed, and they are closed outright when a weather alert goes up; even short of a closure, regulars say wet rock on those paths is not worth walking. The other thing they repeat is to start early, because the trails are narrow and fill fast. Air is 19.6C reading as 21C over 14.8C nights, the sea 19C. A raincoat, and a light jacket for the evening. The record: humidity 78 percent, 11.8 hours of sun and AQI 58.
Cinque Terre-forum threads on September weather are consistently positive, describing lovely conditions with the sea still holding its summer warmth from months of sun. One late-September visitor reports pleasantly warm days broken up by just one rainy afternoon across an entire stay, calling the trade of slightly cooler, less humid air for August's peak heat entirely worthwhile. Mornings can run a touch cool this time of year, but afternoons still reach genuinely warm, swimmable temperatures on most days. Crowds are a mixed bag depending who's asked - some posters call September noticeably quieter than August as beaches start to empty out, while others report recent Septembers running just as busy if not busier than the traditional peak month. Regulars consistently rank the back half of the month among the best stretches of the whole year here. The record: 23.9C days feeling like 26C, 19.1C nights, 117mm across 10.6 days, a 24.3C sea, 75 percent humidity and 10.3 hours of sun.
June in the Cinque Terre has good weather and a crowd problem, and the forum's advice is entirely about the clock and the contour line. Start a hike at nine and the Monterosso-Vernazza path has people on it; start at eight and it is effectively empty. Only the two coastal trails between Monterosso, Vernazza and Corniglia get crowded at all - the higher paths carry very few walkers and better views. By late afternoon the day-trippers have gone and the villages return to something normal. Several regulars rate late June and July as worse than August for heat and numbers alike. Our row gives 24.6C reading as 28C. The record: 19.4C nights, 9.7 precipitation days carrying 61.8mm, 13.2 hours of sun and a 23.8C sea.
Year-round notes are on Cinque Terre's overview. Add your own note from Cinque Terre's card on the map.
Cinque Terre climate normals — March
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Cinque Terre in March
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Shoulder seasonschool holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Cinque Terre's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherCinque Terre's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Cinque Terre in March
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Rule
Via dell'Amore by booking
1 Jan – 31 DecBook earlyThe cliff path between Riomaggiore and Manarola reopened after twelve years shut and now runs on timed, capped slots booked ahead. Walking up and paying at the gate is not usually an option. Source ↗
- Rule
Cinque Terre Card season
14 Mar – 2 NovA park card is required on the coastal path between mid-March and the start of November, and the Via dell'Amore needs a booked time slot on top of it. Outside those dates the trails are free. Source ↗
- Closure
Villages shut for winter
5 Nov – 10 MarMost kitchens and rooms close for the winter and the boats between the villages stop, leaving the train. What is left is five working villages with nobody in them. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Cinque Terre — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Cinque Terre?
Cinque Terre in March — FAQ
- Is March a good time to visit Cinque Terre?
- March in Cinque Terre: cool, rainy — a good time to visit. It ranks #8 of 12 months for Cinque Terre on SeasonMap's comfort score (65/100).
- What is the weather like in Cinque Terre in March?
- In March, Cinque Terre averages a daily high of 13.9°C and a low of 8.8°C, with about 122.7 mm of rain over roughly 11.6 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Cinque Terre in March?
- Cinque Terre has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 52 in March.
- Does it snow in Cinque Terre in March?
- Cinque Terre sees roughly 1.6 cm of snowfall in March.
Within 300 km: Pisa's Capodanno Pisano on 25 Mar, and Milan's Carnevale Ambrosiano around 10 Feb – 12 Mar.