Hi!
CT is a very popular topic here (FYI, I have gone through a few threads) so I thought I might be able to get some valuable input from everyone!
I'm planning a trip there in late November/early December, staying in Manarola for two nights. I was wondering if that period is usually still a largely wet one for all the villages, or if it's October that I should be worried about?
My main concern is if it's going to end up raining the whole time I'm there, as I heard that there isn't much else to do in the villages other than hiking (and probably swimming, but not in winter I imagine? Besides I don't swim anyway!)
Given that 3 out of 5 of the Azure trails are closed at the moment, would a day trip to CT suffice? Also, are all the train tracks open between the villages--does anyone know?
My alternative itinerary would be to spend more time in Florence with a day trip to Siena.
Thanks!
Ps. I also have another thread that needs answering please! http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/vienna-to-venice-overnight-train-in-winter.cfm
Cinque Terre in November--stay there, or day trip (given the weather)?
Recent Activity
View all Europe activity »
- 1 Need some help credit card for hotels in italy
- 2 Club Quarters near Trafalgar Square
- 3
3 week trip Western Turkey
- 4 Traveling to Fenegrò Province of Como, Italy from Rome, Italy
- 5 Comfortable shoes to wear in Italy this summer and not look like a tourist
- 6 Home base in Provence in July
- 7 Beaune Hotel or B&B Recommendation Please
- 8 Paris - Apartment on Rue Volta, 3rd arr?
- 9 Drive Rome Florence
- 10 10 Day Trip to Turkey
- 11 Moving to Spain
- 12 culinary classes in Biarritz/San Sebastian
- 13 Dingle to Galway help please, leave in less than 2 weeks
- 14 Top flamenco in Barcelona this fall - every night!
- 15 Traveling with a guide in Turkey
- 16 Granada on Sunday
- 17 9 or 10 night Spain itinerary
- 18 Formal Tours of the Marais paris
- 19 Need help in deciding!! Trip in end of July
- 20 How to make a phone call from a pay phone in London to Germany
- 21 The Old ATM Question Ally Bank Debit Cards in Europe today
- 22 Best castle for 7 and 9 year old boys
- 23 Any experience with Chateau des Monthairons (Dieue-sur-Meuse near Verdun)?
- 24 Barajas, Terminal 1 to Terminal 2.
- 25 Advance Eurostar Tickets
I wouldn't bother with the cinque Terre t that time of year. It's a long trip to get there and the weather is not likely to be great and the days short. I'd spend the time in siena.
Thanks for the response! That's exactly what I'm worried about. I thought it might be worth it to do as a day trip instead, from Pisa or Lucca.
What do other people think?
I wouldn't recommend even a day trip. As you noted, there is little to do in CT other than hiking. Hiking is a bit dicey if it is raining as the trails can be slippery. And with the short days and some trails closed, you will have little to do other than eat. There is so much to see and do in Italy, I would not make the effort to get to CT.
The end of October last year there was terrible flooding in CT. November is usually a very rainy month in Italy. I would stick to places that offer things to do in bad weather.
You didn't say how many days you would be in Florence, but if you already have several days there I would add take the two CT days and stay in Siena.
Hi! Thanks everyone! I was actually expecting people to tell me to give it a gamble, but I'm glad that the consensus is otherwise, because I *am* worried the two days might end up a bit wasted. I guess I'll have to save CT for a summer trip whenever! Might use the extra days to visit Siena instead.
Problem is, though, I have already booked a train ride from La Spezia to Rome, which means I will need to spend one night/one day near the coast anyway. I would have done Lucca/Pisa/Siena/Florence by that time, therefore am truly free to use the day in Liguria--should I stay in La Spezia (town looks pretty), or do day trips to Portovenere, Sanarza or Licere? I'm finding it really hard to find English-language guides on both towns e.g. Portovenere is not on Wikitravel. Although it would probably be raining that way too eh?
Would really appreciate input from anyone who's been to those places!
(Made the train booking after my first round of Googling "Cinque Terre in November", before I found out about the rain; you'll find a couple of blogs of great hiking in November, but I guess those are the exception rather than the rule--no one blogs about the rain!).
You can change your ticket when you get to Italy.
Were it me, I would follow the weather forecasts and go to le Cinque Terre if the forecast is for sun and dry days. It could be pleasant walking around weather. Book a place with a 24-hour cancellation policy. If it turns out you have to cancel due to weather, you'll be able to find someplace to sleep wherever you already are (or wherever you'd like to go back to).
But don't go to La Spezia with the idea of taking boats to Portovenere or trains to Sarzana or buses to Lerici (note the spellings). If the weather is lousy, it will be lousy in those places, too, and they have no indoor activities.