Cinque Terre and Genoa
Oct 29th, 2024 | 09:34 AM
#1
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Joined: May 2021
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Cinque Terre and Genoa
Hi fellow Fodorites....my husband and I are thinking about going to CT next September and were considering Genoa...I'm hearing very mixed reviews about Genoa and wondering it it's worth a night or two...we will probably have about 7 nights total flying into Milan from NY. I think 3 or 4 is probably enough in CT from what I have read. Any thoughts most welcome....also on where to say in CT. I am fairly certain we would base in Monterossa. Also, any recommendations on travel from Malpensa to CT and Genoa if we do that. Thanks very much.
Oct 30th, 2024 | 01:49 AM
#2
Joined: Mar 2013
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MXP - Genova - Monterosso:
Take a train from Malpensa to Milano Centrale and then another one to Monterosso. Some of them (those with final dstination Livorno) are direct, others need a train change at Genova Piazza Principe.
GENOA
All depends on your interests.If you are interested in old palaces, museums
https://www.museidigenova.it/en/list-genoa-museums
the sea aquarium, the viewpoint Righi
https://www.visitgenoa.it/en/node/4151
the hike from the monastery of San Fruttuoso to Portofino' or other mlountain or coastal hikes,
you can spend many days at Genoa.
Take a train from Malpensa to Milano Centrale and then another one to Monterosso. Some of them (those with final dstination Livorno) are direct, others need a train change at Genova Piazza Principe.
GENOA
All depends on your interests.If you are interested in old palaces, museums
https://www.museidigenova.it/en/list-genoa-museums
the sea aquarium, the viewpoint Righi
https://www.visitgenoa.it/en/node/4151
the hike from the monastery of San Fruttuoso to Portofino' or other mlountain or coastal hikes,
you can spend many days at Genoa.
Oct 30th, 2024 | 01:56 AM
#3
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 30,646
Likes: 4
Genoa is a bit marmite. The old town is a blend of souk and tourist-tat on the side of a hill. But look carefully and there are traditional restaurants and small hotels mixed in, while some of the historic buildings are lovely. Down by the port is gets a bit more modern/international and not very interesting. As you get out of town you realise that the state has brought a lot of big roads right through the city which can make places noisy etc but the geography made it so.
For me a max 2 nights, catch the train to 5T.
For me a max 2 nights, catch the train to 5T.
Nov 13th, 2024 | 07:26 AM
#4
Joined: Nov 2024
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We recently visited Italy and spent some time in Genoa. The city might give mixed impressions, but it's worth a stop for a day or two, especially if you're interested in its history and port city atmosphere. We took a train from Milan to Cinque Terre, which was both scenic and convenient. Monterosso is a great base. From Malpensa, it’s best to take a train to Milan, and then transfer to another train to Cinque Terre.
Nov 13th, 2024 | 09:16 PM
#5
Joined: Apr 2006
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Another idea to consider is staying in Naples for a day or two. The Archeological Museum is excellent, there are other interesting sights, and the pizza is a must. It is a little more "gritty" than the towns of the CT but we really enjoyed our time there.
Nov 13th, 2024 | 09:54 PM
#6
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Nov 14th, 2024 | 12:58 AM
#7
Joined: Jan 2003
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We stayed in Manarola and also Santa Margherita Ligura for a few nights. Really enjoyed both. I imagine SML would be completely different from Genoa, it depends on what appeals to you. For all five of the CT villages, be prepared for many stairs and walking uphill.
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Nov 14th, 2024 | 11:26 AM
#8
Joined: Mar 2011
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I did a three-nighter in Genoa (flew in direct there) with a day trip down to Cinque Terre from there. I was glad I went to Genoa, and the physical geography of the place, and the dense cityscape, is very memorable. All in all, it is a bit claustrophobic of a place - - really heaped together on a very hilly terrain - - but the shops, the angular streets, the bit of greenery, the impressions are worthwhile. Here are my piccies from that trip, including the VERY short stays (averaging 18 minutes) in Ventimiglia and Riomaggiore - - towns that were SWAMPED with tourists. By comparison, Sestri Levante, just north of the Cinque Terre, was super pleasant - - and Camogli / St. Margherita Ligure are also easy breathy with a sense of reality compared to the Cinque Terre:
Nov 14th, 2024 | 11:33 AM
#9
Joined: Sep 2013
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OP, are you still considering Italy? It's not clear to me as you also posted this thread recently:
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Nov 15th, 2024 | 02:04 PM
#11
Joined: Feb 2006
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Definitely looking to Genoa for mid April 2025. 4 nights, 3 in Rapello and then 4 in Turin. Good flights and prices from Boston. Very few tourists, lots of history, small alleyways filled with local shops, beaches, and of course the focaccia and pesto.
Nov 15th, 2024 | 03:39 PM
#12
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,280
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While the villages are pretty, I think Cinque Terre is all about hiking and there isn't much to do if you don't hike - so I hope you are. These were tiny fishing villages which have been transformed into something which isn't really authentic any more. However, if you're going to hike, it's worth seeking out the different trails in the area. I honestly don't think I'd travel all the way from New York to visit.
Nov 15th, 2024 | 06:49 PM
#13
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 914
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We spent a night in Genoa to break journey between Milan and the CT few years ago, and that was adequate. If I was arriving in Milan early enough, I would head off directly to Genoa by train and spend my first night there. I recall a memorable meal at Eataly Genoa, with great food and great views of the harbour.
After Genoa, we spent 3 nights in Monterosso (sits on the main train line, very convenient) as a base for the CT. We bought the Cinque Terre Card (https://www.parconazionale5terre.it/...terre-card.php) with access to the local trains between villages and the trails (hiking is the real draw, as others have noted). See status of open trails here (https://www.parconazionale5terre.it/...ri-outdoor.php) so you know what to expect.
There's more to Liguria than just the CT and you could easily add your balance time there. Some ideas in the latter part of my detailed trip report, page 4 onwards Northern Italy May 2024 : Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria. We based in Portovenere (the often overlooked "sixth" CT village), Rapallo (for the Portofino peninsula) and Lerici (for the Gulf of Poets)- all potentially fascinating (and less crowded) add-ons to a CT itinerary.
After Genoa, we spent 3 nights in Monterosso (sits on the main train line, very convenient) as a base for the CT. We bought the Cinque Terre Card (https://www.parconazionale5terre.it/...terre-card.php) with access to the local trains between villages and the trails (hiking is the real draw, as others have noted). See status of open trails here (https://www.parconazionale5terre.it/...ri-outdoor.php) so you know what to expect.
There's more to Liguria than just the CT and you could easily add your balance time there. Some ideas in the latter part of my detailed trip report, page 4 onwards Northern Italy May 2024 : Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria. We based in Portovenere (the often overlooked "sixth" CT village), Rapallo (for the Portofino peninsula) and Lerici (for the Gulf of Poets)- all potentially fascinating (and less crowded) add-ons to a CT itinerary.
Nov 18th, 2024 | 04:53 AM
#14
Joined: Dec 2003
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We were in Genoa almost a decade ago and it far exceeded our expectations. We were in en route to Cinque Terre and spent a few nights in Genoa and then, after a few nights in CT, we returned to Genoa and flew home from there. Genoa has great history, one the best aquariums I've been to, a vibrant waterfront with oligarch yachts, a good museum, a beautiful main square, great food, interesting alley ways, and more. I'd love to return.
From my trip report of the time:
- Perhaps the original Eately is in Genoa, near the waterfront, with a great variety of food selections.
- We happened upon an exhibition of German post-war impressionists at the museum. It was very good and striking that we were in Italy looking at German art from post WWII
- We had a great three-course meal at Trattoria Le Maschere (Ponte Calvi, near the apartment we were staying in). My son had mussels, spaghetti with clams, grilled seafood (and cheesecake!); My husband - antipasto mari (assorted seafood), spaghetti with clams, prawns scampi; and I had anchovies, risotto with shellfish, veal scallopini mushrooms. It seemed to be a very local “typical” place, very popular.
- The aquarium was very well done in terms of design and diversity of the exhibits. There was an amazing variety of fish - all stripes, colors, some that looked like animals. The aquarium has a great setting in the harbor, next to huge yachts.
- We discovered very good local food stores (pasta store, butcher) to make home cooked dinner. Of course, Genoa is the home of pesto.
- My husband and I went to an afternoon mass at a church that was nondescript on the outside, but grand inside. The ceilings had beautiful paintings, there were, statues; overall it was very ornate. The mass was pretty full with “basic” local people. It included a beautiful lilting Italian sermon, with singing, and was quite soothing. Afterwards we repaired to a local bar with, it seemed, everyone who'd been to the mass.
Overall, we felt that Genoa is a grand city filled with treasures, but you have to look closely.
We took the train to Monterosso, Cinque Terre, and passed interesting seaside towns. The next year, my husband and I returned to Cinque Terre, renting an apartment in Monterosso for a week. We took a day trip by train to Santa Margherita Ligure, a town we had glimpsed from the train the previous year. It is a beautiful town with a nice harbor with many pleasure craft. There are terra cotta buildings ringing the harbor. We had lunch on the harbor and watched fishermen bringing in their catch. There is a vibrant fish market where many locals buy fish..
From my trip report of the time:
- Perhaps the original Eately is in Genoa, near the waterfront, with a great variety of food selections.
- We happened upon an exhibition of German post-war impressionists at the museum. It was very good and striking that we were in Italy looking at German art from post WWII
- We had a great three-course meal at Trattoria Le Maschere (Ponte Calvi, near the apartment we were staying in). My son had mussels, spaghetti with clams, grilled seafood (and cheesecake!); My husband - antipasto mari (assorted seafood), spaghetti with clams, prawns scampi; and I had anchovies, risotto with shellfish, veal scallopini mushrooms. It seemed to be a very local “typical” place, very popular.
- The aquarium was very well done in terms of design and diversity of the exhibits. There was an amazing variety of fish - all stripes, colors, some that looked like animals. The aquarium has a great setting in the harbor, next to huge yachts.
- We discovered very good local food stores (pasta store, butcher) to make home cooked dinner. Of course, Genoa is the home of pesto.
- My husband and I went to an afternoon mass at a church that was nondescript on the outside, but grand inside. The ceilings had beautiful paintings, there were, statues; overall it was very ornate. The mass was pretty full with “basic” local people. It included a beautiful lilting Italian sermon, with singing, and was quite soothing. Afterwards we repaired to a local bar with, it seemed, everyone who'd been to the mass.
Overall, we felt that Genoa is a grand city filled with treasures, but you have to look closely.
We took the train to Monterosso, Cinque Terre, and passed interesting seaside towns. The next year, my husband and I returned to Cinque Terre, renting an apartment in Monterosso for a week. We took a day trip by train to Santa Margherita Ligure, a town we had glimpsed from the train the previous year. It is a beautiful town with a nice harbor with many pleasure craft. There are terra cotta buildings ringing the harbor. We had lunch on the harbor and watched fishermen bringing in their catch. There is a vibrant fish market where many locals buy fish..
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