Pisa Beach? or Cinque Terre

[pagnegirl]

Rccl Allure July:

Anyone do the Pisa beach or the Cinque Terre?

Also is it possible to hop in a cab and just go to the beach? Is there any shopping there? Restaurants/bar/fun? How far is the beach?

 

Or should we get our own tour company and do both?

 

Confused

thanks for any help!!!

[Hlitner]

I do not recall anyone ever asking about beaches in the area of Pisa. And without knowing the specific beach it is hard to comment. But as a general rule the beaches in that part of Italy might be full of pebbles (typical of many European beaches), possibly sandy, the water in that area is prone to strong undertows, etc. DW and I are beach lovers and spend several months a year on beaches. But when we are traveling in Tuscany (which we have done many times on cruises and long driving vacations) we do not usually even consider a beach day. The best beaches in this region would not even qualify as a beach resort area in our part of the world.

 

Now you also ask about Cinque Terre which is actually a catch-all term for 5 small, charming, and very picturesque villages along a mostly rocky coast. People come from all over the world to see Cinque Terre, enjoy the views, taste the food, hike between some of the villages, etc. But I will guarantee you that nobody is traveling very far to go to the beaches near Pisa.

 

Hank

Edited May 12, 2015 by Hlitner

[pagnegirl]

Thanks for the heads up about the beach.

Would you do this with RCCL, or a tour guide? Anyone know any good tour guides for 15 people to do CINQUE TERRE?

 

THANKS!!!!

[katsmom1]

Thanks for the heads up about the beach.

Would you do this with RCCL, or a tour guide? Anyone know any good tour guides for 15 people to do CINQUE TERRE?

 

THANKS!!!!

 

If you are docked in La Spezia, you can very easily take a train to Cinque Terra, and the train only costs 12 Euro for the entire day and includes access to all the open hiking trails. From La Spezia, its only about a 10 minute train ride to the first village and about 30 minutes to the 5th village. There is also a beach in Monterossa (the 5th village) that you could enjoy after exploring some of the villages.

[slidergirl]

... The best beaches in this region would not even qualify as a beach resort area in our part of the world.

...

 

There are beach resorts on the Susquehanna??? Sorry, I couldn't resist ;) (from one who grew up for 12 years near Altoona…)

 

I also have never heard of anyone talking about the beaches outside of Pisa. You can do a quick Internet search for it. Just now, I found this on the Rough Guide site:

 

"A solid strip of unattractive beach resorts stretches north along the coast from near Pisa to the Ligurian border. This Riviera della Versilia ought to be something more special, given the dramatic backdrop of the Alpi Apuane, but the beaches share the coastal plain with a railway, autostrada and clogged urban roads, while the sea itself is far from being the cleanest in Italy. The resort of Viareggio provides a lively diversion on a coastal journey north to the stunning Cinque Terre. Otherwise, the only real appeal lies inland, exploring the famed marble-quarrying centre of Carrara."

[pagnegirl]

WOW, THANK YOU, saved that day!!!