Cinque Terre-too crowded?
 

I visited the CT in June of 1998 and while there were certainly many tourists there, I did not find it overwhelmingly crowded. There are a number of posts on this board that disparage the area as a "zoo," and I am wondering-has so much changed in the last 7 years? Is it really unbearable in May and June, for example (I would never go to ANY European beach destination in July or August)?

I have a hard time imagining that it has become like the Amalfi Coast (an area that is not my cup of tea, since it so busy and crowded) or like Rimini, with it's wall to wall beach chairs and amusements. But, some posts here make it sound like that is exactly like what the CT has become. Comments from recent travelers?

Yes, it has changed that much. Last year I was there in October. On a Saturday (week ends are always more crowded) waiting for a train on the platform at Vernazza. There were so many people waiting to get on the train that you could not get on the next train but had to wait for a second train. I found the same at other villages that day. Remember that this was in October. I was first at the CT in 1995. I paid equiv. of $25 for a decent room, now that room is over $100. All the hotel and restaurant prices have skyrocketed. I will never return to CT. I have found that I much prefer the Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino, Rapallo, Camogli, Sestri Levante area instead and it is only a short distance north of the CT.

Lots of people seem to like the CT in spite of this but I'll pass.

Also I go to the Amalfi Coast area (Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, Ravello etc. and have never seen crowds even close to those in CT.

Larry J

Larry-Which of those towns that you mentioned have the best swimming beaches? Thanks.

For the towns north of the CT I base myself at Santa Margherita Ligure. Great town with nice reasonably priced hotels and reataurants and a nice beach area in center of town. I then take day trips by train to Rapallo (also a nice beach area), Camolgi (nice beach and old town area) and Sestri Levante. Sestri Levante has a very large beach area because it has beaches on the penisula that juts out into the Med and a sheltered beach area on the bay on the inland side of the peninsula.

There are two Best Western hotels in Santa Margherita. Both are 4 star. I stay at the Best Western Hotel Laurin. It is located at the marina very near center of town and every room has a terrace and sea view. Also a nice free buffet breakfast.I last stayed there in December 03 at a rate of 110 euros. You can book through the Best Western website. Hassle-free cancellation policy that extends up to day of arrival. From here it is a 3 km (1.8 mile) walk to Portofino or for 1 euro take the bus that stops in front of hotel. Two nice hiking trails that start at Portofino and go out on the peninsula for several km.

Another thing to keep in mind is that from the Santa Margherita area you can easily do a day trip by train to the CT.

Enjoy whichever area you choose.

Larry J

Larry, I'm was looking at a couple of nights in CT - focusing on Vernazza and Riomaggiore in mid October and wasn't anticipating crowds of that magnitude. It certainly is a deterrent - just out of curiousity though also, was it incredibly rainy in October?

christy1: September and October are still busy tourist-wise; however, you won't get the wall of tourists in the typical summer months of June-August. The Cinque Terre towns are so much smaller so when crowds flood the towns, they really are overwhelmed. What Larry said is true, especially of Vernazza where the prices for food, hotels, and restaurants have sky-rocketed to meet the demand.

I was in the CT mid-September (5 months ago) and had to wait for 3 trains before finally able to leave Monterosso (due in part to an impending train strike that afternoon and also very crowded trains!). However, I would visit the CT in September or October vs the hotter, more crowded summer months. That said, it is certainly worth a return visit at least in May before the crowds get too much. Riomaggiore and Monterosso al mare are my favorite towns. Monterosso al mare has the best beaches with sand to actually lay down on. Riomaggiore has a very small beach that mostly locals go to (around the bend from its main mini harbor). Note that the rocks can really hurt your feet when swimming, walking out in the water, etc. I would almost recommend swimming shoes or even flip-flops while wading. I have learned to walk very gingerly along the beach!

AussieMel: I would avoid staying in Vernazza where you will encouter more crowds. I would recommend staying in Riomaggiore. You can easily take the local trains back and forth to the towns so you won't miss anything.

There is rain in October; however, the true winter weather doesn't really begin until late November/early December. The throes of the season are at full force during Christmas time and the month of January....even into February. (However, in Riomaggiore today - 13 Feb 05 - it was another sunny day (49 F) that continued a nice weather pattern for the past 4 days there).

Christy,
We went to CT last May – it happened that May 1st (which is a holiday in Italy) was on a weekend last year. That was the really crowded day, but other than that, it was fine, no real crowds. We stayed in Monterrosso for 5 days and never had a problem with the trains. I think we even got seats every time.
While I can’t comment on how the prices went up lately, we still found them a lot lower than in Venice and Florence.
Again, keep in mind, we were there in May, before the school breaks and the real crowds. But we loved it and would do it again any time. The CT towns are more crowded during the day, due to tourist staying in other neighboring towns, but at night they are magical.
You’ll love it.

I agree with Larry J. We were there in October and I felt like I was in the midst of a Rick Steve's convention! I was soooo disappointed!

After an overpriced espresso and a wait to use one of the filthiest rest rooms I have ever seen (at the train station) we hopped the next train out.

We stayed in Rapallo, which we very much enjoyed. SML also looked entcing and it is on our list for next time.

To KFUSTO

If you guys liked Rapallo you'll be tickled half to death with Santa Margherita. Be sure to take the short day trip to Camogli. It has a lot of old world charm. I met a couple there from San Francisco who had been there for 3 weeks and hated to leave. Pretty hard to impress anyone lucky (and rich) enough to live in SF.

Larry J

Thanks for the comments and I'd love to hear more. xyz99, that was particularly helpful as we will probably be going (late) May. Larry, thanks for the other beach suggestions.

I wonder if people are comparing the CT to the undiscovered place it may have been or that their expectations led them to believe rather than to other Italian coastal towns. The complaints I'm hearing don't make it sound worse than other places. $100 for a room doesn't sound bad to me for such as scenic coastal area, and I can show you a TON of places in Italy to get overpriced espressos and that have filthy train station bathrooms. And, speaking of crowded trains, I've had a terrible time catching buses up and down the Amalfi Coast, and when I do manage to get on one, they are very crowded. I do, however, see how too many people can overwhelm those little towns.

Lamentably, the CT has become more crowded, but it's still not as bad as Portofino, the French Riviera, or Amalfi. However, despite this there are two ways to beat the crowds. First, avoid weekends and holidays. Second, stay in Corniglia. Since it's a little harder to get to than the other 4 towns it sees fewer crowds.

Also, I'd chew tin foil before I'd ever pay more than 100 euros for a room anywhere in the CT. Lots of CT residents will rent you a private room for well under 50 euros. Last May I rented a whole apartment in Monterosso for 75 euro. Either of these options are much more charming and intimate than staying at Best Western (give me a break! -- Travel all the way to Italy to stay in a Best Western. Just go to Disneyland and get it over with).

Christy,

We visited the Cinque Terre 5 years ago in May. We stayed in Santa Margherita Ligure also at the Hotel Laurin. It's not what you would expect of a Best Western in the US, much more European. SML is a lovely town deserving of its own time.

We trained to Cinque Terre with no problem. Weather was mid-80s, trail was quite busy even then. Vernazza was jam packed, but the other towns were fine.

Buon viaggio!

Famous quote:

"No one goes there nowadays, it's too crowded."
- <i>Yogi Berra</i>

christy1: sounds like you are really set on the CT and should just plan to go.

IMHO, CT had no charm and I would not return. This was my 12th visit to Italy and I agree that there are plenty of places in most Italian cities with dirty bathrooms and overpriced espresso. However, there are also lots of places in Italy where a $5 cup of espresso is worth the price, at least for me (sitting at an outdoor table at Tre Scalini in summer comes to mind.)

I had looked forward for many years to visiting the CT. My husband and I both had the same reaction to Vernazza. We stayed less than an hour, hopped the next train to anywhere and spent a lovely afternoon exploring Le Spezia.


Larry, SML, thanks for the thoughts on SML. We will definitely check it out next time we have a few extra days in Italy.

I've said it over and over again. The only REAL reason to go to the CT is to hike the old goat paths between the five villages. If you plan to go and just sit in a town, there are many, many places in Italy better suited to that.

This thread concerns me a little since I have just reserved a room for two nights in Monterosso. We will be there in mid-April and intend to hike. Weather may change those plans, of course, but otherwise should I expect unreasonable crowds even then? I can still cancel and go to some of the other towns several of you seem to think are better options. PK

PJK,

I haven't been there since 2000 (or was it 1999 or 2001?), but I say go, expect crowds and then have a good time regardless.

I thought it was pretty Rick Steves-y back then (not that there's anything wrong with that...!), but we still had a delightful time.

We stayed in Corniglia for 3 days. It was a holiday weekend in May--tons of Italians as well as other tourists, plus a football match with a team from La Spezia.

Plus a vino festa!

It was fun. Please just go, hike, relax, eat and drink lots, and have a great time.

Maybe what we have here are just differing opinions depending on what we like to do...the idea of just sitting in Vernazza for an hour and judging the area on that is very odd to me. It was the hiking (I only took the train once in 4 days), swimming, general scenery, sitting on the rocks by the water, watching sunsets, etc that I found so wonderful. I can see how if you limit your activities to the most crowded town, things might seem very busy and unpleasant.

PJK, I posted this on another message board as well and it is sounding like if you mainly like to do the things I mentioned above, you'll be fine. The advice I am getting is as long as you avoid the high season and weekends and don't expect that it is an unknown destination-realize that it is a well known place-that it is fine.

We made the decision to leave after an hour because we were completely turned off by what we found. We had not planned to hike (husband has bad back) but planned to spend a day exploring. The beach was not inviting for swimming and was packed anyway. We live in FL on the coast so swimming is not what we visit Europe for as we have beautiful beaches ten minutes from our home.

I had orginally booked a room in Monterosso but after experiencing Varnazza, we were very happy that we had chosed Rapallo instead based on comments our Florentine friends and business associates made about the CT.

It is all in what you enjoy. If the hiking is what you are going for, I am sure it is quite lovely. If you do not care to be in a crowd of mostly American tourists all looking for whatever charm Steeves finds in the CT, then you will likely enjoy it quite well.

Your original post askes if it really unbearable. IMRE, it was.

Attention sourpusses - I will be in the CT on September 7 and want to see smiles. I plan to visit all the towns and just explore. All I want to do is see the scenery, ride the ferry, and drink some wine. I'm sure we will have a lovely time even if it is crowded, which is what happens at beaches in the summer.