The Food & Wine of Cinque Terre
Sure, a Riviera Dreamer tour comes with its fair share of adventures and activities… but let’s talk about the food. Italy’s reputation for incredible cuisine and wine is global, and every region brings something unique to the table. In Liguria, there are many great culinary traditions that have been passed on for generations, and a few of them stand out.
During our 2026 tours, we’ll dive into some of the finest local dishes, sip standout wines, and of course, enjoy plenty of limoncello. Here’s a little peek at what you’ll be tasting along the way:
Pesto
Cinque Terre is the homeland of pesto. The mild Mediterranean climate is perfect for growing pesto’s key ingredient: basil. Here, you’ll taste the best pesto you’ve ever had. It’s still made the traditional way…crushed by hand with olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmigiano. Trofie al Pesto, as pictured above, is a local pasta dish that will change your life.
Vino
Cinque Terre has been making wine for nearly a thousand years. The result? Crisp, mineral-driven whites that are bright and refreshing. Vermentino and Cinque Terre DOC are the local favorites…and there’s also Sciacchetra, the regions prized dessert wine. If you look up in any of the five towns, you’ll see terraced vineyards lining the mountainside growing the grapes that produce these wonderful wines. We’ll be sure to include these local favorites with all of our meals.
Seafood
Seafood is a staple in the Cinque Terre/Ligurian cuisine. Pulled straight from the Ligurian Sea each morning, the catch shows up on your plate just hours later. Anchovies, mussels, calamari, octopus, and sea bream are just some of what the fishermen bring in. Whether it’s an antipasto, pasta, or a whole fish, the dishes and variations are endless. If you love seafood, this place is a dream.
Focaccia
Liguria is the birthplace of this iconic bread, and once you taste it here you’ll understand why locals eat it daily. You can eat it plain, or topped with things like olives, onions, cheese, salami, you name it. This is a simple food done flawlessly, nowhere better in Italy than Cinque Terre.
Limoncello
Cinque Terre’s sun-soaked terraces grow some of the most fragrant lemons in Italy, and the locals turn them into a bright, sweet, liqueur that tastes like pure summertime. You’ll typically enjoy limoncello (or limoncino as we call it in Northern Italy) after dinner, as a digestivo, served in a small glass to sip on slowly. Cinque Terre’s climate grows some of the best lemons in the world, so this liqueur uses only the finest ingredients.
A taste of Italy in 2026…
We’re hosting five amazing, week long boutique group tours in 2026…filled with unforgettable experiences, local cuisines, off the beaten path adventures, and the kind of connections that stay with you forever. Check out our 2026 dates below:
