judyjayp

Hi All,
My questions concerns the crowds toward the end of July in those areas. I wanted to make the trip at that time to coincide with the Bastille fireworks in Carcassone as well as the lavender in Provence. As much as I'd like to do this, I was concerned about being able to enjoy our time in Vernazza and Eze if the crowds are overwhelming.

I've been to Provence in July in the past, and the crowds weren't bad. This will be my first trip to the Rivieras though. We are not beach people, so I'm not concerned about that. Any advice would be appreciated. BTW, this trip will be next year.

Underhill

There will be crowds, lots and lots of them. I don't know how large the crowds will be at Eze (the village, presumably), though, as there isn't all that much space. The beginning of July would be best.

Robert2016

Mid-July is the start of the main holiday season, which runs through early September, so you can expect it to be busy in Provence.

Just plan ahead (6 to 8 months, or more, for accommodations) or you will be stuck with what's left.

massimop

You can cherry pick your towns around the Italian Riviera to avoid crowds of tourists. If you are determined to visit le Cinque Terre in July, brace yourself for daytime crowds. If you don't want that experience, you can somewhat avoid it by spending your nights in the le Cinque Terre towns but using the train to go elsewhere during the busiest times of the day. There are plenty of nearby towns with lovely hiking, swimming and restaurants for lunch that scarcely see any foreign tourists. If you don't mind skipping le Cinque Terre, you can avoid crowds entirely by staying in one of these Riviera towns -- Bonassola, Mongolia, Tellaro, Lerici, Bogliasco, Sestri Levante. But Italians know about these towns and accommodations need to be reserved in advance to July. Again, if you stay in these towns and "day trip" to le Cinque Terre, brace yourself for crowds.

But reading your post I am wondering: Why are you going to the Italian Riviera if you are "not beach people." It is very hot, and the biggest reward of the Italian Riviera is swimming. If you want cultural attractions, go to Albenga or Genova or into the Lunigiana hills.

judyjayp

Thank you massimop, I'll start doing my research into those towns as an alternative.

judyjayp

One more question about Cinque Terre. I've been to the Amalfi Coast several times and just loved it. The architecture, food, views, shopping, hiking, etc. is CT like that? Or is it just mainly a beach destination?

bvlenci

The Cinque Terre is more about scenery than beaches. Most people who go there go to see the coastal scenery, even though the sheer number of visitors does detract from the experience. Probably more than half of the visitors arrive on tour buses without bathing suits, so they're hardly coming for the beaches, which are small anyway, so there wouldn't be room for all of them.

Some people go to the Cinque Terre for the hiking, although two of the four lower (somewhat easier) trails are closed due to the risk of landslides, and the other two are like columns of ants. The high trails are all open, the last time I checked, and the views are great; not many visitors venture up to them. However, they require some agility.

Architecture isn't a big feature of the Cinque Terre. Before becoming a tourist mecca, they were little impoverished fishing and grape-growing villages. Amalfi was once a great seafaring republic, a rival of Pisa, and the architecture is founded on its great riches.

The food, when it isn't aimed at mass tourism, is good in both places, although they have different regional specialties.

The Amalfi Coast is much larger than the Cinque Terre towns, so, even though lots of people visit the Coast, they're not all concentrated in a small area.

kerouac

Early risers have a lovely time in all of these places. People who think that 2pm is a good time to visit are often disappointed.

massimop

The villages and towns of the Italian Riviera are more colorful than those of the Amalfi, which favor white with the occasional splash of ceramics. Depending on the time of year the flora and forests are also more colorful, and le Cinque Terre has the added attraction of its historic wine-cultivation terraces. The town of Camogli was also a seafaring republic and rival to Pisa, which lasted into the 18th c. Still today, the Italian Riviera is an important European yacht & shipbuilding center, an industry which dates back to the Crusades, and provided wealth throughout the Genovese region. For its architecture, Genoa was known as "La Superba", and their wealth only increased after allying with Spain to rob the New World of gold and allying with the Piemontese to rob the Neapolitans of their port!

There was considerable craft & light industry along the Riviera, which provided towns like Rapallo & Chiavari with wealth and lovely villas, etc. until the Industrial Revolution. Until the second World War, the Italian Riviera rivalled and superceded the French Riviera as a winter heaven for European royality.

Isolating le Cinque Terre as a travel destination is a very recent phenomenon. For decades, even centuries, travelers looked to the entire Italian Riviera as a place of abundant beauty and stylish living and relaxation beneath the palm trees. Not far from le Cinque Terre is where the British romantic poets spent their holidays, and most people considered it a "must" to see Genoa, San Remo (Monaco and Nice used to be part of Italy) . Portofino was a jet-set destination when people thought jets were special.

American vacationing really favors hiking and safe small towns and spending time by the sea. Le Cinque Terre has become famous for that, and some people prefer it to the Amalfi because it is less about shopping and has a more rustic feel. But if you enjoyed the luxury/shopping side of the Amalfi, it's more easily found in the beautiful area Santa Margherita Ligure or Rapallo or Portofino.

judyjayp

Thank you both. Superb descriptions!