r_e_e_n_i_e

Considering a trip to Cinque Terre with some friends in October .....not so inclined to walk it due to some mobility issues..any suggestions about boats, trains, etc ...how does one go about booking places to stay in each village. Is there a source to arrange all this for you? We are not interested in a group tour, but a private tour.

All suggestions welcome...thanks

Andrew

I love the Cinque Terre - been twice - but for me, the highlight is the hiking. The towns are delightful but there are often steps and inclines to get from place to place (and often mobs of American tourists). In some of the towns, the train station is a bit of a walk (through tunnels, etc.) just into the center of town. I don't think I'd recommend a visit to the Cinque Terre for people with mobility issues.

You can book places to stay yourself - try www.booking.com .

kja

As Andrew notes, some of the towns of the area require a bit of walking, and much of that is uphill. But not all -- as I recall (and I could easily be wrong!) parts of Monterosso al Mare and Vernazza are reasonably flat. Whether it would be "do-able" would, I think, depend on the extent of the mobility issues.

You should be able to get information about train and boat options in any decent guide book -- always a great investment, IME, or check your library.

booking.com is a great resource.

No need for a tour of any sort unless that's your preference -- the Cinque Terre are easy to visit on one's own.

Note that the weather can be a bit iffy in October.

330east

Well, I can see where there might be a mobility problem. Not sure, though, what exactly is your m. problem. We went w/ great enthusiasm 2 years ago but once we saw the lay of the land we decided okaaaaay, no hikes. Our hotel was the very nice Porto Roca. It's up a hill from the town (Monterosso) Easy to get down -and going up? They have a phone at the bottom of the hill and you call up to the hotel and they drive down and pick you up. If you can get to the train station you can visit all the villages. Or get the boats at the harbor which go up and down the coast.

neckervd

Are you sure that there will still be boats in October?

sandralist

Whether or not the boats run depends on the weather, not the time of year. On the Italian Riviera, the weather usually starts to turn intermittently stormy after Oct 9 or 10. Some years, it will stay dry and sunny until the 1st week of November. But more typically, at some point between the 2nd week of October and the end of the month, there will be at least one big storm, and possibly other smaller windy storms.

There are people who live in le Cinque Terre who post on the TripAdvisor forum. They are usually a bit too rah-rah about some of the downsdies of le Cinque Terre (poor autumn weather, closed trails, large crowds) but they are still good sources of information and details, especially if you would like to hire a local to make some arrangments for you. I have seen some travel websites charging as much as 300e per person for travel assistance, and I am fairly sure you can hire some local help for a fraction of that, and these people on TripAdvisor would know which locals to consult.

stevelyon

Similarly, I am not sure about October for Cinque Terre if mobility is difficult. Why would you go there if you don't walk? The villages are pretty but its more for walkers. We went late to the Cinque Terre and the boats were prone to cancel.

r_e_e_n_i_e

really helpful input..the mobility issue is taking along a friend who is 85...so just not sure about the walking..otherwise he is on top of things...helpful about the October comments...these insights are so valuable...thanks