To CT or not to CT?
 

We have set our itinerary for June 2017-

Day 1-4 Fly into Venice stay in Verona
Day 4-6 Rent car & drive to Ligurian Coast
(Drop car La Spezia?)
Day 6-9 Train to Lucca -day trip Pisa?
Day 10 Last night in Florence->Depart

Seeing CT is a must, but we are having trouble deciding on whether to stay in CT, or close Levanto, Portovenere Sestri Levante all look good. SML looks amazing but I think it's too far.

I keep running all the pros/cons and I can't decide. If we stay in CT yes it's very crowded but we are there, so we can get a early start vs. being tied to the train or boat schedules. It is important that we have a place to swim/dip, cultural attractions and natural beauty to explore.

You all have never steered me wrong-suggestions?

Cultural attractions are not available in the CT, but aren't really that much more available any place else nearby. You can stretch the sights in Portovenere for cultural significance, but it's kind of a stretch.

For a dip, I like a pool. CT seems not to have them. I could be wrong.

Plenty of natural beauty all around.

Where are you staying in Verona and what are your plans while there?

We opted for a 3 nights Vernazza base as we wanted to walk to Monterosso, and ferry to Portovenere, so we really only endured 1 crazy, busy train ride (after walk). While Vernazza is swarms with daytripping tourists, the crowds seem to stick to the main 'road' in from station to harbour. For a tiny place with cute alleys to explore, I was surprised that these were so quiet. It was lovely (picturesque) and I'm very glad I visited. I tend to wander early mornings, it's a completely different place then. I liked watching the deliveries arrive, the builders at work, before traffic is stopped. Then we were out during the day, returned for a drink on our balcony late afternoon, wandered again in evening. That strategy worked for us, we all enjoyed it.

@Dukey1 We are staying near the arena, but we are leaving the day before opera season starts (thank you for the advice on dates on a previous thread). We plan to explore Verona, day trip to Venice, and maybe day trip to Padua.

@Tuscanlifeedit I should clarify-by attractions I mean churches, places to walk around and explore, etc. No heavy lifting.

I have checked and there is a cruise ship coming in to CT the weekend we are there. :(

That is exactly what I need to hear Adelaidean! When did you go, and how long did you stay?

Why is CT a "must?" It was delightful 20 years ago. Now it's a madhouse.It's not as though Italy is lacking in beautiful coastal towns, some of them blessedly devoid of hordes of tourists.

Just back and we used the same strategy as Adelaidean. With the added fun of renting a small boat one of our days from NordEst. Arranged it on the dock and it was under 90 euros for half day. We swam and putt-putted up and down the CT, the scenery was spectacular. Anchored near a waterfall. Packed a picnic and enjoyed it while watching the packed ferries go to and fro.

Our first night in Vernazza there was a short opera performance in the church above town. Loved that (bit of culture) too.

Also, there was a beach below our terrace and we enjoyed people watching and went twice for a dip in the late afternoon. Lovely!

Most of the trails that connect the towns were not open, but we called it our "sixties relaxation tour" and believe me just getting up and down to our vacation rental was work enough, so we did not feel "cheated"!

If you stay outside CT and visit CT, you are in sync with the worst of the crowd. If you want some time without crowd, you stay in CT. Monterosso has a beach. CT is quiet between 6pm-9am. Having a dinner at one of the cliff side restaurant is sublime.

There are many bus tours, day trippers, and cruise boats visiting CT everyday. You need to realize that cruise boats offer CT as shore excursions from both Genoa and Livorno.

@Joan can I ask where you stayed?

Thank you @greg. This is exactly what I thought, but then I questioned myself. Do you have suggestions on where to stay in CT?

I stayed in Levanto - on two different visits. Although not one of the "five," it is technically in the park that includes the five villages - just one train stop north of Monterosso. Levanto is a nice beach town, just not of the "town in the side of the hill" variety of the five. I found it a practical place to stay. If you need a conventional hotel, you're more likely to find it there than in the villages. (Monterosso has some hotels too I guess.)

The main reason people visit the CT is to hike, when it is light out, - and that's when it will be so crowded. The villages are much more pleasant in the evening, when so many of the day crowds have left. If you are going to visit anyway, I'd say staying in one of the villages or Levanto lets you experience them at a better time. You could also get up at the crack of down and hike early before the crowds. Even if you stay in Levanto, the local trains are pretty convenient - just check the schedules to see how early/late the run.

or2, here is where we stayed, the "Mike and Franca suite" via Cinque Terre Riviera rental agency:

https://www.cinqueterreriviera.com/c...ivate-terrace/

Keep in mind that the terrace, although private, is not inside the unit, but a few steps away. Location is right next door to Elizabetta - another property with terraces.

If you are going to the Cinque Terre, be sure to give it at least 2 days so you have options if it rains.

I was pleased with my decision to stay in Manarola, where I thoroughly enjoyed La Torretta, which still gets excellent reviews.
http://www.torrettas.com

Particularly in June -- when it will be extremely crowded during the day -- I agree that it would be best to stay in one of the villages so you aren't "competing" with them for daylight hours. I'm not much of a morning person, but had some delightfully quiet moments roaming around after dinner -- such a delight to see some of the places without the crowds and noise.

Hope that helps!

One thing stood out and seems very odd to me.

You are landing in Venice and going to Verona with the plan to day trip back to Venice. You are wasting the time of a round trip from Verona back to Venice and return to Verona.

You will be only a few minutes from Venice when you arrive. Why not make it easy? Stay in Venice at least 2 nights, train to Verona very late the 3rd day, stay a couple of nights, and pick up a car the next day. I hate 1 nighters, but in this case, I would actually spend 3 nights in Venice and only 1 in Verona. That is personal though, as I love, love, love Venice, and only like Verona.

If for some reason, I did not want to stay in Venice, I would stay in Vicenza or Padua, but trips to Venice are often not very satisfying. Evening in Summer, after day trippers leave, is lovely in Venice.

@ Sassafrass -- Good catch! I completely missed that....

@sassafrass,

I should have clarified. The only one of us who hasn't been to Venice is my 11yo daughter-so we thought a day trip was in order. :)

Monterosso=Hotel Porto Roca=pool

330east: that's good to know. They did not have a pool when I stayed there 20 years or so ago.

>>> Venice is my 11yo daughter-so we thought a day trip was in order.
If you do day trip to Venice, that is at least 70 min by high speed train www.trenitalia.com, transfer to Vaporetto, then 30 min to San Marco, for example, www.actv.it/sites/default/files/ultimorario.pdf.

Do actual computation on various schemes.
- Day trip Verona from Venice. The transport duration is the same going your way. Which city can be visited within the day trip constraints?
- Day trip Padova from Venice/Verona. This is trivial.
If your scope of visit to Verona and Padova a just few hours, you can eliminate back tracking by
- Stopping by Verona on the way from Venice to CT.
- Stopping by Padova on the way from Venice to CT.

Also, if you day trip into Venice, you will be traveling with the mass tourists, just like going to CT. You will be in jam packed Vaporetto to and from the station, you will be walking the canal side streets dodging flag waving tour groups instead of walking around practically by yourself early in the morning. Padova is fine visiting during the day. You might not seen even a single tour group.

If you are coming in by IC train from Pisa or Milan, Monterosso is directly reachable by IC trains.

What are you doing with a car between Verona and CT? You don't need it in Verona or in CT and you don't need it just for traveling in between.