Roz1103

Based on flying using miles, our best option home was to go through Milan (from Athens). Our ship docks amin Piraeus, but no earlier flights so we are arriving into Milan on May 25th at 5:00pm (too late for the train south to Cinque Terre). We fly out of Milan for the USA on May 28th at 9:30am, too early to drive back from Cinque Terre that morning. If we rent a car at MXP and drive to Levanto or close, arriving at 9 pm, we will have 2 days to see Cinque Terre and then drive back on the 27th to Milan and overnight. I need transportation/parking advice and which town to stay in at Cinque Terre and whether to stay in Milan downtown or near the aiport. A 2 day car rental would mean dropping the car back at MXP by 5 pm on the 27th. We are a couple aged 60 and probably won't hike, just see all the villages by train and boat and we know our car will probably just sit somewhere, but I wanted to avoid the overnight in Milan both ways.

HappyTrvlr

The most northern of the five towns Monterosso has a large parking lot near the water. There is local train between the villages(Corneglia requires an uphill walk or tram from train) There are also water taxis. We spent two days the hike where you walk along well trod paths. We walked Monterosso to Vernazza one day and Riomaggiore to Vernazza the ohter day. We returned by water taxi from Vernazza to Monterosso both days. I am not a hiker and did it, similar age as you,wearing sneakers.
In Milan your last night stay at MXP since your international flight is early the next morning.
Milan itself is worth a few days as is Athens.
Also, north of the CT, Santa Margherita is lovely, also Camogli, bothon the Portofino Peninsula.

Roz1103

Thanks Happy Traveler, for the advice. We have seen Athens and will also have an extra day on the way to the ship.
I'm still not sure about the overnight in Milan. See we have to have the car back by 5 pm so that means all evening way out at the airport. I guess we could check in and drop the bags at an airport hotel, then drop off the car and take the bus to Central station for the evening so we could see a little of Milan.
Roz

isabel

I suggest you spend your arrival night in Milan. If you arrive at the airport at 5pm you could have time to see the Duomo and have dinner and then take an early (7am or so)train the next morning. You'd be there by 11 am or so, have all that day and the following day. You could then take a late-ish train back and spend the night before the flight out at the airport. This eliminates the need for a car, allows you to see the Milano Duomo (which is very impressive). And it gives you as much time in the CT as your plan because you won't have to leave there till 7 pm or so - that will still give you plenty of time to get back to Milan, and on to the airport for the night. There are plenty of hotels at the airport which is where you want to stay for that early a flight.

HappyTrvlr

There are places to eat near the airport that are pretty good within walking distance or on hotel properties with airport shuttles. There are several posts on this forum about those choices.We have stayed at Villa Malpensa twice and the restaurant was excellent on both visits. In the Forum Search box above, enter Malpensa hotels and you'll see many more threads filled with suggestions.

Roz1103

Now you have given me something else to consider. If we stay in Milan on the 25th and then Vernazza on the 26th and the MXP airport on the 27th then we are only staying 1 night in each of 3 places - packing and unpacking and getting from airport to Milan Central and then on trains south, with lots of luggage (we have just come off a 10 day cruise) so not sure saving the cost of the car is worth it. We can drive and arrive in Vernazza by 9pm. It says we can park there, but if not, we can park in Levanto or Monterosso and there are trains running to Vernazza (have 2 nights booked there)until almost midnight. That would leave us free to drive back on the 27th whenever we wanted (in time to see some of Milan before heading for the airport) ??? Of course taking the train from Milan on the morning of the 26th might be scenic and fun, but with a lot of luggage?