Cinque Terre in early August: Nightmare or still worthwhile?
 

Hi

I am keen to stay in Cinque Terre for couple of days and just spend my days hiking around from one town to the other. Obviously, my timing couldn't be worse. Early August means it will be full of tourists, most rooms are booked and day-trippers would be abundant.

Having said that, is it still worthwhile? Or is it so unbearable that I might as well keep it for the future? I don't think I would get to visit Italy anytime soon in next few years, and gosh, what if I get too old and lazy to hike all towns?

Many think, from what I have read on this forum, that it is over-rated. Is it over-rated even for a first-timer in Italy?

Is it worthwhile to stay in any other town nearby, like La Spezia, Portofino, and make my way to the towns every day? :( I don't like the sound of it, however. But if anybody has done that, and found it better than being amidst hordes whole day, please share your experience.

If you are an avid hiker, you can walk the more challenging paths, where I daresay you might be nearly alone. You will probably want to get up early to avoid the mid-day heat.
I wonder if the towns are suffering in terms of tourist dollars since the easy trail is still closed.
It is probably better to stay in one of the towns versus day tripping, because then you get to enjoy the town when the day trippers leave.
I am one of the CT naysayers, but that is not because it is not absolutely gorgeous--I just don't enjoy hiking with that many other people, and the towns were mobbed (this was late May). With a sickening abundance of gorgeous places in Italy, why must we all trample over one place--and I include myself in that because I went despite second thoughts! That said, any place on the coast is going to be crowded. Avoid expensive and I-don't-get-it-at-all Portofino, though the park itself has great hiking and there are nicer towns neary.
If you think you might dislike the crowds, then by all means stay in a nearby city that can absorb the summer crush.
hope that helps--enjoy!

If you don't like it, then you can take the train or bus or boat to other places during the day. You can access lots of great hikes starting in Camogli, or Santa Margherita Ligure, or Lerici or Portovenere. You can take a train to Rapallo and a cable car into the mountains for an interesting hike.

I am not sure all the trails will be open but you should stay in the towns themselves if you plan to hike the majority of the le Cinque Terre trails, so you can get an early start before the sun gets too fierce. It would be really difficult to stay in Portofino and make your way to le Cinque Terre each day (did you mean Portovenere?). La Spezia is a peculiarly dull town, although in summer it has lots of music festivals, if that would interest you.

Whatever you decide to do, might be best to make a plan not to get old and lazy, period.

@yorkshire & @sandralist, thanks for your insights. I have decided to put Cinque Terre trip off for now. I would spend time in Venice, Florence, Rome and (even though it would be crowded) Amalfi. I am guessing Amalfi is bigger and more spread out than Cinque Terre, and there would be more paths to tread on and little nooks to discover.

I find the Amalfi coast insufferably tourist and once you are there, you are really stuck without few bolt holes unless you are willing to climb a lot on top of all the climbing you will already be doing.

On the Italian Riviera there is a train line that will get you to many many small beautiful towns that almost no foreign tourists visit -- places like Zoagli and Moneglia and Chiavari also you can visit inland towns by bus. The Amalfi is one long traffic jam in summer.

I think you should reconsider.

I have to agree that Amalfi would be even worse in summer--though maybe an island off Naples would be better, when day trippers depart. In the low season, you can enjoy the lesser known towns of Amalfi without hordes, but not likely in August.

Cinque Terre must have become very popular in the last 10 years when I was there. We took the train and got off there with no hotel reservations. A young man approached us asking if we need a room. We took it. It was great. We hiked to each town using the trail overlooking the ocean. It was Aug. 2004. Great memories, beautiful environment. We just got back from Europe a month ago. Went to Spain this time. Sitges is a wonderful beach community.

Cinque Terre is out of control these days. Can't really blame the Americans for this one, since those numbers have fallen. The rest of the world has made its own discovery.

I know a young couple who went there last year in August for their honeymoon. They almost died from serious heatstroke while hiking. They were unprepared for the effects of the Italian sun, and the seriousness of their situation scared the daylights out of them. I think they may have blogged about it after they returned home, an attempt to warn others.

Hmmm. I think I'd skip Amalfi as well during this trip :( ah, the side effects of my last minute trip...ill timing, peak season and the heat :( but I can't complain. I am lucky to get to spend 3 weeks in Italy.