If you could only visit one village in Cinque Terre which one up would you choose?

Not long till our cruise now and one of our stop is La Spezia. I quite fancy going to see CT but having decided to take it easy on this cruise to be able to relax I wondered which village would be best to visit.

Ideally we would like maybe walk to the station, take the train to that village, have a mooch and some lunch and maybe take the ferry back to the port.

What would you recommend?

Thanks x

From spending a mini-vacation in CT...

I'd suggest Monterosso al Mare or Vernazza. Two different experiences. Monterosso for its two sides of the village (aka "the new" and "the old") and the beach to relax on for awhile. Vernazza for the views from the old fort on top and a lunch at one of the restaurants on the harbor side piazza.

From spending a mini-vacation in CT...

 

I'd suggest Monterosso al Mare or Vernazza. Two different experiences. Monterosso for its two sides of the village (aka "the new" and "the old") and the beach to relax on for awhile. Vernazza for the views from the old fort on top and a lunch at one of the restaurants on the harbor side piazza.

Thank you for your reply. We are trying to take easy on this cruise and just doing bits of sightseeing. Ideally we would take the fery back to get a view of all the other villages

Thank you for your reply. We are trying to take easy on this cruise and just doing bits of sightseeing. Ideally we would take the ferry back to get a view of all the other villages

In that case, Monterosso. It is the farthest from La Spezia, so you would get to see all the villages from the ferry.

There is an excellent restaurant there called "L'Ancora della Tortuga." They make a fabulous risotto di mare.

I recommend Vernazza too. It is small, easy to walk, very quaint, and has a few nice restaurants in the harbor piazza. You could take the train and or the ferry. The town was devastated by a flood back in 2011. I had visited just the day before. The story of the recovery is amazing!

Vernazza was my favourite too. It is smaller than Monterosso and has a quaint harbour with an old church beside it.

In that case, Monterosso. It is the farthest from La Spezia, so you would get to see all the villages from the ferry.

There is an excellent restaurant there called "L'Ancora della Tortuga." They make a fabulous risotto di mare.

In Vernazza, one of the harbor side restaurants, Vulnetia, makes a killer risotto ai fruiti di mare. And their trofie al pesto isn't bad, either.

When I was there, we had an apartment across from the excellent bakery, salumeria and grocery. It was owned by the family that runs Vunetia. I had taken a photo of the stores. I saw a post-mudslide photo of the exact same place, with only part of the salumeria's sign visible. Pretty amazing and devastating mudslide, to imagine that much mud and debris go down that narrow passageway.

Vernazza or Manarola

I think they are the two prettiest towns. If you're there for sunset, nothing beats the view of Manarola from the park below the cemetery.

There's a great view of Vernazza on the trail above the town...

Vernazza or Manarola

I think they are the two prettiest towns...

Yes, they are the prettiest and Vernazza is my favorite. But if the OP wants to see all the villages from the sea returning to La Spezia, she should visit Monterosso since it is the most distant. Then she can enjoy the ferry ride back along all the Cinqueterre. However, since the distances are so short (15 minutes from Vernazza to Monterosso on the ferry), she might want to ride the ferry from Vernazza to Monterosso and then return to La Spezia.

Here is the ferry schedule to help her decide:

http://www.apathtolunch.com/2014/06/complete-cinque-terre-portovenere-la.html

Thanks for all the replies. Food for thought.

I think we will go to vernazza and manarola and either take the train bank or the ferry depending on time.

Do you know if we buy a return ticket from la spezia to vernazza we would be able to use the same ticket to stop in Manarola on the way back?

Yes, they are the prettiest and Vernazza is my favorite. But if the OP wants to see all the villages from the sea returning to La Spezia, she should visit Monterosso since it is the most distant. Then she can enjoy the ferry ride back along all the Cinqueterre. However, since the distances are so short (15 minutes from Vernazza to Monterosso on the ferry), she might want to ride the ferry from Vernazza to Monterosso and then return to La Spezia.

 

Here is the ferry schedule to help her decide:

 

http://www.apathtolunch.com/2014/06/complete-cinque-terre-portovenere-la.html

the OP did not say she wanted to visit all the towns; she asked "which village would be best to visit." That is why we only mentioned our top 2 villages. Sure, if someone is there for more than part of day, you have the time to do a good visit of all 5. Better to soak in one or two towns than do a "check off the list" quick stop at all 5, in my opinion.

It is also important to know that operation of the ferry is dependent on the weather and the time of year.

the OP did not say she wanted to visit all the towns; she asked "which village would be best to visit." That is why we only mentioned our top 2 villages. Sure, if someone is there for more than part of day, you have the time to do a good visit of all 5. Better to soak in one or two towns than do a "check off the list" quick stop at all 5, in my opinion.

That's right, she did not say she wanted to "visit" all five villages, but in Post #3 she did say: "Ideally we would take the ferry back to get a view of all the other villages." I took her literally and said that the way of "getting a view" or "seeing all the villages from the sea" is taking the ferry from Monterosso to La Spezia.

Her original question was which one village to "visit." Others (me included) told her that the most attractive villages are Vernazza and Manarola. How she uses all that info is whatever catches her fancy. Right now the OP said she will visit Vernazza or Manarola. If she goes to Vernazza, she will get to "view" four villages from the ferry. If she goes to Manarola, she will "view" two villages. If she cares to "view" all five from the sea she has to go as far as Monterosso. Whatever she does, it will be a good choice.