Cinque Terre, To Go or Not To Go?

[luv2camp04]

Thank you to the OP for posting this question.  So much great information here.  We will be doing our Med. Cruise June 2024.  I have wanted to see Cinque Terre for years (both my daughters went to Europe in high school and spent several days in Riomaggiore).  I like the idea of the ferry from La Spezia.  I have saved this thread for future reference.  Thanks again.

[IB2]

Don’t do it as a day trip, see here:

 

https://www.topic.com/cinque-terror

 

If you want to enjoy the CT, as far as you can given the overcrowding, make the effort to stay overnight, or even better, for several nights, in one of the villages.  Then you will see it at its best, when the crush of cruise and other day trippers has gone.

[crewsgirl]

1 minute ago, IB2 said:

Don’t do it as a day trip, see here:

 

https://www.topic.com/cinque-terror

 

If you want to enjoy the CT, as far as you can given the overcrowding, make the effort to stay overnight, or even better, for several nights, in one of the villages.  Then you will see it at its best, when the crush of cruise and other day trippers has gone.

Yes, I agree, we are passing on Cinque Terre, it's going to be a nightmare of people. And nothing says touristy disaster like huge crowds. We are going another direction. Thanks for the confirmation we are making the right choice. 

 

[pbrn55]

It was always my dream to see the 5 villages and we did so while docked in La Spezia. We took the train which stopped in all of them and we sort of hopped on and off spending an hour or so in each place then headed back to the ship. I don't remember the logistics but if I planned it ( and successfully I might add) then it couldn't have been too hard! It was a beautiful day in every way and we're very glad we did it! 

[crewsgirl]

18 minutes ago, pbrn55 said:

It was always my dream to see the 5 villages and we did so while docked in La Spezia. We took the train which stopped in all of them and we sort of hopped on and off spending an hour or so in each place then headed back to the ship. I don't remember the logistics but if I planned it ( and successfully I might add) then it couldn't have been too hard! It was a beautiful day in every way and we're very glad we did it! 

YES! Our cruise was originally docked in La Spezia and that is perfect! So much closer, and easy to do our your own. However, we are moved to Livorno for 2 days on Celebrity Reflection, and I can't help but believe that the govt is trying to control the mass number of visitors by moving these huge cruise ships elsewhere. It makes it very difficult when you figure the travel time. Also, no cars are being allowed in, so I get they are making an effort to control the numbers. I'm sure it's fabulous, but a land trip is the way to go. 

[crewsgirl]

[crewsgirl]

[pbrn55]

1 hour ago, crewsgirl said:

YES! Our cruise was originally docked in La Spezia and that is perfect! So much closer, and easy to do our your own. However, we are moved to Livorno for 2 days on Celebrity Reflection, and I can't help but believe that the govt is trying to control the mass number of visitors by moving these huge cruise ships elsewhere. It makes it very difficult when you figure the travel time. Also, no cars are being allowed in, so I get they are making an effort to control the numbers. I'm sure it's fabulous, but a land trip is the way to go. 

Our trip was on the Celebrity Silhouette in 2016. Sad to see the crowds now but sort of understand the changes the cruise companies had to make.  Those little villages aren't really equipped to handle all of  those people, especially the plumbing😬 Grateful we were able to go when we did...

[ebs0303]

On 5/4/2023 at 12:12 PM, euro cruiser said:

see is down to your personal interests and preferences

 

Been reading this thread carefully, as we are on Celebrity Reflection in July and also had our LaSpezia port changed to Livorno. Also disappointing b/c we were planning to go to Cinque Terre, and still might (this stop and CT was one of the reasons we booked this particular cruise) though I understand all the negatives about doing this at this time. One question - if we were do this day trip from Livorno where the ship will be docked for the night (ie, so no hard deadline to be back at Livorno), would that make this any more palatable as a day trip, since we could stay out into the evening? 

[euro cruiser]

Yes, absolutely, the overnight makes all the difference.  

 

The last trains leave the Cinque Terre villages around 9:30, so as long as you are seated as soon as dinner service begins you could enjoy dinner overlooking the water before heading back to Livorno.

 

I would make those dinner reservations well in advance, especially if you want to eat at a place like L'ancora della Tortuga: Ristorante con vista | Monterosso Al Mare, SP | L'Ancora della Tortuga (ristorantetortuga.it)

 

Dining in a place that like is an experience and it's not fast, but if you tell them what time you need to be on the train they can accommodate you.  Or, if you're willing to spend the money, you can get a private transfer back and stay as late as you like.

 

(I just looked, the last train from Monterosso departs at 21:55 - 9:55 PM, so if you're seated at 7 you'd be fine.)

Edited May 13, 2023 by euro cruiser

[marazul]

12 minutes ago, euro cruiser said:

I would make those dinner reservations well in advance, especially if you want to eat at a place like L'ancora della Tortuga: Ristorante con vista | Monterosso Al Mare, SP | L'Ancora della Tortuga (ristorantetortuga.it)

 

The best risotto di mare l ever had was at L'Ancora della Tortuga.

[ebs0303]

1 hour ago, euro cruiser said:

Yes, absolutely, the overnight makes all the difference.  

 

The last trains leave the Cinque Terre villages around 9:30, so as long as you are seated as soon as dinner service begins you could enjoy dinner overlooking the water before heading back to Livorno.

 

I would make those dinner reservations well in advance, especially if you want to eat at a place like L'ancora della Tortuga: Ristorante con vista | Monterosso Al Mare, SP | L'Ancora della Tortuga (ristorantetortuga.it)

 

Dining in a place that like is an experience and it's not fast, but if you tell them what time you need to be on the train they can accommodate you.  Or, if you're willing to spend the money, you can get a private transfer back and stay as late as you like.

 

(I just looked, the last train from Monterosso departs at 21:55 - 9:55 PM, so if you're seated at 7 you'd be fine.)

 

Thanks! I am so glad to hear this may be a possibility. So in terms of getting there, I would take the train from Livorno to La Spezia, and then the Cinque Terre Express. Sounds like your plan would have us starting in Riomaggiore and making our way north to Monterosso by late afternoon/early evening for dinner. Then take the CTExpress back to La Spezia - looks like that particular restaurant is a 5 min walk from the train station - and then La Spezia back to Livorno. I guess an alternative is to head immediately to Monterosso and make our way south - are there restaurants in Riomaggiore or Manarola you recommend?

 

Also, are there special contingencies I should be aware of? Do they shut down the train or trails in bad weather? I assume the trains otherwise run on time...

[euro cruiser]

There are lots of other restaurant options, it's just this one that I know requires reservations and is a "special occasion" type of place.  If that's not what you're looking for you'll find plenty of choices.

 

The trains run on-time-ish, if you get my drift.  A few minutes late is not unheard of, given the size of the crowds on the platforms.  You might consider the ferries as an option.  It takes more time but is a more pleasant way to travel.

[marazul]

10 hours ago, ebs0303 said:

 

Thanks! I am so glad to hear this may be a possibility. So in terms of getting there, I would take the train from Livorno to La Spezia, and then the Cinque Terre Express. Sounds like your plan would have us starting in Riomaggiore and making our way north to Monterosso by late afternoon/early evening for dinner. Then take the CTExpress back to La Spezia - looks like that particular restaurant is a 5 min walk from the train station - and then La Spezia back to Livorno. I guess an alternative is to head immediately to Monterosso and make our way south - are there restaurants in Riomaggiore or Manarola you recommend?

 

Also, are there special contingencies I should be aware of? Do they shut down the train or trails in bad weather? I assume the trains otherwise run on time...

The best view of the villages is from the sea. You might want to consider taking the ferry from La Spezia to CT and use it to get from one village to the next, starting in Riomaggiore and ending in Monterosso (you can get on and off like a HOHO). Then use the train to go back to La Spezia.  Trains run much later than the ferries.  Here is the link to the CT timetables for the ferries:

https://www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it/en/timetables#linea02

[ebs0303]

27 minutes ago, marazul said:

The best view of the villages is from the sea. You might want to consider taking the ferry from La Spezia to CT and use it to get from one village to the next, starting in Riomaggiore and ending in Monterosso (you can get on and off like a HOHO). Then use the train to go back to La Spezia.  Trains run much later than the ferries.  Here is the link to the CT timetables for the ferries:

https://www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it/en/timetables#linea02

 

The ferry sounds like a great option, as we would love to see the villages from the water as well. I can't tell from the site, but is the $40 for the hop-on, hop-off option you note? On the site it just says 'round trip'. Or that allows you on-off for the back and forth up to Monterosso?

 

Also, how far in advance would you need to purchase? Do these tickets sell out? I'm looking at the Facebook page and seems like its not uncommon for service to be suspended b/c of weather. 

[marazul]

6 minutes ago, ebs0303 said:

 

The ferry sounds like a great option, as we would love to see the villages from the water as well. I can't tell from the site, but is the $40 for the hop-on, hop-off option you note? On the site it just says 'round trip'. Or that allows you on-off for the back and forth up to Monterosso?

 

Also, how far in advance would you need to purchase? Do these tickets sell out? I'm looking at the Facebook page and seems like its not uncommon for service to be suspended b/c of weather. 

The HO-HO is the "One-day" round-trip ticket. You keep your ticket and use it to get on again at each port.  You don't have to buy round trip.  You can also buy an "All Stops - One Way" ticket and use it to go on-off in one direction.  Look at the FAQs in the website.

 

I have not heard of tickets being sold out.  Yes, it does get canceled if there is bad weather.  It is rare in the summer.  It happened to us once, but there is the train as backup.  

[IB2]

But don’t go to the CT villages as part of a cruise ship tour.  Use your independence and do something more sensible instead.