jjrod

I will be visiting Florence in March 2006 and I am considering a day trip to Cinque Terre. Is this feasible to do? I know there is a tour company that offers this particular visit in one day. By the way, the tour company only visits three of the towns. Is it possible to visit all five? Your comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for you help.

wantagig

Yes it's feasible. I've done it. Actually it might be a great time to see the towns. I imagine that it won't be packed with tourists, which will be so nice for you.

You can do it on your own. You can easily take the train to Riomaggiore get out wander around, get back on the train and go to the next town, get out walk around, etc. in a day. The towns are very small and pretty close together.

Steve_James

Jirod - You'd want to make an early start, I think - it's about 2.5 hrs+ travelling time each way. (The first train from Florence is at 07.51)

For train times see:

www.trenitalia.com

Hope this helps ...

Steve

jjrod

Thanks for your responses. Can anyone provide details on how to get there, how to get around and how to get back to Florence? Thanks once again!

wantagig

jjrod:

Steve answered the question as to how to get there by posting trenitalia's website. That is where you go to look at the train schedules. Just click on English after you go there.

To break it down a little more, I went to trenitalia's website and found that they have a train from Firenze at 7:52am that arrives at the La Spezia Centrale train station two hours later. (The town of La Spezia is the gateway to the Cinque Terre towns) From there you would board a separate 8 minute train to Riomaggiore (the first of the 5 villages).

As I wrote earlier, You can easily take the train to Riomaggiore get out wander around, get back on the train and go to the next town, get out walk around, etc. in a day. The towns are very small and pretty close together.

To return, take the train from cinque Terre back to La Spezia, then you can hop on a train from La Spezia back to Florence departing at 4:10, 5:12, 6:10 for example. Travel time on these return trains take appx 2 hours and 20 minutes.

I hope this helps you understand a little better.

jjrod

It sure did! Thanks for the "play by play" Wantagig. Any further suggestions (i.e. places to eat, etc.) will also be appreciated. Thanks to all.

PalenqueBob

I walked between all five towns in one day - after day tripping in - i think it's seven miles all told by the footpath - not good in rainy weather perhaps but otherwise a lovely walk. You can abort in any town and hop on the train.

Bob1

We stayed in PORTOVENERE overnight. Took the bus to La Spezia. Took the train from La Spezia to the last town on the line of the Cinque Terre. Then worked ourselves back by exploring and then taking the train on the next city. Trains are coming and going all the time. Your train pass will get you on and off at each town and back to La Spezia. Busy day...but fun.

PJK

The hikes from town to town have fabulous views, so if the weather is decent, try to do at least one of them. When you buy your permit to hike (can't remember how much, but a modest fee) that gives you access to the train that runs between all the cities. Some of the trains stop at all the cities, but others don't, so check that issue when you get ready to go to the next town. I don't know about the travel to and from Florence, but certainly having even a few hours in the Cinque Terre is worth the effort, in my opinion. I loved those days of our trip. There isn't a lot to do or see in the towns. They are quaint a fun to explore, but hiking and scenery are the areas main attraction. In Vernazza there is an abbey on the top of a hill. Sorry I can't be more specific, but ask about it when you get to the visitor's center. Have fun. Wish I could go. PJK

PalenqueBob

Re trains to each of the five lands. One land, Corniglia, i believe is hundreds of feet above its sea-level train station - maybe not bad walking down but going up hundreds of stairs in summer heat could be taxing - so to say hop train from one to one is not in this case so easy. I may be wrong about the town but i do remember a long long flight of stairs coming down from the village to the train station. In season boats also serve all five lands - Corniglia or whatever obviously being a frightful trudge up from its dock.
the last bit of the hiking path everyone should take - between Riomaggiore and the neighboring village (Manorola?) - it's called the path of love i believe and is a broad flat boardwalk along the rugged coast - grannies pushing baby prams even do this one - a popular strolling area for folks in Riomaggiore.

motor_city_girl

We were there in early April this year. We loved it but would not recommend going in March. The trails are prone to mud slides and some were not open even in April. It is a LONG trip for the day. I would go into the country side around Florence or to Orvieto (between Florence and Rome).

Sorry to say this because CT was lovely but it was JUST starting to be lovely in April. I think you could find better use of your time, but I guess it depends on how long you will be in Italy.

jjrod

PJK thanks for the additional details. Where can I purchase the hiking permit? Once in Italy, I will monitor weather to determine if the trip is possible. Thanks to everyone!

azure0327

Hi jjrod:
You can buy the hiking pass at any of the CT train stations or tourist offices. The pass also includes train travel between any of the five towns.

wantagig

That's interesting. When I did the hike from Riomaggiore to Monterosso, I never purchased a hiking permit. This is the first I've heard of it. Is this something new and required?

annabelle2

I was in the Cinque Terre 3.5 years ago and I remember buying a Cinque Terre pass (it is a national park) at the train station in Levanto, where we stayed, before we got on the train to the CT. I think this is the hiking permit mentioned. If so, it is not new -- but certainly nobody ever asked us if we had 'em or anything like that. Helps to support the park, I would assume. (And it is a nice map and souvnenir of sorts.)