sbrosnan813

After some initial itinerary advice, I originally planned a portion of our trip in Levanto. I figured it would be less crowded, we could do the bike path one day, and my husband and I would still get the same overall feel without it being completely overrun like CT (especially because we're going in 1st week of July).

However, after talking to a few friends who have lived in Italy, I was given a few suggestions on some other locations that they thought might be a little more picturesque and along the lines of what I was looking for:

Tellaro
Lerici
Portovenere
and of course, Levanto is still an option.

The main point of our stay in the coastal area (besides to be on the ocean) is to enjoy some nice down time before heading into the very busy (and very hot) Florence. We would be staying 3 nights (2 full days, leaving mid-afternoon on the 3rd day). Our priorities are to soak in the sun (and hopefully take a swim in the ocean), enjoy walking around the area during the day and evenings, get my first taste of "real" Italian food (first trip to Italy and Europe!), get some great pictures of our beautiful/romantic surroundings, and just relax before the craziness of the city.

Also, if this affects any decision making, we would be arriving after several days in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland and would be taking about a 7/8 hr train ride to get into the La Spezia area. We would also plan on getting a car service from La Spezia to whatever town we end up in to prevent the hassle of a longer bus ride with luggage.

So with all of that in mind, would love your input on the other towns. Also, if there is a place en route to Florence that we haven't thought of, suggestions are still appreciated. That being said, we definitely are looking for the rustic/laid back/intimate coastal town vibe as opposed to the palm tree/resort feel.

Thank you as always for your help! I promise to somehow pay it forward!

massimop

If you are happy to stay in one town without a car or a train, then Lerici is very beautiful and it is big (not too big) and has more space to swim. So even if it is summer, it is ok.

Portovenere has the cruise ships and it is small, against a mountain. Tellaro is just a verry little fishing village. If is very beautiful but if is only good if you want to just swim and sleep. If lots of people come for lunch, then it is difficult if you don't like too many other people.

Levanto is nice and it has a train station.

Even if you don't stay in Portovenere, one day, after all the cruse ships are gone, it is nice to go and drink a cocktail. It has a very beautiful view.

I think if you go anywhere you will probably like it. If you try to go to one town but there is no hotel, it will be ok if you go to another town. The food is very good, but it is not like the food in the rest of Italy if you like tomato sauce or steak. It is all fish, and the pasta sauce is pesto. The wine is white. If you don't like that, then you go to Forte dei Marmi, because they have fish but they also have the food of Tuscany and red wine.

Andrew

I've stayed in Levanto twice to visit the CT. It's a nice beach town - a more conventional-looking town than the five villages of CT that seem "built into the side of the hill" but still nice. I haven't stayed in any other the other alternative towns mentioned. I'm guessing Levanto and the CT will be super busy in July.

Wouldn't a train from Switzerland already stop in Levanto? Just wondering.

scrb11

My recollection of Levano is that it's a long hike from the train station to the center of town which is near the ocean.

First time I went stayed in Deiva Marina, which is a couple of stops north of Monterosso al Mare. It was cheap and worked well for trip to Camogli.

There was a hotel there which served a 2-course dinner for 6 Euro which was good. A nice salad with a selection of primi. I could afford more but a lot of times, I only wanted to try different pastas.

Then a couple of years ago I stayed in Monterosso al Mare in the old town, on the other side of the tunnel from the train station. Another long hike to get on the train each day but didn't mind it.

You didn't have to do as much climbing as Riomaggiore or especially Corniglia.

I only day tripped to Portovenere. It is very beautiful but you're far away from the trains into CT. You would take a bus ride and hike to get to the trains or take a boat and hike to the train or buy a ferry ticket to go directly to the CT villages, which can be about 30 Euro per head, per day.

Andrew

I guess it depends what you mean by "far" from Levanto train station to the center of town. (Google's walking estimate is 11 minutes.) The worst part is that it's up a little hill from the town. But I guess I am used to walking with my carry-on bags a good 10-15 minutes from a station to/from lodgings, but I know that's just too far for some people. On one visit, I had an early train to catch leaving Levanto and was so nervous about making it that I took a taxi, which was for me unusual.

I think each CT town's train station is a little hike from the center of towns, except Vernazza's which as I recall puts you about in the center of town. Riomaggiore's station is a long tunnel walk into town. Corniglia's station is down a steep hill from the town, to the extent that they even run shuttle buses.

neckervd

You waste a whole afternoon (1pm until 9pm )with your Lauterbrunnen - Sarzana or La Spezia ride. Why not stop over at Lake Maggiore for 1 day?

Lerici - Tellaro is a nice area.
If you are looking for something completely different, you may fly from Berne airport to Elba Island, relax there and go then by ferry to Piombino and by direct train to Florence.

vincenzo32951

>> or buy a ferry ticket to go directly to the CT villages, which can be about 30 Euro per head, per day.

massimop

Yes, it is a long walk to the train station in Levanto if you are at the beach. In July it is very hot.

neckervd,

I did not know it is possible to fly to Elba. That is interesting.

yorkshire

LOVE neckervd's idea to fly to Elba. In fact, on another forum I replied that that train day was a time sink I would try to avoid at any cost. good luck!