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1 week Towns trip (end of Jan) - Vernazza, Manarola

1 week Towns trip (end of Jan) - Vernazza, Manarola

Old Dec 31st, 2015, 11:53 AM
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1 week Towns trip (end of Jan) - Vernazza, Manarola

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the forum who helped me planning my trips to Italy.

I wish to go with my family on end of January (30th), to see the picturesque colorful towns of Italy, and thought that the West Coast would be lovely.

We're not interested in indoors (museums), but rather strolling in streets, food markets and such.

Vernazza and Manarola are nearby each other and make it convenient to see both.

Which other nearby towns would you recommend for a 1-week trip?

Thank you very much.
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Old Dec 31st, 2015, 12:12 PM
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Vernazza and Manarola are very tiny towns on hillsides. If you stroll all around them, you are finished in 15 minutes.

Normally people go in summer when it is possible to go swimming, hiking, eat meals outdoors. In January that is usually not comfortable, and it could even be raining. It sometimes snows on the west coast, and if it does, it is extremely difficult to even walk because everything is icy.

It would be better if you stayed in a city like Genova and took a train to Vernazza and Manarola on a sunny day if you want to visit them.
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Old Dec 31st, 2015, 12:17 PM
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I'd go farther south like to the Sorrento area or Amalfi from where you can day trip easily (from Sorrento) to Capri, Ischia - lovely islands and along the Amalfi - check out Pompeii or even climb Mt Vesuvius and check out Naples, to me a sweet old town often too maligned by folks not in the know.

The Cinque Terre in winter is like sandralist says - about 15 minutes in each town - hiking trails could be muddy, etc.
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Old Dec 31st, 2015, 12:18 PM
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Colorful towns near Genova you can visit by train:

Camogli

http://velvetescape.com/2010/10/the-colours-of-camogli/

Ovada

http://www.gypsynester.com/ov.htm

Chiavari

http://www.italythisway.com/places/chiavari.php

Albenga

http://www.italythisway.com/places/albenga.php
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Old Dec 31st, 2015, 01:03 PM
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Which other nearby towns would you recommend for a 1-week trip?>

Portofino may be actually sweet at that time of year - hopelessly overcrowded like the Cinque Terre in summer- I stayed in Santa Margherita Ligure long ago when it was a quiet fishing town but now sandra - a real Italian expert BTW - tells me it is all glitzed up for the cruise ship docking - but in winter it may be also rather neat - in January may not see many folks out and about on streets at night though.

You can walk or take a bus to Portofino from SML and easily day trip to the Cinque Terre to boot (as I did from it). Portofino may even be a nice stay less the smothering summertime mob scene - one of the most famous of Italian sea towns:

https://www.google.com/search?q=port...HQuIB4AQsAQIGw
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Old Dec 31st, 2015, 01:10 PM
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It is true that the only time I ever go to Portofino is in February. But only if it is a nice day. But then it is better to stay in Santa Margherita Ligure or Rapallo. Both are very colorful towns (and Portofino is too).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I079nMtMDQk
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Old Dec 31st, 2015, 02:13 PM
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If you see Vernazza and Manarola, you might as well see the other nearby towns of the Cinque Terre as well: Riomaggiore, Corigila, and Monterosso al Mare. All are easily connected by train. I wouldn't necessarily expect the hiking trails to be open in the winter, but if the weather is nice you might take the short stroll - the Via dell'Amore ("Lover's Lane") between Riomaggiore and Manarola - more of a stroll than a "hike" in that case.

I loved my visits to the Cinque Terre but always have gone on September or October when the weather is nice enough to hike, an amazing experience. I'd be curious to know what the towns are like in January, if you go!
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Old Dec 31st, 2015, 03:29 PM
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Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for the amazing information!

I have checked here the weather in End of Jan to Beginning of Feb.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/it/ver...onyr=1/01/2016

It doesn't look that bad, am I missing something?


Regarding the hikes, I looked at some photos and was actually not impressed by the hikes as I was impressed by the nice streets in these towns.

Would you recommend to rent a car for the West Coast towns or totally rely on train?

Thank you.
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Old Dec 31st, 2015, 03:31 PM
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Oh, and one more question please.

Are these lovely west coast towns which you mentioned, open during Jan-Feb?

Or are we expected to get into ghost towns at this time of year?

Thank you.
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Old Dec 31st, 2015, 03:51 PM
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"In season" the Cinque Terre villages are mobbed with tourists. I would personally love to see what they are like as "ghost towns!" I would not want a car in any of them - it seems a bit of a burden, whereas the train connects them easily. I don't recall many driving streets - they are small towns with mostly pedestrian areas, not great for cars.

But the towns are really nice otherwise. Still, the hiking between them was the highlight for me. The views are often breathtaking, and you are hiking through olive groves and vineyards as well as trails. It is a unique experience. The point about the weather is that you get more rain in January than in the summer/fall months. A quick check of Weather Underground shows you have about a 33% chance of rain at the end of January, whereas you have only about an 8% chance at the end of September. Even if it isn't raining the days you are there, if it has rained recently the trails may be slippery, and there can be slides that close the trails on short notice, sometimes for months at a time.


Not sure about the other towns besides five in the Cinque Terre (including Manarola and Vernazza).
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Old Dec 31st, 2015, 04:00 PM
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Here are pictures of snow in Vernazza on February 2, 2012

http://www.cinqueterre.com/neve-alle...re-video-foto/

this is Manarola in the snow. You cannot walk in the street when there is snow because the hills are too steep. You cannot drive on the steep roads, and you cannot even get in or out on the train because they will stop running.

http://images.travelpod.com/tripwow/...02aw-25860.jpg

But even if it just raining very hard, you cannot see the ocean, everything is gray, and it is very difficult to walk around.

There are people who live in the towns, especially Rapallo, Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure, but they don't go out in the rain or if it snows. When the sun is shining it is very pretty, but it is easier to stay somewhere flat and only go to le Cinque Terre if it is sunny.

It is better to take the train than have a car.
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Old Dec 31st, 2015, 04:00 PM
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I'm not sure I would spend a week in the Cinque Terre at the end of January, but I can imagine finding it delightful, particularly if hiking is not your goal and you just want some relaxing time in a charming town from which you can easily visit other charming towns, eat well, sip some nice wines....

I was very pleased with my stay at La Torretta in Manarola, which still gets good reviews. I don't know if it's open then....
http://www.torrettas.com

I agree that a car would not likely be an advantage and could be an encumbrance for this area.
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Old Jan 1st, 2016, 03:00 AM
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Wow, I can't thank you enough my fellows!

I so appreciate it!

I'll heavily consider the weather part, because as you said, even the streets are not walk-able if it's snowing or raining.


As you mentioned, I read about the South of Italy, and Amalfi Coast.

However, other than Positano, I did not see there any other picturesque colorful towns which one can visit in a single trip.

Could you recommend on colorful towns in South Italy where you could travel from Jan 30th to Feb 7th?

Thanks a lot my fellows.
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Old Jan 1st, 2016, 04:39 AM
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The thing of it is that very often if it is cold enough or stormy enough to have dreadful weather on the northern Italian Riviera, the southern coast is not spared at least miserable weather, so being on the Amalfi might not be an escape. Also, because there is no train along the Amalfi coast, only buses that drive the cliff roads and ferries, getting in and out in bad weather is no fun at all.

To have this much snow in Positano means that for many hours, no buses or taxis were allowed to drive on the streets. That is a problem if you need to leave and go to another city.

http://www.positanonews.it/WEB-CACHE...i-positano.jpg

Generally speaking, too, the towns of the coast south of Rome are more white than colorful. It sounds like you don't want a city, but Napoli is one of the most colorful cities of Europe, although part of the reason people say this is because the people are so lively, the markets are so abundant and there is so much to do and see.

There are not terrible storms or snow every day in winter on the western Italian coast. Most days the sun will shine. But as I said before, it is better to stay in a flat town with a train station, and with many cafes that will be open and some interesting things to do indoors. Then you can visit places with hills like le Cinque Terre when you know for sure it is sunny. Just take the train there.

You can stay in Pisa and go to le Cinque Terre by train. But if it is raining, you can visit many things in Pisa (try the Natural History Museum if you aren't interested in art) which is huge and has dinosaurs, whales, tigers, etc


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d_rB2WnJdQ...lanzani001.jpg

http://www.lakinzica.it/wp-content/u...ure-aliene.jpg


or take the train to Livorno and go to the big central market in the morning.

http://www.gonews.it/wp-content/uplo...o-centrale.jpg

http://www.happings.com/images/Mercato-Livorno-350.png

http://www.intoscana.it/site/shared/...cale=w:645,t:1

When it stops raining you can go to le Cinque Terre.
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Old Jan 1st, 2016, 05:08 AM
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I don't know where you got the idea Positano was the only colorful town in the region. There's Amalfi, Atrani, Ravello, Sorrento, Capri, Ischia, etc. I have been to both regions multiple times in summer but only once in 'off season' to the Amalfi Coast (and in March so more towards spring than when you are going). They were far from ghost towns but there were substantial amounts of shops, hotels and restaurants that were closed. And while the weather in either area could include rain (loved the photos of the CT in snow!), if you do get unpleasant weather there is more to do in the AC region I think - Naples, even Pompeii while mostly outdoors could be OK unless it was really pouring. If you do pick the Liguria region I'd certainly pick one of the larger towns than the 5 CT towns and would also at least plan a few day trips to Florence, Pisa, etc. in case you get some bad days. And if you pick the Amalfi Coast Region I'd base in Sorrento for easier transportation connections to the entire region.

Here's my photos of both regions, I think you'll find plenty colorful in both

http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/ital...aples__pompeii

http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/ital...ligurian_coast
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Old Jan 1st, 2016, 05:47 AM
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Thank you so much Sandralist and Isabel.

I find it so hard to choose now, Amalfi or CQ.

Isabel, indeed the photos from your Amalfi trip are Amazing!

I tend to go for CQ, as it is so colorful and having the easy train connection indeed helps.

Where would you stay around the CQ?

I looked at Pisa, but isn't it too far?

It's about 2 hours from Vernazza, and Manarola, which wouldn't make it convenient for day trips.

Is there an interesting colorful city close to the CQ villages?

Sandralist, Thanks for the Museum suggestion, we just really not into Museums, we are more outdoors type of family

Thank you my fellows!
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Old Jan 1st, 2016, 11:11 AM
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The Via d'Amore has been closed for several years due to the risk of landslides. Some other coastal trails are open, weather permitting.

What is the CQ?
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Old Jan 1st, 2016, 12:40 PM
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It is quite difficult to visit Pompei and Naples from the Amalfi coast, in particular if you are picking them as rainy day alternatives. Getting off the coast overland on a rainy day takes hours.

Hiking trails in February are likely to be too slippery for strolling, and if what you want is colorful buildings and streets, the hikes of the west coast of Italy are between towns -- in areas of foliage, often olive or gray or brown -- not through towns.

I take it by "CQ" you mean le Cinque Terre. I am afraid you are just not understanding what people are telling you.

On the west coast of Italy in late January and February, there is a high chance of storms. These storms can either be very heavy rains or snow. If it is not sunny, it doesn't matter how "colorful" the towns looked in pictures. They will look gray. If storms occur in an area with tiny villages and steep hills, you will need to be indoors, whether you are an "outdoors" family or not. It is too cold in winter to stay outdoors all day if it is raining or snowing.

If you prefer, you can all sit in your hotel room. Or you can try to find a hotel with a lobby so you can sit in the lobby. (Not easy in the coastal villages.) Or you can go someplace where cafes will be open and some shops and you can go indoors. Or you can go someplace where there are public buildings of historic, artistic or educational importance.

If you are looking for suggestions as to where you can be outdoors in February all the time in Italy and be surrounded by color, the only answer is Bologna and train trips to nearby towns.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2016, 03:45 AM
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Hi Sandralist,

Thank you very much, I very appreciate it.

I understand now about the weather in le Cinque Terre.

Its just that I thought that we'd get many sunny days for a visit there.

because as I linked above, in February it seems to be pretty sunny.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/it/ver...onyr=1/01/2016

Jan 30 to Feb 1 are sunny.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2016, 05:05 AM
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Accuweather's forecasts for a specific day or two a month in advance are not very accurate. You could get a whole week of sun, a whole week of clouds/rain or a mix. And there is really no way to know in advance. That's why people are suggesting places where you could go where you would have options.

As I said above, if you choose the Amalfi Coast region I would base in Sorrento, NOT in Amalfi or Positano - for the same reasons that the CT towns are not a great idea. But from Sorrento you have options - 45 min train to Pompeii (pouring rain would make it pretty miserable, but drizzle, clouds or showers would be preferable for some people to blazing mid summer sun and massive crowds). An hour train ride to Naples with plenty of museums, churches and shopping if it's raining. But on the sunny days you could take a bus (about an hour) to Amalfi/Positano or a ferry to Capri or Ischia.

Inland cities like Bologna or Siena have many interesting things to do inside in bad weather but also have lots of places to walk in the countryside if it's nice.
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