1 day — Day trip (not ideal)
Take the train between all 5 villages, swimming at Monterosso, sunset at Manarola. It's a sprint but possible from Florence, Pisa, or La Spezia. Bring a swimsuit and arrive early.
2 nights — The sweet spot
Day 1: hike the Sentiero Azzurro trail between villages (check which sections are open). Day 2: boat tour along the coast + beach day + evening passeggiata. This is the minimum for magic.
3 nights — Relaxed
Add: a day trip to Portovenere or Lerici, a boat to Palmaria island, a cooking class, or simply a day of doing nothing on the rocks with a book and a bottle of Sciacchetrà wine.
4+ nights — Full immersion
Add: the higher ridge trails (Sentiero Rosso), wine tasting, kayaking, diving. Four nights means you stop rushing and start belonging.
Our recommendation: 2-3 nights
Stay in one village and train to the others (4-8 minutes between each). Don't try to change villages mid-trip — it's unnecessary.