I loved my stay in CT and would love for my Granddaughter to see and explore these enchantings small villages.However, I was there in the month of June and the weather was very nice.

The problem is that we will be there the first week of October..The weather lately has been so unreliable in Italy and other parts of Europe, that it will be nearly impossible to predict how it will be.

Has anyone visited Cinque Terre the first week of october?

Yes, and I got lucky. No guarantees for you, but you should be fine.

We were there the first week of October last fall. The weather was perfect. Temps were in the 70s and sunny, except for one afternoon with sprinkles.

We were in Venice on the same trip, and the weather was wonderful there too.

I know you will have a great trip!

Byrd

I live near Cinque Terre and the first week of October can have exceptionally beautiful weather (like June). This coastline, however, experiences squalls, almost all year round, which pass quickly, but can ruin a short sightseeing trip. If at all possible, schedule 3 days for a visit, and you might consider basing yourself closer to Tuscany or Genova if your overall stay in Italy is short.

If you stay nearer to La Spezia with a car, you can tour parts of Tuscany (around Lucca) in rainy weather. If you stay closer to Genova, you can take a train to visit the grand palazzi and the art collections should you get rain.

By the way, the sudden storms and downpours in this region is one reason the Genovese became wealthy. They gained an international reputation for building strong ships, and when the Crusades began, they sold their ships to invading navies, and when European monarchies went out looking for riches far overseas, it was Ligurians like Cristofor Colombo who got the contracts to sail.

I experienced one beautiful day in the Cinque Terre in October and one day with an intense and extended rainstorm that, unfortunately, began almost exactly when I reached the midpoint of the path between Monterosso al Mare and Vernazza. I believe it took me nearly 2 hours to manage the rest of the path, which had turned into a slippery mass of cliff-side mud. The views were stunning, the but experience was terrifying!

I was planning to stay at least 3 or 4 Nights..I dont know my full schedule yet..We will stop there on our way to Provence and perhaps an overnight in Nice..We are very familiar with Nice , the Cote d'Azur and la Camarque.
Few years ago we spent 5 days at a charming fishing village in the Camarque region , "Gros Du Roi"".we really enjoyed our stay there.

Thanks again for All your suggestions.

I have visited the Cinque Terre twice in October. Both times the weather was wonderful.

Kismet...take me, please! I can double over and fit into either your or your GD's suitcases...please!

BC

You are always welcome to join us, BC..I have a huge suitcase that is stored in the attic..You will be very comfortable...So start packing!!

Twice...in 2006 and in 2008.

In 2006, the weather was warm, almost hot still.
In 2008, it was sunny & clear, but the last couple of days it was windy and brisk. We love that kind of weather, though, and it made the hiking much less "sweaty"!

I also loved not having to deal with crowds, of course.

<s>If</s> When we return, we hope to do so in early October again...

LucieV, when you stayed at the Marina Piccola Hotel, did you chose Mezza Pensione or just the room with Breakfast included?

If you chose MezzaPensione,how was the Menu?

When we were in Capri ,we also chose MezzaPensione, but at times I wished that I was free to try different places.
Of course in Capri we had many restaurants around,while in Manarola the choices are limited.

Just breakfast, kismet. We prefer not being tied down to our evening dining.

Re: the food at MP (we did have dinner there one night): as with most of the restaurants in Manarola, 'twas very good, but not extraordinary. However, as we both know "very good" in Italy = "extraordinary" in most other places!
The breakfast was perfect for us, but people who expect American-style breakfasts may not think so. We're croissants-and-cappuccino people.

BTW: I don't know what your plans are, but I actually preferred the Ca d"Andrean to the MP. The MP, of course, is right on the edge of the sea, so you have those to-die-for views (if you request)...but it's a wee bit less refined than the Ca d'A. The Ca d'A also has this lovely little wild garden where you can sit outside and have your breakfast, read the paper, daydream, etc.

LucieV, the views of the CA is fantastic, however, my poor fragile back would never make going so much uphill.I wished that I could..
As a matter of fact , when I was in Manarola,after walking up and down the steep roads, I thanked Heavens that our apartment was at the lower part of town, near MP.
I must say that after 8 days living there, I developed good legs muscles..

We were there the third week of October and it was fine. They had had some rain before we arrived that damaged the trail. If I go back, I want it to be in October when the crowds are thin and the place is quiet.

kismet, I know what you mean about that hill. Not a good idea if you've really got a bad back. I loved it, though, because anything that justifies more gelato is worth it for me!

MP would be perfect for your needs, I think...

Just reading and dreaming.... enjoy your trip!!

I still have 5 long months to go MomDDTravel..

with my new school I have three years before I will be able to get to beloved Europe again... I think just KNOWING that makes it harder then just not being able to go... I hope you have a blessed time and want to read ALL about it!!!

Times passes fast MomDDT..just dont wait too long, our future is always so uncertain that it is best doing something you really wanted to do the soonest possible.

I dont do trip reports for the simple fact that I have family in both Italy and France.Usually when I go back these two countries are on my agenda, I try to visit a different country or different cities between visiting my family.

Trip reports in my opinion,are usually for the people that visited for the first time to certains locations or countries.

On my last trip I visited for the first time Capri.. A Beautiful ,beautiful island.

My granddaughter and I just loved that beautiful place and also we visited Amsterdam, we stayed four days..I was there once but was the first time for Brooke, my granddaughter.