Cinque Terre Excursion

[geoimages]

Cruising in May 2020 and La Spezia is a port stop. Looking for an excursion from the port that will

give us a chance to see some of the highlights. 

[mom says]

Your ship should offer some. Otherwise check out the Ports if Call forum. But forewarned- the CT us usually packed shoulder to shoulder on port days and the trains will be SRO. We won't go there again except in the off season.

[clo]

26 minutes ago, mom says said:

Your ship should offer some. Otherwise check out the Ports if Call forum. But forewarned- the CT us usually packed shoulder to shoulder on port days and the trains will be SRO. We won't go there again except in the off season.

We were there in early fall and it was so crowded.  It's photo-op pretty but I wouldn't go back again.

[slidergirl]

There are no "highlights" to check off in Cinque Terre.  The entire area and each unique village IS the highlight.  As others have said, CT has been overrun in the past few years with thousands of cruisers adding to the daytrippers daily.  The trains are indeed crowded from La Spezia to each village and back.  There are some tours that use boats, but you are subject to the ability to dock, which sometimes can't happen.  

Private tours can't drive into the villages - they have to go into the parking areas above the villages and you walk down.  

 

If it were me now, I would skip CT and save it for a time where I can go back and stay again for a few days so I can hike in the early morning, take a long nap during the day, come back out after the hordes have left and have a wonderful evening with the locals.  Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer.   

 

[clo]

2 hours ago, slidergirl said:

stay again for a few days

A couple of friends did that and enjoyed it a lot.  It's quite beautiful but I wouldn't go back because of how crowded both the towns and the train.

[b_cruise]

I used Joe Banana Limos.  The fellow was great.  I actually just stayed in Monterosso in July ( 2nd time). First 2 times were with Joe Bananas from the ship. I honestly did not find it overly crowded. I mean, yes very busy but nothing like Disneyland lol

[mskaufman]

We took the ship tour.  It was very crowded there.  Didn't stop us from having a great day. Link to some pictures:

 

https://southerneurope.shutterfly.com/pictures/549

 

 

[dogs4fun]

As others have stated, the villages are very crowded during the height of the tourist season. We were last there 3 years ago -stayed 5 days in Monterosso (in late October) and it was wonderful - all the hordes had departed. 

However, it this is your only opportunity to visit, I would not miss it even though it may be busy. May will not be as crowded as June - August.

[vickykay]

Mskaufman,   What did the ship tour involve ( train, boat, etc).  Looking at one that Celebrity offers.  Thanks.

[mskaufman]

41 minutes ago, vickykay said:

Mskaufman,   What did the ship tour involve ( train, boat, etc).  Looking at one that Celebrity offers.  Thanks.

 

We were on HAL.  We took a bus to the first town (I believe Manarola), then a ferry to other towns (went to three towns in all), then the train (see photo) back to the bus, which took us back to the ship.  I thought that they did a nice job. While it was crowded, we did not find it overwhelming. Lots of good photo ops.

 

 

[Classynfun1]

Will be in CT this October via RCI and am trying to decide between two ship tours. One is via boat and stops at three villages. The other is by bus/train and stops at 2 (includes a meal as well). Any recommendations on which we should do?

[geoimages]

I will be in CT next May, and was looking also at both ship tours and independents. I opted for an excursion by italytours.eu

I had used them for tours in Florence/Pisa and Rome last year and they were excellent. Very knowledgeable, pick up and drop off at cruise dock and returned with plenty of time. Many of the comments about Ship excursions not meeting expectations

left me with searching for alternatives. Check out those guys online, and you may have a better alternative for you.

[Hlitner]

The irony of this topic on CC is that it is because of cruisers that Cinque Terre has become nearly impassable because of the crowds.  It was only after the Italians opened up La Spezia as a cruise port that the awful crowding problem hit its peak.  Riomaggiore used to be a nice place to visit (friends of ours would stay there 1 week a year) but now it has become an overcrowded tourist trap.  Some of the nicest shops have been replaced with cheap pizza joints, other restaurants are overrun with tourists at lunch time (much better in the evening after the cruisers are gone) and lines to get on the train (that takes you between the villages) can be more 5 (or more) persons deep.  I can no longer apply the term "charming" to Cinque Terre which is a real shame.  The term "overtourism" has become quite common and there are few places were it applies more than in Riomaggiore.  If you  can go to the villages on a day when there are zero cruise ships in La Spezia it will still be crowded, but some of the charm remains.  

 

I will add that the worst village is Riomaggiore because it is the closest to La Spezia and to anyone approaching from the south.  The other villages are not quite as crowded.  The Italian government has threatened to take steps to deal with the problem...but we are talking about the Italian Government which means my 6 month old grandson has nothing to fear about future changes.

 

Hank

[mskaufman]

5 hours ago, Classynfun1 said:

Will be in CT this October via RCI and am trying to decide between two ship tours. One is via boat and stops at three villages. The other is by bus/train and stops at 2 (includes a meal as well). Any recommendations on which we should do?

 

We went on the one with three villages.  I normally do not choose tours with meals as it ups the price and reduces my time to wander around.  Anyway, the one with the three towns was a great experience.

[Host Jazzbeau]

DW and I started traveling in earnest in 2011.  Already at that time we were warned about over-tourism and how everything had been better whenever the 'old pro' had been there.  ['You should have seen the Garden of Eden before Eve ate that apple...']  But we went anyway, and things have only gotten worse in all those places since we went.  So my advice is:  GO NOW.  You're too late for the golden age, but next year will be even worse.  Enjoy what you see, and don't worry about what you've missed.  [Taking my own advice, we are doing Cinque Terre in a day from a mega-ship next month.]

[Desert Cruizers]

Daughter & I will be doing the 7 day Western Med in a year and looking at the tours which visit CT. We may never get back so want to see all we can . This cruise will be before our TA on the Allure. We will do the ship excursion. I am also looking at the one with 3 villages .

[lamb616]

On 9/9/2019 at 3:44 PM, geoimages said:

I will be in CT next May, and was looking also at both ship tours and independents. I opted for an excursion by italytours.eu

I had used them for tours in Florence/Pisa and Rome last year and they were excellent. Very knowledgeable, pick up and drop off at cruise dock and returned with plenty of time. Many of the comments about Ship excursions not meeting expectations

left me with searching for alternatives. Check out those guys online, and you may have a better alternative for you.

@geoimages this was just a transport excursion, not a tour?  So they just dropped you off in the morning and picked you up later?  This is what I'm looking for, I don't want to be stuck in a tour group.

[geoimages]

Driver picks you up at pier, max 8 people in a van, and drives to sights in Rome or Florence/Pisa. Allows free time to explore

at each of the sights and arranges a pick up point for all to meet and then on to the next attraction. Drivers are somewhat conversant in English and will comment/amswer questions during travel .

[southernbreezes]

My first visit to the area our cruise docks July 13th. We have never seen Florence/Pisa our friends want to do the ships tour to Cinque Terre (they have been to Florence). Rick Stevens guide book says do not go to Cinque Terre on a over crowded ships tour. We may never go back do I miss seeing Florence/Pisa and go to Cinque Terre?

[mskaufman]

I would think that if you have never been to either that Florence would be my first choice. However, we did a ship tour to CT.  Yes, it was crowded, but it would have been just as crowded  if we had taken a private tour.  Even with the crowds it was a great trip.

[Hlitner]

6 hours ago, southernbreezes said:

My first visit to the area our cruise docks July 13th. We have never seen Florence/Pisa our friends want to do the ships tour to Cinque Terre (they have been to Florence). Rick Stevens guide book says do not go to Cinque Terre on a over crowded ships tour. We may never go back do I miss seeing Florence/Pisa and go to Cinque Terre?

Some of us choose not to go anywhere on overcrowded ships tours.  We still go to many places ( more then the tours) but simply do it on our own or on a small group private tour.

 

Hank

[marazul]

18 hours ago, southernbreezes said:

My first visit to the area our cruise docks July 13th. We have never seen Florence/Pisa our friends want to do the ships tour to Cinque Terre (they have been to Florence). Rick Stevens guide book says do not go to Cinque Terre on a over crowded ships tour. We may never go back do I miss seeing Florence/Pisa and go to Cinque Terre?

Let your friends go to CT and you go to Florence.  If you never go back you would have missed your only chance to see one of the artistic and architectural jewels of the world.  Landscapes and the pretty villages of CT are nice, but there is no comparison.  You will be seeing plenty of pretty views during your cruise, but there is only one Florence. 

[Desert Cruizers]

That is the one thing that I am deciding on being this is our very first trip on our 7 day Western Med. I may never make it back again so do I want to see Florence or go outside to see lovely villages. We will be in Port 12 hours, 8:30 to 8:30. I tell myself, I should see the City of Florence, 

[mskaufman]

12 hours ago, Desert Cruizers said:

That is the one thing that I am deciding on being this is our very first trip on our 7 day Western Med. I may never make it back again so do I want to see Florence or go outside to see lovely villages. We will be in Port 12 hours, 8:30 to 8:30. I tell myself, I should see the City of Florence, 

I think your gut is correct and Florence is where I would go if I only had one day.

[Desert Cruizers]

On a TA out of Barcelona, in 2011, half the group wanted to take the long drive to Seville, I told my husband we are in Cadiz so lets see the it. We did get to go outside about an hour to the White Villages which was enjoyable but we weren't spending all that time in a bus as those going to Seville. Daughter 7 I need to go over the Tours and finalize our plans for next Oct. 2020