Which boat excursion?

[shilu]

We will be visiting Marseille and La Spezia but just wondered which is the more prettier option for a boat excursion, Calanque from Marseille or Cinque Terre from La Spezia Italy. I would be grateful to get some advice from anybody who has done both. 

[John Bull]

If the Cinque Terre boat excursion does indeed take you to a few of the villages by tour boat, that's a far better experience than visiting them by train.

The train and the villages are very very crowded - to the point of being very disappointing.

Apart from wonderful close views of the coast & cliffs from the boat (most of the rail line is in tunnels) the boat is cool and relaxing,  very much the best way to travel.

The villages will still be crowded for you, but much more bearable with those interludes on the boat.

Wish we'd done it that way.

 

Sorry, can't help you with Marseilles

 

JB 🙂

[shilu]

Thank you JB

[marazul]

JB is right.  Go to Cinqueterre.  The Calanques are very pretty, but it is basically a boat ride to see some cliffs and coves.  There are much better things you can do out of Marseille.  

 

Search for Cinqueterre on this board for a lot of info on the ferry that goes from town to town.  If your excursion uses the ferry, you might want to do a DIY.