Cinque Terre from Livorno

[jmlh]

We have previously visited Florence and other parts of Tuscany so would like to visit Cinque Terre from Livorno this summer. We would appreciate knowing the tour companies anyone has used, the towns dropped off/picked up at and the mode of transportation you used between the towns. Would you recommend this tour or will it be too rushed?

Any and all information is much appreciated - we are really having difficulty sorting this one out!

[FLJudi]

We're in the same boat as you are - making decisions as to what to do on a day trip from Livorno when we've already visited Florence, Pisa, Lucca, San G, Sienna (2x) and Volterra.

 

Do a search (above) for Cinque Terre - you'll see that others have posted and given suggestions/advice. Looks like we may save this for trip when we have more time. Not sure we want to do all that hiking either. Try this URL:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=1247670

 

 

 

FLJudi

[trvlnliz]

The best way to see the Cinque Terre is to walk between the towns. In October we hired a driver to pick us up in Livorno and drive us to the Cinque Terre. The drive is about an hour. He took us to Riomaggiore and we walked the trail to Manarola and then to Corniglia. The walk between these towns is very easy. He then picked us up and drove us to Vernazza where we had lunch. We then made a short stop in Lucca and then back to the ship. It was one of the best days, we loved it. A highlight of our trip. We used Alessandro Cammelli. He is a driver not a guide. alecamma@hotmail.com

[Leejnd4]

Personally, I would not use a private guide for a visit to the Cinque Terre. This is not a place you can really visit by car -- the most efficient method for getting there is going to be by train, and travel between the villages is either on foot or by train as well.

 

You can take a train directly to La Spezia, and then hop the little local train that connects to all five villages. Once in each village, you can see all that there is to see on foot, as they are not very big. If you do this, I would suggest you go straight to Riomaggiore (the southernmost village) first, then walk along the spectacularly beautiful Via Dell'Amore to Manarola, the next village. It's about a 20 minute walk along a paved path carved into the cliff along sea, with some of the most breathtaking coastal vistas you'll ever see. From Manarola you can hop the train to the next villages.

 

How long will you be in port? The train from Livorno to La Spezia takes a little more than an hour, so you have to factor that travel time into your day. If you have a full day in port, then I believe it's doable. Check out http://www.trenitalia.com for the train schedules, and you'll have an idea of what your parameters are.

 

Good luck! The Cinque Terre is one of my favorite spots in all of Italy.

 

LeeAnne

[jmlh]

Thanks for the information. We will be in port from 7 to 7 p.m. so we will have an entire day. I am going to check out the train schedules as well as a private driver. Any other suggestions?

[travelingmcmahans]

The Cinque Terre is beautiful. Don't leave without having one of their incredible pesto dishes. Especially Gnocchi alla Pesto. And the best pizza of my life was in Riomaggiore.

Something to be aware of is that the trains are fairly often not on schedule, and sometimes for no aparent reason show up on the *wrong* side of the tracks, and at least at the Riomaggiore station, they announce this fact only in Italian. So just be sure to build time in to maybe wait a few minutes for the next train. Well, well worth it for the food and views.

A fun way to go from village to village is the boat - more scenic than the train which mainly goes through tunnels.

[travelingmcmahans]

Just got my Rick Steves travel newsletter- he has quite a section on Cinque Terre.

 

Cinque Terre: Italy’s Fiat-Free Riviera

Cinque Terre Cuisine 101

A Traveler's History of the Cinque Terre

[Leejnd4]

Fun articles -- thanks for posting the links!

 

LeeAnne

[jmlh]

I have also really enjoyed the articles and am getting very excited about actually going to Cinque Terre! We think we will will book a driver to take us from Livorno to La Spezia. Tried to get Alessandro Cammelli but he was booked. Now looking at Papillon Service or Tuscany by Taxi. Has anyone used either of these companies for Cinque Terre?:)