Need help for Lake Como and Cinque Terre, Italy
 

Four of us (late 60's and fairly fit) are planning a trip in 2017 to Milan, Lake Como, Cinque Terra, and Venice. I'd love to get your help in planning this awesome trip.
1. Which month would be better--May or September?? (we're flexible on the dates)
2. What city in the Lake Como area would be the best base for 3-4 days?
3. What village in the CT would be the best base for 3-4 days?
We definitely want to ride the ferries/boats on Lake Como and see as many sights as possible. We like to walk but are not interested in strenuous activiites (indulging in a second dessert is my idea of strenuous).
If you have any favorite sights or places to stay, I'd appreciate your input. We hope to travel by train and not have to rent a car. Is that possible/practical? Thank you!

Yes trains are great to get from Milan Airport to Lake Como - you can take a train right to Como from the airport with one easy change of train and not have to go into Milan or the hectic Milano Centrale station.

and from Como - not saying that is the best place to stay but I loved it - many others prefer Bellagio or some smaller lakeside town - but from Como or Varenna-Esino, a short boat hop from Bellagio - take a train to Milan then transfer to one to the Cinque Terre - all very easily done and since those are almost all regional trains there is no reason to buy tickets early to get a discount - just buy once in Italy - and for lots in general about Italian trains: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

If not into hiking you may want to include some day trips from a Cinque Terre base - hiking between the 5 Lands is what many folks do on well-beaten trails that however in a few stretches can be rather strenuous - you can take shuttle trains or boats between the 5 as well.

Coming from Milan many trains will only serve Monterosso and to get to the other villages you often have to transfer there to the milk train that shuttles between the all all the time.

A day trip to famous Portofino is very possible - train to Santa Margharita Ligure - a sweet old fishing town itself - and then take a boat or bus from there the few miles to super famous Portofino.

Again no need to rent any car. All those transporations are also dirt-cheap.

As said above, public transport is excellent in both areas. Both, May and September can be rainy, but there is usually a mix of everything.
In May, days are longer and the mountain flora along the trails above Lake Como is on it's best.
September can be pleasant too, but early morning fog over the lakes cannot be excluded.

But your are way too early with your planning. It's extremely easy to travel in these areas and there is not much to prepare in advance.

We did much the same trip about 10 years ago. Arrived at Malpensa, train to Milano Centrale, then regional train to Varenna. Perfect spot to get over jet lag... When we returned a few years later we hired a private driver who picked us up at Malpensa and delivered us to Varenna. Much easier and much more expensive. Next month we are doing the same to mark our 50th with kids and grandkids. Expensive but easy.

From Varenna we took the train to Santa Margarita Ligure which we used as our base for the Cinque Terre and Portofino. We explored the "Five Towns" in one long day - walked between the three southern towns, trained to the next and boated to the last one from which we trained back to SML. Nothing strenuous, very picturesque but I think before the hoards of tourists discovered the area via Rick Steves. Portofino and SML were delightful. Then a train to Venice is feasible. In fact, our travel buddies from the first visit to Varenna are doing this exact trip this year for their 50th!

Some might suggest starting in Venice, then train to Varenna via Milan, and finally down to SML. That would involve some back-tracking for the departure flight I guess. As for time of year, we have been in Varenna in both late May and late September and I don't recall any differences in weather or crowds. Varenna is wonderful and the nearby villas around the lake are great to see and wander through the gardens.

I recommend that you stay in Bellagio on Lake Como and Monterosso in the Xinque Terre.

May or September - September can still be very crowded in Bellagio - one of the most tourist mobbed scenes I've ever seen in Europe during the day time (but you'll be day tripping out during the day and at night the town reverts to it ballyhooed romance and charm) but May will be slack and beautiful with flowers out, etc.

But anything but July and August as both areas, especially 5 Terre is mobbed.

Hard to say what's the "best" spot on Lake Como. For me, it's Varenna. Nice views, less busy than some of the other spots, good transportation via train and ferry.

I like Monterosso in CT.

If you don't like strenuous activities, I assume you won't do the CT hike? We did it over two days, taking water taxis back to Monterosso where we stayed.
If not hiking, then visit the other villages by boat or train.

If not hiking, then do the Cinque Terre as a day trip from lovely Santa Margherita Ligure or Camogli.

In the CT area I like Rapallo. Adorable little castle jutting out into the sea, lovely sea side promenade, easy train connections to other towns in the area, as well as boats to the CT towns, Santa Marguerita and Portofino and Portovenere. All worth visiting. The CT towns are the most 'famous' but the area is so much more than just those towns. Here's my photos of the area - http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/ital...ligurian_coast

In Lake Como I liked Varenna.

All of it easily done by public transportation .

ISABEL, Sometimes I forget how good you are with those camera, and then you remind me. You have a superb eye for composition.

Your trip sounds wonderful. We just returned from spending a week on Lake Como. We choose Bellagio for our base - heavenly! We stayed at Hotel Florence - unbelievable room with a large terrace. The location was ideal. The boats were easy and fun to use. We spent one day in Varenna, one day in Como, another day ambling around Bellagio, one day at Villa Carlotta. Hope this helps.

Gee thanks Bob.

moatenote - if you do stay in Rapallo consider this hotel. http://www.italiaelido.com/eng/ Some of those photos were taken from my private terrace overlooking the castle. And the breakfast there was amazing.

I too based in Santa Margharita Ligure - a sweet active fishing port with the days catch seen unloaded from boats each afternoon - a real town and not just a tourist town as are Portofino and at least 4 of the Cinque Terre villages (Riomaggiore has the trappings of a normal town IME) - Santa M L is a short trip by train from the Cinque Terre and a short bus or boat ride or stroll even from S M L brings you to Portofino.

Hi moatenote. Here’s my “2 cents.” Also, upon reading the responses, I add my bravas to Isabel’s photos. You might look a some of the towns she visited for bases. Camogli was one DH and I missed. I’m even more sorry after seeing the shots. So, just remember these are my opinions only and based upon one trip. Follow your heart:

Which month would be better--May or September?? (we're flexible on the dates) <i>May. There will be more in bloom and more fresh spring veggies.</i>

What city in the Lake Como area would be the best base for 3-4 days? <i>We based in Bellagio and enjoyed its walkability and shopping/eating options. Because of Easter Monday ferry scheduling, we spent our last night in Varenna to be near the train station and, although smaller, we rather liked it a bit more. The ferry was easy to get and go around the lake so you can't really go wrong with either place. </i>

What village in the CT would be the best base for 3-4 days? <i>Add us to the folks who made the CT a day trip (from Pisa). The trails were closed so we only saw 2 towns. I think 2 days would be enough (again, see Isabel's photos!).</i>

If you are interested in fabrics, a visit to the city of Como might be something to add to your list.

What village in the CT would be the best base for 3-4 days? Add us to the folks who made the CT a day trip (from Pisa). The trails were closed so we only saw 2 towns. I think 2 days would be enough (again, see Isabel's photos!).>

I day tripped in twice to the 5 Terre - once from Florence and once from Santa Margharita Ligure - the latter gave me time enough to hike between all five villages - about a 7-mile trek.

the other time, in winter, I took the train between the four seaside villages and in an hour or so in each was ready to hit the road - or railroad - to the next one. For me staying in one of these often tourist thronged tiny rather plastic IMO villages would be like being in solitary confinement - but that is a subjective personal take - I'd take a Caamogli or Levanto or Santa margharita L any day for a more real but still romantic place.

Don't much like museum towns except for the human comedy I find in them - Portofino, the Cinque Terre and especially Bellagio - now at night when the tourist mobs are gone those places can take on near surrealistically sweet atmospheres but during the day in season it is sardine city with tourist-oriented shops out numbering local shops.

So a conundrum - visit those places only in the day as I did and you get a museum feeling - stay overnight they take on a romance they are fabled for - but for my likes nothing much to excite me.

That said most people rave about their stays in Bellagio.

Thank you all for your very helpful comments and photos! We do plan to try some hiking from village to village in the Cinque Terre. Relieved to find out we can do this trip via public transportation.

I was surprised at how pricey the mandated hiking pass costs - several bucks or more just to get access to any of the trails - last time having done all before I just wanted to walk on the Vialle d'Amour (sp?) between Riomaggiore and the next village - a short flat boardwalk type thing but for just that one segment I'd have had to buy a day hiking ticket.

I understand the reason for the hiking pass cost - to fix the trails that seem always to need repair but to pay $10 or so just to do one small portion deferred me to take the train instead.