Cinque Terre

[jmlh]

We are on the July 16 Millennium and have booked a taxi to take us from Livorno to the Cinque Terre. The taxi will drop us in La Spezia and we will hike/take the train/boat to the 5 villages. Should we return to La Spezia to meet the driver or should we ask to be met in Monterosso for the return to the ship? Any information is much appreciated!:)

[Leejnd4]

I would meet him in La Spezia. I've driven to Monterosso before, and it's a wild ride on narrow windy roads that will add a lot to your drive time. Whereas you can get from Monterosso to La Spezia in just a few minutes, for just a few euros.

 

I'm wondering why you're taking a taxi, rather than a train. I did this very thing only 6 weeks ago, taking the train into Riomaggiore, then hiking between the villages before I took the train back. You can take a train from Livorno to Monterosso in less than 2 hours. In fact, there's an 8:26 am train that would take you directly to Riomaggiore in 1:48; you could then take a 5pm train from Monterosso that would get you back in 1:28. Just a suggestion that could save you a lot of money!

 

Have a great time there -- the Cinque Terre is one of my favorite spots on the planet.

 

LeeAnne

[marko711]

We were in Florence in May and had to cancel or trip there because of a train strike.

[Leejnd4]

Good point, train strikes do happen -- we were impacted by one during our post-cruise stay. But from what I can tell, they usually are announced in advance. So it is definitely wise to check in advance if one has been announced. Your concierge on your ship can probably help you with this.

 

If money were no object, I would probably choose the taxi route. However, as I am on a budget, I chose the train.

 

If you do choose use the train, and a train strike is announced, you can always get a taxi at the port -- they come in droves when you dock. But keep in mind that the trains won't be working anywhere, so your taxi driver would have to take you directly into the Cinque Terre, adding quite a bit of time (and money) to your trip. For example for a taxi to take you to La Spezia, it's only about an hour's drive. But to drive all the way into Monterosso adds about 25 more miles on windy, narrow roads, which can add a good hour to the trip. So even if you go by taxi, you might want to check for train strikes in advance so you'll know what you're up against.

 

Hope this helps!

 

LeeAnne

[cruiseerf]

Hello:

 

We recently docked at Porto Venere and took the Ferry's to Monterosso which was great fun. People on our trip at the end of May said some the trails were washed out from heavy April rains (we did not encounter this) and were dangerous in some parts. However we were on a cruise with an older crowd (50's-90's) so perhaps dangerous to them will not be dangerous to you. Enjoy it was beautiful. We enjoyed the public ferries more than the trails....the view of the villages from the water was far more dramatic.

 

Ciao

[Leejnd4]

Hi,

 

I just did almost the entire hike between the villages, skipping only the final leg between Vernazza and Monterosso. The hike was fine, all trails were open. A friend of mine did the final leg, and he said it was fine as well. I did see some areas that were impacted by the rains, including one part where they had to re-route the trail around a small landslide, but it was all manageable.

 

Well, let's just say, it's as manageable as it was before the rains. It's still a VERY challenging hike, with some really steep climbs and narrow paths along sheer cliffs. You definitely have to be in excellent health and outstanding shape to do these hikes, but I didn't find them any more dangerous than any of the other times in past years that I've done them.

 

LeeAnne