Doing CinqueTerre right, help!!!
Jun 5th, 2007, 06:49 PM
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Doing CinqueTerre right, help!!!
All of you people that have been there before, can you enlighten me?
Where should I stay while in the area, do I do a car or the train, and is the walking between the towns too strenuos for a 76 year old?
Another dumb question, do people usually stay in Portofino or just go there for the day. I see the hotels are quite expensive.
Can you suggest an Itinerary for say 5 days?
Where should I stay while in the area, do I do a car or the train, and is the walking between the towns too strenuos for a 76 year old?
Another dumb question, do people usually stay in Portofino or just go there for the day. I see the hotels are quite expensive.
Can you suggest an Itinerary for say 5 days?
Jun 6th, 2007, 04:39 AM
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We're roughly in your age bracket and we spent a week there. Yes, one or two of the hikes were a bit tough (Corniglia as I recall).
We stayed in a villa B&B - not expensive - in Arcola near Lerici (we had a car) and each day we'd take the boat from the pier there to 'commute' across the Gulf of La Spezia to one or more of the five towns. It was a lot of fun.
With the car, we were able to go visit Portofino, Tellaro and also Lucca.
We stayed in a villa B&B - not expensive - in Arcola near Lerici (we had a car) and each day we'd take the boat from the pier there to 'commute' across the Gulf of La Spezia to one or more of the five towns. It was a lot of fun.
With the car, we were able to go visit Portofino, Tellaro and also Lucca.
Jun 6th, 2007, 08:38 AM
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Just got back from Italy yesterday - we spent 4 nights in the Cinque Terre and loved it.
We stayed in Monterosso, which is the town with the most hotels. I would guess that some of the towns have no hotels. We stayed right on the beach about a 2 minute walk from the train station. But because the trains are in tunnels in the cliffs, you can't hear them.
We travelled with our 3 and 5 year olds and their double wide all terrain stroller which is likely more of a handicap than being 76! We did a very easy walk on a paved path between the first 2 towns with our buggy. The third town has lots of steps to get to it so we just skipped it all together. Vernazza is the fourth town and it is gorgeous. Plenty of people there were just hanging out or eating at an outdoor cafe - not hiking. You can walk some steps up to where the trail is and see Vernazza from above (without doing the hike). Really beautiful.
We trained exclusively and it was easy. We flew into Pisa from London and had an easy direct train to Monterosso. Lots of trains go back and forth from the towns and also the boats (but the boats weren't stopping at all the towns when I was there due to the weather).
We day tripped to Portofino, my husband has always said he would love to stay in Portofino, and I have to tell you that we both agreed that it was not a great place to stay for us. Lots of high end shopping and restaurants but little else. Even the buildings (which are pretty) are painted with fake facades - unlike the cinque terre which is truly weathered. I am glad we went to see it but I don't think I would go back. To get there we took a train to Santa Margurita Ligure and took a 30E taxi to Portofino (you can take a bus or a boat, we just felt like the taxi) but we took the boat to the train on the way back.
I definitely recommend going and staying in Monterosso, which is not the most picturesque of all the towns, but has more going on and more amenities. We did not rent a car as we thought it would be more trouble than it was worth, and I would say you wouldn't even use it for several of your 5 days getting to the CT towns.
We stayed in Monterosso, which is the town with the most hotels. I would guess that some of the towns have no hotels. We stayed right on the beach about a 2 minute walk from the train station. But because the trains are in tunnels in the cliffs, you can't hear them.
We travelled with our 3 and 5 year olds and their double wide all terrain stroller which is likely more of a handicap than being 76! We did a very easy walk on a paved path between the first 2 towns with our buggy. The third town has lots of steps to get to it so we just skipped it all together. Vernazza is the fourth town and it is gorgeous. Plenty of people there were just hanging out or eating at an outdoor cafe - not hiking. You can walk some steps up to where the trail is and see Vernazza from above (without doing the hike). Really beautiful.
We trained exclusively and it was easy. We flew into Pisa from London and had an easy direct train to Monterosso. Lots of trains go back and forth from the towns and also the boats (but the boats weren't stopping at all the towns when I was there due to the weather).
We day tripped to Portofino, my husband has always said he would love to stay in Portofino, and I have to tell you that we both agreed that it was not a great place to stay for us. Lots of high end shopping and restaurants but little else. Even the buildings (which are pretty) are painted with fake facades - unlike the cinque terre which is truly weathered. I am glad we went to see it but I don't think I would go back. To get there we took a train to Santa Margurita Ligure and took a 30E taxi to Portofino (you can take a bus or a boat, we just felt like the taxi) but we took the boat to the train on the way back.
I definitely recommend going and staying in Monterosso, which is not the most picturesque of all the towns, but has more going on and more amenities. We did not rent a car as we thought it would be more trouble than it was worth, and I would say you wouldn't even use it for several of your 5 days getting to the CT towns.
Jun 6th, 2007, 12:07 PM
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We just got back too and stayed in Santa Margherita at the Hotel Continental which was very nice and very close to the train station.
We took the train/bus to Portovenere (which was by far my favorite) and then were able to get on the boat and go past several beautiful towns to Vernazza and then back on the train. Very easy.
My only regret is that we didn't make it to Portofino. I personally think 5 days would be a lot for the CinqueTerre. I think you could do it in three and maybe spend another two traveling to other towns outside the area. Just my .02 cents.
We took the train/bus to Portovenere (which was by far my favorite) and then were able to get on the boat and go past several beautiful towns to Vernazza and then back on the train. Very easy.
My only regret is that we didn't make it to Portofino. I personally think 5 days would be a lot for the CinqueTerre. I think you could do it in three and maybe spend another two traveling to other towns outside the area. Just my .02 cents.
