La Spezia

[Josy1953]

We will be visiting La Spezia for the first time in April. Can anyone who has been there tell me what there is to do ? We prefer not to do organised tours if possible because we find that quite often they include chunks of shopping time which we don't like and we prefer to spend the time sightseeing. Thanks in advance for any info.

[silver service]

We were there last autumn. It is a pleasant town to stroll around.

The ship berths right in the town. But you have a shuttle bus

To the dock gate. From there you can walk along the waters edge.

Next to which is a nice park. Cross the parallel road to the shopping

Area. So yes, we stayed here. Quite liked it.

[kruzseeka]

Go to the station and buy the train ticket for the Cinque Terre. Fabulous!!!!

 

http://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/cinque-terre-card

 

This card gives you unlimited travel for the day between the five towns - a bit like a hop-on-hop off bus. Go to the office in the La Spezia train station and ask for a timetable of the trains - helps you plan your day and worth knowing if there is any change on that day from the one on their site. (There is a link on the site telling you how long between villages and a down loadable map so you can see the travel times and frequency.) The villages are so picturesque. These look a tad photoshopped - but it gives you an idea.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cinque+terre+pictures&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOl4yFzc_KAhXFQBQKHXpxAVAQsAQIHA&biw=1280&bih=619

 

It would be a bit rushed imo to try to do them all in one day - we've been several times and if you were asking me which ones were the best to visit, I'd say from La Spezia go to Vernazza (4th village) and spend some time exploring there. It's the largest and most quirky of the villages I think.

 

You can then get the train back to Manarola, village #2, or better still get the ferry from Vernazza to Manarola to get the fantastic views of the villages clinging on to the cliffs from the sea. Check the ferry time as soon as you arrive in Vernazza - they aren't so frequent as the trains and I think there's a bit of a gap between mid-day and 2 o'clock so you need to plan your timings.

 

After looking around Manarola - not too big so won't take so long do the Via del Amore walk between Manarola and Riomaggiore. It used to be included in the Cinque Terre Card but it may be payable (not much) as it's a National Park or some such. It's flat and properly paved, the path being cut into the rock face some height above the sea but definitely worth doing. It takes about 30 minutes I'd guess.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=via+del+amore&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiesoC7z8_KAhWBPBQKHfJcDN0QsAQIMg&biw=1280&bih=619

 

Then from Riomaggiore get the train back to La Spezia. It's only about 10/15 minutes from here. It might take half an hour or so to get to Vernazza from La Spezia on the outward journey. If you make an early start, this is all very doable in a day. We always head back in plenty of time and just strolled from the station back to the tender (we were tendered) - it's downhill. You might want to get a taxi to the station first thing to save time - it's perhaps a mile walk.

 

The reason I missed out the furthest village, Monterossa (#5) is because it flattens out there and although pleasant enough doesn't have the characteristics of the other Cinque Terre villages. Corniglia (#3) is at the top of a hill so you get off the train and then have a good climb up to the village - pretty enough but not as worthwhile as the other villages.

 

If I was going again I'd do: taxi to La Spezia station, Cinque Terre Card, train to Vernazza (couple of hours here depending on transport times), ferry to Manarola, walk the Via Del Amore to Corniglia, train to La Spezia, walk to the tender.

 

One word of caution though - do some research, the Cinque Terre villages suffered some storm damage in floods last year - the Via Del Amore might have been closed so you could do with being sure what's open and accessible. Even if the walk is closed, then get the train from Manarola to Corniglia then after a look around continue back to La Spezia.

 

This is one of our all time favourite places to visit - all the better because despite the lengthy instructions, is actually very easy to DiY.

Edited January 29, 2016 by kruzseeka

[ann141]

Thats brilliant Kruseeka and thank you for the links (We are visiting in October):)

[kruzseeka]

Thats brilliant Kruseeka and thank you for the links (We are visiting in October):)

 

You are very welcome ann - just hope you love the Cinque Terre as much as we do! :)

[Josy1953]

Thanks everyone, we are looking forward to going to La Spezia for the first time, it is lovely to be looking forward to a new port.

[kruzseeka]

 

If I was going again I'd do: taxi to La Spezia station, Cinque Terre Card, train to Vernazza (couple of hours here depending on transport times), ferry to Manarola, walk the Via Del Amore to Corniglia, train to La Spezia, walk to the tender.

 

One word of caution though - do some research, the Cinque Terre villages suffered some storm damage in floods last year - the Via Del Amore might have been closed so you could do with being sure what's open and accessible. Even if the walk is closed, then get the train from Manarola to Corniglia then after a look around continue back to La Spezia.

 

This is one of our all time favourite places to visit - all the better because despite the lengthy instructions, is actually very easy to DiY.

 

Correction!!

All info OK up to the above. Sorry was rushing to finish and wrote Corniglia twice (see bold) when it should have been Riomaggiore (village #1) on both occasions. Don't want to confuse you. :o

[ann141]

Thank you!:):)

[tom_uk]

We did an excursion to the Cinque Terre last September. Here's a link to a blog post I did about the day. It was great fun, and very beautiful; but be prepared for some Italian chaos.

[kruzseeka]

Thank you Tom for that link to your blog. I really have enjoyed reading it and could visualise everything you described. We were lucky on each of our three expeditions to the Cinque Terre to have made an early start from La Spezia so were probably in the first of the villages we were visiting by about 9.30 and didn't experience your travel problems perhaps because we beat the rush (although your experience of being pushed and squeezed into the train certainly brought back memories of a journey from Rome to Civitavecchia!) I do agree that Vernazza is great - having on different occasions been to all the villages I'd say it's perhaps the village to be sure to include in your plans. All this talk is making me want to go back.

[ann141]

Thank you Tom, A really interesting read.:)

[mickey89]

Cinqueterra the five lands, just like Clovelly in North Devon. Villages perched on the hill side with a lot of history. The problem today is everyone knows about it, it can be hell-on-earth. The tourist have destroyed the calm and tranquility of the region. Trains are packed like those you see on the Indian railways, no fun at all. The ferry are cancelled more often than they run so transport around the region is a nightmare.

 

If there are more than one ship in La Spezia and no ships in Livono you maybe OK - Don't bet on it - the region has been killed.

Edited January 30, 2016 by mickey89

[kruzseeka]

What a pity - and I suppose we cruisers are part of the problem. Still hopefully Josy and ann since you are going early and late season you may find it less busy - and as mickey says you may be lucky and not have other ships in the vicinity. All the more incentive to get off quickly and at least get a head start on the organised excursions.

 

I had another look at the P&O Cinque Terre Card site and the Via del Amore was indeed closed last year but is open again and the Card does cover your entry onto the walk. I doubt the organised trips will be doing that walk so that should be quieter. There is a rustic, basic little cafe along it's length where we like to stop for a drink sitting at a little table at the side of the path overlooking - almost overhanging(!) - the sea. Very memorable spot!

 

Anyway hope it all comes together for you. Enjoy :)

[mickey89]

I had another look at the P&O Cinque Terre Card site and the Via del Amore was indeed closed last year but is open again and the Card does cover your entry onto the walk.

The lover's Walk is only the section between Riomaggiore and Manarola not as far as Corniglia which is the only village without sea access as previously stated by someone.

 

I can assure you that no matter what P&O say the Via del'Amore, the Lover's Walk, is definitely closed and will be so for many, many years. They have yet to publish the refurbishment programme which will last many years after an Australian tourist was killed by a rock fall. If you are going the area don't go with P&O tours, just go to Manarola and enjoy probably the nicest village of them all, eat in the many terraced cafes and if you are adventurous take a dip and jump off the rocks into the small harbour - great place. You can take a short walk (couple of hundred metres) on the only section of the Lovers Walk still open to the public. For those interested in the area check-out -

http://www.cinqueterreinsider.com

Edited January 30, 2016 by mickey89

[kruzseeka]

Thanks for that clarification mickey. The bit I read hadn't made it clear that only a section had reopened. I do remember the pictures of the damage on TV last year looked pretty catastrophic. From what you say it looks like the access to the partially open part is from the Manarola end.

 

We did the walk along the Via del Amore some years ago from Riomaggiore to Manarola (easy going) but then carried on along the trail to Corniglia - not so easy going! It got less of a trail and more like a mountain goat track! We'd not really gone with the right footwear either and wouldn't have done it had we known. I would imagine all that got well and truly washed away in the floods/landslides.

 

Anyway Josy and ann, looks like the train for that section!