I am in Spain right now and plan to go to Milan and Genoa next week. Cinque Terre is an expensive area to stay so I am wondering if it is doable to stay in La Spezia (or other city or even from Genoa?) for a couple of nights and make day trip(s) to Cinque Terre just to get the taste of it. Do you think it is worth doing it that way or come back later to do it right by staying in the five towns?

Yes very doable and many here advise it - Camogli is often mentioned as a nice seaside town just outside 5 Terre area - Genoa also would be very possible - just over an hour from Genoa to Monterosso - closest of 5 villages to Genoa - walking paths or trains or in season ferries connect all five towns once there. Regional trains usually require one change of trains and take about 90 minutes but are dirt cheap and since they do not even take seat reservations always get on -just buy ticket on day of travel - flat fare no discounts for booking ahead. IC trains take 1:10 and go direct to Monterosso but should be booked in advance as they require seat reservations (comes with ticket) and can sell out - though unlikely but you may get a discounted fare by booking early but full fare is not that much so can just wait until there to buy. For lots on Italian trains check www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts.

Thanks. I will probably stay in La Spezia for two nights and hike Cinque Terre unless there is a better place to stay and/or better things to do.
Need to take ferry to Corsica afterwards.

There are better alternatives than La Spezia such as Levanto (the town to the north). La Spezia makes more sense if you are departing south by train from there after visiting the Cinque Terre but not much sense otherwise. I've stayed in Levanto twice and it's a nice beach town, even if not as dramatically "set into the side of the hill" like the five villages. I didn't consider myself "day tripping" from Levanto - it's part of the same park as the five villages. They are all easily connected by frequent trains, so you can visit them in the evening and train back if staying anywhere in the riviera.

I stayed in Camogli for a few nights last May - as mentioned above, it is a lovely town too and not touristy (with non-Italians anyway) compared to the five villages that can seem overrun. But Camogli is about an hour north from the area by train. I did a quick half day visit to Riomaggiore and Vernazza from there last year but I had already been to all five towns multiple times. It would be very easy to visit them as a day trip but will take much more time if you wish to do some of the hikes.

The Italian Riviera is lovely and a lot larger than just the Cinque Terre, which gets most of the attention.

Thank you, @, I will certainly see if I can restructure my plan according to your suggestions. Levanto sounds great.

And those are regional trains mainly so again just buy ticket - return - at station -no discount for buying in advance and do not forget to cancel your own ticket coming and going - stick it in date-stamping machines in stations and at entrances to platform or if will not be considered to be valid.

@PalenQ, thank you. When I get to Genoa in three days, I will take a serious look of what I will do. Still in Milano.

Genoa to Levanto also has IC trains but not much faster - but not that much more expensive and more comfy.

I liked staying in La Spezia, took the 9 am ferry and the train back. It is very beautiful from the water. The ferry stops at all the villages. We trained from Florence and stayed two nights. Well worth it imo.

Thank you @macross

There is a ferry people take from either La Spezia or Portovenere. I am sure there are from other ports like Levanto.

Ferry is nice and easy way of viewing Cinque Terre, but costs 35 euro per day. In order to take advantage of the ferry, you need to start early in the morning like 9 or 10 The views are nice from the sea.

A lot of people hike the national park which I will find how hard it is tomorrow. Heave seen many people carry hiking poles.

It looks like you have already gone out by this point, but I wanted to remind you that you have to buy a pass (sold in the towns) to hike the trails. Major pain to get to the trail head (where they have checkpoints) and get sent back. Hope you enjoyed it and will report back. We hiked part last summer and it was challenging and awesome!

Please report back!