La Spezia Port

[tidygirl]

Anyone being there (Florence /Pisa) supposed to arrive at 7:00AM will I be able to make it to the train by 8:20 would like to prebook my tickets but didn't know whether to take the gamble. What would you do? Any one have directions to the train station from the port?

BTW I love cruise critic!

[Tripin']

Its about a 2 hour train trip. Here's the train website to check. http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=4ddd1a035296f310VgnVCM1000005817f90aRCRD

[NorbertsNiece]

Suggest posting this on the Italy Ports of Call Board here.

[gillsjottings]

You would probably get more responses to this topic if you posted it in the "Ports of Call" => Europe thread.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=595

[kirian]

We walked to the train station last year.... it took about 20-25 minutes. You could get a taxi though if you are concerned about the walk/distance.

 

We took the train to the towns in Cinque Terre, rather than the longer ride to Florence/Pisa, so I can't give you any specifics other than the distance to the train station itself.

 

Have fun!

 

Melissa

[ChipLondon]

La Spezia is a great port, although we always go to the Cinque Terra by boat, it is a great day out :D

[Tripin']

We're going on the May 3rd Vision of the Seas cruise. Would love to hear more about taking the boat. Is it easy? We were thinking of taking the train, but the boat sounds really nice.

Thanks

 

 

La Spezia is a great port, although we always go to the Cinque Terra by boat, it is a great day out :D

[Cornishpastyman1]

We're going on the May 3rd Vision of the Seas cruise. Would love to hear more about taking the boat. Is it easy? We were thinking of taking the train' date=' but the boat sounds really nice.

Thanks[/quote']

This is us taking the ferry last October. It's about a 6-7 minutes level walk from the port, or 25 mins from the La Spezia train station.

 

[YOUTUBE]MPZfm28F_lc[/YOUTUBE]

 

This has a ferry timetable (only until Sept 7th but it's not bad as a guide for next year)

http://www.apathtolunch.com/2014/06/complete-cinque-terre-portovenere-la.html

 

All the best, Tony

Edited August 20, 2014 by Cornishpastyman1

[tidygirl]

So boats don't go after Sept 7th? We will be there Sept 24th.

How long does the trip last?

[euro cruiser]

Anyone being there (Florence /Pisa) supposed to arrive at 7:00AM will I be able to make it to the train by 8:20 would like to prebook my tickets but didn't know whether to take the gamble. What would you do? Any one have directions to the train station from the port?

There are two different port locations at LaSpezia so it's hard to give you precise directions to the station.

 

I know that the cruise lines sell La Spezia as a port for Florence but it's almost too far for a port day. By train it takes more than two hours each way, plus the time to get from the port to the station and back.

 

Assuming you make the 8:20 train (a reasonable assumption) you will be in Florence at about 10:30.

 

If your departure is 7 PM and on-board time is 6:30 PM, you need to be on a train that puts you in La Spezia no later than 6 PM. Additionally, it's wise to take the train before the last train that would get you there, just in case.

 

So you'd need to be on the 3 PM train that, after a change at Pisa, gets to La Spezia at 5:07 PM.

 

You'd be on the road for approximately five hours in order to have about four and a half hours in Florence.

Edited August 20, 2014 by euro cruiser

[Cornishpastyman1]

So boats don't go after Sept 7th? We will be there Sept 24th.

How long does the trip last?

There will be a new timetable by then, as we did our trip in mid October. It takes just over two hours to Monterrosso (most distant village)

 

If you return by train it's very quick as the train goes through the hillsides.

Tony

[tidygirl]

Boy this is getting harder and harder! We definitely want to see the Leaning Tower as we are going to be so close but now Cinque Terre has caught my attention and looks like something we'd enjoy! We are an active family of 5 and walking is not a problem though the one daughter (don't love it) we want to see as much as possible but don't want to miss the ship either!

[euro cruiser]

It's a whole lot more possible if it's just Pisa and not Florence.

 

The same 8:20 train puts you at Pisa Centrale at 9:10 AM. You could be back at La Spezia by 12:20 PM, giving you the entire afternoon to explore Cinque Terre.

 

Also, note that the regional trains between La Spezia and Pisa stop at the S. Rossore station, just around the corner from the tower.

[AmoMondo]

Was thinking of using the train to visit the various villages when in La Spezia in June. However the video of the ferry ride has caught my interest.

 

Does anyone know if it is possible to buy a multi stop ticket that would allow me to alight at each village or do 8 need a separate ticket for each segment.

 

Also are any of the villages that are an easy walk from another. I'm a good walker on flatish surfaces but am not very good on very uneven ground or unmarked trails.

 

It sounds like an option may be to get the boat in one direction and then back by train?

[samavarcruiser]

I would go to Cinqueterre from La Spezia, but if you really want to do Pisa and Florence, then book a private excursion.

[kuldalai]

Italians change train and ferry timetables like we change our undies !!!

 

The ferry service between La Spezia - Portovenere and the Cinque Terre (to Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza and Monterosso el Mare) operates from April to the first weekend in November each year .

 

Caveat Emptor: Monterosso has two halves old and new linked by a shared use pedestrian/road tunnel . The ferrry departs and arrives in the old town, whilst the railway station is in the new town .

 

CT Tourist Offices located in stations at La Spezia, Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Vernazza & Monterosso have latest train and ferry timetables .

 

CT National Park website also has info what walking paths are open .

[AmoMondo]

Italians change train and ferry timetables like we change our undies !!!

 

The ferry service between La Spezia - Portovenere and the Cinque Terre (to Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza and Monterosso el Mare) operates from April to the first weekend in November each year .

 

Caveat Emptor: Monterosso has two halves old and new linked by a shared use pedestrian/road tunnel . The ferrry departs and arrives in the old town, whilst the railway station is in the new town .

 

CT Tourist Offices located in stations at La Spezia, Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Vernazza & Monterosso have latest train and ferry timetables .

 

CT National Park website also has info what walking paths are open .

 

Thank you.

[euro cruiser]

Italians change train and ferry timetables like we change our undies !!!

I hope this was meant to be funny but, just in case, let me note that this is simply not true. (unless, that is, the writer only changes their underwear a couple of times a year)

 

The train schedule changes twice a year, in December and June. Period. Other than that it's a static schedule.

 

Ferry schedules are seasonal and impacted by weather, which is just common sense.

Edited January 4, 2015 by euro cruiser

[Cornishpastyman1]

Was thinking of using the train to visit the various villages when in La Spezia in June. However the video of the ferry ride has caught my interest.

 

Does anyone know if it is possible to buy a multi stop ticket that would allow me to alight at each village or do 8 need a separate ticket for each segment.

 

Also are any of the villages that are an easy walk from another. I'm a good walker on flatish surfaces but am not very good on very uneven ground or unmarked trails.

 

It sounds like an option may be to get the boat in one direction and then back by train?

This is only from memory so wiser souls please correct. I think I bought a ticket that entitled me to get to Monterosso (the furthest CT village from La Spezia) which was in effect a multi stop ticket. As the video shows I got off at Manorola, had a look that and jumped on the next ferry - in the right direction :D about 30 mins later to Vernazza. The plan was to walk from there to Monterosso and return to LS on the train, but by then I was cold and wet so ditched that idea and took the train home from Vernazza. So I can't comment on the surface to Monterrosso :( All the best, Tony

 

A few more ITALY port videos here

Edited January 5, 2015 by Cornishpastyman1

[slidergirl]

Was thinking of using the train to visit the various villages when in La Spezia in June. However the video of the ferry ride has caught my interest.

 

Does anyone know if it is possible to buy a multi stop ticket that would allow me to alight at each village or do 8 need a separate ticket for each segment.

 

Also are any of the villages that are an easy walk from another. I'm a good walker on flatish surfaces but am not very good on very uneven ground or unmarked trails.

 

It sounds like an option may be to get the boat in one direction and then back by train?

 

Sounds like the only trail you would want to even try to walk is the one between Riomaggiore and Manarola. But, you need to check to see if it is open to walkers yet. It was devastated by the landslides a few years ago.

The trail between Vernazza and Montorosso is NOT for casual walkers; it is single track "goat trail" over uneven terrain with plenty of rock/tree stump stairs. It takes between 90 minutes (for fast hikers) to 3 hours (for slow hikers). Some friends and I did the entire walk of CT one day (we were spending several days there, based in Vernazza). It was one exhausting day!!