Can this be done: one day from Florence to Cinque Terre?
 

Hello Fodorites,
After reading MaureenB’s informative superthread on Cinque Terre hiking trails, I wondered if it is too far away to take a train from Florence to Cinque Terre just for a day trip?
If time permits, we would love to hike from Riomaggiore to Corniglia and enjoy the scenery.

easily done. It will be along day, but buses and tour groups do it.

GoPlanB, We had similar thoughts on our May 2005 trip. However, we only had 2 1/2 days in Florence. We took the advise of Fodorites and planned it for another trip (Oct. 2006). There is so much to see in most of the places I have visited in Italy, that you won't see it all anyway.

As many others on this website have pointed out, who wants to spend all of their time zipping here and there?

So, how much time do you have in Florence? That might help you make your decision.

Hello take time 2 travel,
We will stay in Florence for four nights. Actually, we only have three and a half day as we need half a day to travel from Rome to Florence. So we can use two days for Florence, one day for Cinque Terre and maybe the half a day for Pisa.
And I do not know if we are the few families who do not like hauling luggage around for one night stays, we prefer to stay at a place and travel from there.
Our next stop will be Venice.
Suggestions are most welcome!

I wouldn't go to Pisa for an additional half a day. If you need to see the leaning tower, I would arrange to stop by on the way to or from CT.

I pressume driving out from Florence is as doable. With a car, could u do Cinque Terre and Pisa on the same day?

Can you possibly do a quick peak at Pisa and move on to CT for three cities as mentioned above in a day? Or is it just too ambitious?

Swimming the English Channel is possible also.

Do not try to do Pisa and Cinque Terre in 1 day with a hike. You may do the distance but not really with enough time to enjoy anything.

If you really want to stretch it take a train to Cinque Terre , hike , and return same day to Florence.

**snort**

PlanB, really I have no interest in Pisa. The family wants to see the tower. I may do what you suggested.

Hi GoPlanB. While staying in the CT, we took a morning train to Florence, saw the David, had lunch and shopped. On the way back in the evening, we stopped in Pisa and took the bus to see the Tower. So, it's easily doable in reverse. Have fun!

There is a *bit* more to Florence than just the David and shopping...

Thanks Travgina! The last time we went to Italy we also did a day trip to Florence from Rome. Loved it so much that we are basing ourselves out of Florence this time. Hope you get to see Florence again in the future.

Hello Travgina,
I am so glad to hear that it is doable. I will not be hiking the whole Cinque Terre trail, I am just hiking the easier trail between Riomaggiore and Corniglia.
I know I will be traveling the reverse direction from you.
I wondered if it is better to take a direct train to Riomaggiore from Florence in the morning and stop by Pisa on our way back in the evening?

Hi,
Of course it is absolutely doable. We did this in January - a day trip to Cinque Terre from Florence. It was absolutely fantastic. We did the walk from Riomaggiore to Manorola and continued from there towards Corniglia but alas the track was closed half way around due to a landside so we had to go back. So we caught the train then from Manorola to the other villages. We had plenety of time in the day to see each village and it was actually one of our very best highlight days in our 5 weeks in Europe. We arrived back in Florence late at night, exhausted but so happy that we made the effort to do this. Have fun.

Hello Amandab,
Can you tell me how early did you start from Florence, which city you have to do a train transfer and is it confusing? We have similar plans to walk the first three towns starting to hike from Riomaggiore and will end in Corniglia. Then take a return train to Pisa for a peek before heading back to Florence. Is it too many train transfers in one day?