La Spezia Question

[gasmaster58]

Question for all of the experts on La Spezia/Cinque Terre.

Our cruise is coming up in June. We'll have a stop in La Spezia from noon to 1 AM. I'm planning to go to Cinque Terre for sure. My question is: Do we have enough time to go to Pisa as well? I just want to take a quick look so I can say that we've been there. The train from La Spezia to Pisa takes about 50 minutes so I'll need at least 3 hours to go to Pisa and back. Is 9 hours enough to see Cinque Terre? If we go to both, is it better to do Cinque Terre first or vice versa?

Thanks.

[CruiserBruce]

As Pisa and Cique Terre are opposite directions, and you will be using train, I would select one or the other.

[KirkNC]

We spent a week in CT and did not see or do everything but if your goal is just saying you have been there than yes you can cover it in 9 hours.

[kuldalai]

In oppositte directions . Choose one or other

 

1. Pisa - Field of Miracles and the Leaning Tower and thats it .

 

2. Cinque Terre - 5 villages all accessed by train from La Spezia Centrale in 10 - 30 minutes travel time. Villages in order from La Spezia (pronounced La Spetzia) are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso .

 

If short on time then :

 

Corniglia is high up on a hill away from sea and 350 steps above the station.

Monterosso has two halves. the new half where the train station is can be missed. (Tunnel links OLD Monterosso to NEW Monterosso ) .

Most spectacular villages are the seafronts at Riomaggiore, Manarola and Vernazza.

[Omega1]

Corniglia is high up on a hill away from sea and 350 steps above the station.

.

 

There is a handy shuttle bus (included in the Cinque Terre travel card) that meets the train and takes you up to the village centre. From Corniglia we walked to Vernazza, about 90 mins.

[gasmaster58]

Thanks to everyone for your inputs. There is never a doubt that Cinque Terre is our priority. Just wanted to see if we can squeeze Pisa in as a side trip. It looks like we'll stick with just Cinque Terre.

[ollienbertsmum]

Thanks to everyone for your inputs. There is never a doubt that Cinque Terre is our priority. Just wanted to see if we can squeeze Pisa in as a side trip. It looks like we'll stick with just Cinque Terre.

 

Good plan - so you have a good reason to go back to Italy ;)

[euro cruiser]

Normally with an eleven hour port day it wouldn't be hard to do both, even though they are in opposite directions. The train connections are fast and Cinque Terre is very close to La Spezia, it's not as if you'd be a hundred miles away.

 

The issue is that at least four of your hours will be in darkness, rendering them rather useless for much of anything in terms of touring. If your port time was 8 AM to 7 PM I would urge you to do both, as is I agree with the others to stick with just Cinque Terre.

Edited April 1, 2016 by euro cruiser

[gasmaster58]

I think it might be interesting to linger around Cinque Terre and see it at night. We will try to make it to Pisa from Genoa the next day. We've been to Genoa, Santa Magherita Ligure and Portifino before. Is there anything else more interesting to do from Genoa than going to Pisa? Thanks.

[euro cruiser]

That's a lot of train time from Genoa to Pisa, two hours each way on an IC train. The biggest problem is lack of choices, you either make the 8:51 from Piazza Principe or you don't make it (reasonably, anyway).

[gasmaster58]

That plan is not possible then. There is also only one train back to Genoa and the time does not work for us. I guess we'll find something else to do in Genoa. Thanks

[poncho1973]

I see a lot of comments like "JUST DO ONE AND COME BACK" in this thread and a few other threads. However... in regards to having almost the same question as the OP. I think I'm seeing from euro cruiser that it is.

 

Is it possible, with 12 hours in port (8:30am - 8:30pm), to go to both in a reasonable fashion if your emphasis in Pisa is simply to go there and actually visit the 5 cities properly?

Apparently, yes.

 

I'd like to spend my time in the 5 cities of Cinque Terre, but seriously... 12 hours in the area? I'd also really love to check *Thriller Tower* (if you haven't seen the 'Leaning Tower of Pisa = Thriller in real life' memes, you are missing out) while I was that close.

 

It appears that you could take the train from La Spezia to Pisa in about 1.25 hours. Spend 45 minutes to an hour there, not doing anything in-depth, but saying "OH I WAS THERE!" and snap a few million photos. Take the train back to Riomaggoire in about 1.5 to 1.75 hours.

 

Boom! You've only lost 3 to 3.5 hours out of 12. All of which should be daylight hours. You'd still have 6.5-7 hours (safety net to get back to the ship) to do all 5 city tours.

 

So the modified REAL QUESTION...

 

 

Is 6.5-7 hours in the 5 cities enough to see it in a reasonably nice way?

Edited June 9, 2016 by poncho1973

[Hlitner]

The answer to your question is a qualified no. It would be "possible" to rent a car, drive to Pisa (about 1:10 each way) park, run to the Field of Miracles, run back to car, drive all the way back to Riomaggiore (if the road is open), get out and take a quick walk around the small village, and then you would be ready to head back to La Spezia and your ship. If you were to try and use the train system it would take a lot longer since you have to get to and from the stations, wait for the train, work with the schedule, etc.

 

So to be blunt, NO this is not something that is reasonable in a port day. You can certainly go to Pisa for a few hours (15 minutes in Pisa is about 10 minutes too long for us), but then you will not really have time for Cinque Terre. Keep in mind that "Cinque Terre" is 5 villages and it actually takes a lot of time to visit all 5 villages. In fact, we generally limit ourselves to 2 or 3..when we are in the area (on cruises or driving trips).

 

Hank

Edited June 9, 2016 by Hlitner

[poncho1973]

The answer to your question is a qualified no. It would be "possible" to rent a car, drive to Pisa (about 1:10 each way) park, run to the Field of Miracles, run back to car, drive all the way back to Riomaggiore (if the road is open), get out and take a quick walk around the small village, and then you would be ready to head back to La Spezia and your ship. If you were to try and use the train system it would take a lot longer since you have to get to and from the stations, wait for the train, work with the schedule, etc.

 

So to be blunt, NO this is not something that is reasonable in a port day. You can certainly go to Pisa for a few hours (15 minutes in Pisa is about 10 minutes too long for us), but then you will not really have time for Cinque Terre. Keep in mind that "Cinque Terre" is 5 villages and it actually takes a lot of time to visit all 5 villages. In fact, we generally limit ourselves to 2 or 3..when we are in the area (on cruises or driving trips).

 

Hank

 

So if 6.5-7 hours isn't enough to do the Cinque Terre even in a reasonable fashion, how do most people do it when they aren't in port 12 hours?

 

I'm not being sarcastic or unbelieving in any way. I'm genuinely asking.

[Hlitner]

So if 6.5-7 hours isn't enough to do the Cinque Terre even in a reasonable fashion, how do most people do it when they aren't in port 12 hours?

 

I'm not being sarcastic or unbelieving in any way. I'm genuinely asking.

 

Not sure how you are calculating time. But on 2nd thought we think you should follow your plan and dream. Then please post here about how it all worked out :).

 

Hank

[buggins0402]

We found La Spezia almost as user viscous Livorno. You must take a shuttle bus out of the port. Then get a cab to the train station. You may be the first cruisers off that ship, but that first shuttle isn't going anywhere until there is a reasonable number. We just made the first train possible to Cinque Terre...but people on our shuts who stopped in the port building for a bit of information had to wait a half hour for the next train.

 

The trains run about every half hour...miss a train in a vlllage and that will cost time. If the shuttle to Corniglia isn't there...count on a 10 minute walk up. Monterossa is about a 10 minute walk to the interesting part of town from the train station. And, you would have to leave time to get from the train station and make the last shuttle back into port...probably 7:00 pm...then synch all this with the Pisa trains.:eek:

[Langoustine]

There is an interesting old movie called "If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium." While fictional, it explores the idea that while it is possible to see a lot of places in a short amount of time, it is impossible to really experience them in that amount of time. My advice: bag Pisa and spend the day in the CT, even though it is now (like Venice and Florence) overrun with--oh, dear--us. If you get burned out by the CT, try to see Lucca.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Langoustine

[Hlitner]

There is an interesting old movie called "If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium." While fictional, it explores the idea that while it is possible to see a lot of places in a short amount of time, it is impossible to really experience them in that amount of time. My advice: bag Pisa and spend the day in the CT, even though it is now (like Venice and Florence) overrun with--oh, dear--us. If you get burned out by the CT, try to see Lucca.

 

ROFLMAO! For a few years I would call it the "If its Tuesday it Must be Belgium Syndrome" and used to post that here ever few months. But finally realized you can lead cruise passengers to a winery...but they just do not drink :). So now, sometimes its just best to let folks knock themselves out and call it a learning experience.

 

Hank

Edited June 11, 2016 by Hlitner

[slidergirl]

ROFLMAO! For a few years I would call it the "If its Tuesday it Must be Belgium Syndrome" and used to post that here ever few months. But finally realized you can lead cruise passengers to a winery...but they just do not drink :). So now, sometimes its just best to let folks knock themselves out and call it a learning experience.

 

Hank

 

I call it "Chevy Chase-in" someplace. Remember the first National Lampoon's Vacation movie: they make it to the Grand Canyon, spend 5 seconds looking down into the canyon, Chevy does a little double-nod with his head, and the Griswalds are off to the next spot. In the European Vacation, they had the whole "through the Louve in 30 seconds" montage.

Some people just want to visit some "must-see/do" place for only a minute so they can check off a box on a list. It's the "must cram as much into the 5 hours we have in a port" syndrome. I'll let them do it - I just choose not to do life that way.

[poncho1973]

Not sure how you are calculating time. But on 2nd thought we think you should follow your plan and dream. Then please post here about how it all worked out :).

 

Hank

 

Not sure why you are dumping on me about it. No need to be a jerk about it. You find yourself superior, I get it.

 

As a regular cruiser, I fully understand that I'm not going to get immersed in the culture with a port visit. I'm not taking 3 months off, renting a castle in the French alps, and learning how to make pastries one-on-one with the next Gaston Lenôtre. I've got part of one day in a lesser-known port in Italy to try and get the most out of it.

 

Having read countless reviews of how crappy Pisa is, I fully understand that it's the lesser choice. I'm fully aware of that, but it is one of those places in the world that is extremely well-known. I'm both kinds of tourist.

1. I love to see as much as I can and venture off the beaten path. I don't want to eat in all the tourist traps or never wander off the main roads. I want to feel the real world and not just what you see from the end of the dock or the places shown in the brochures.
   
2. HOWEVER, I like to see/check off all the main things as well. I didn't go to Rome and avoid the Coliseum because everyone sees that. I didn't go to Paris and avoid the Eiffel Tower. I didn't avoid the crown jewels in London. On and on, around the world.
   

 

I get it. On a personal level, you seem to feel that only lesser Griswold-people have an interest in that stuff. It is my interest, though.

 

In regards to my math, my second comment was that not every ship gives you 12 hours in port. Many give you quite a bit less. Are you saying that if you have 6-7 hours in port, you shouldn't even bother with the 5 cities? Going on the assumption that even with 5 full days, I'm not going to be dining with the 5 mayors (for lack of the proper term) and getting the keys to the cities. I won't be hired by Rick Steve's or some blog to give all the ins/outs of the cities.

 

More research would need to be done on my part, but it sounds like a train ride through some/all of the 5 might work, with a focus on 1 or 2.

 

My math, since you questioned it:

 

I stated previously that the trip I'm considering has 12 DAYLIGHT hours in port. I knocked off 2 hours for getting on/off the ship and general garbage of that variety.

 

10 hours left.

 

I checked the train schedule from La Spezia to Pisa. If the train gods are in our favor, it looks like 3 hours from La Spezia station to Pisa train station to the Field of Miracles snapping a bunch of photos to the Pisa train station to the Riomaggiore train station. That almost never happens. As such, I added an additional hour, to make it 4 hours.

 

6 hours left and we'd be standing in Town #1 of 5.

[Hlitner]

At the risk of beating a dead horse, when you talk about Cinque Terre you are talking about 5 tiny villages (not cities).. In theory, one could walk through any of these villages in 15 min. The problem is the transportation system between the villages is not very efficient. For example, the single train line that links these places might only operate one train every 45-60 min. And the small boats that also move between the villages (but cannot operate if the seas are rough) also do not operate with a lot of frequency. It is not a simple Hop on hop off situation. And these days, during the busy summer season, the train and or/boats can be overwhelmed with crowds. Pisa, on the other hand, is a medium size city (over 400,000 people) where the main train station is not located very close to the Tower! And if one rents a car and drives to Pisa, they have to deal with an expansive ZTL (limited driving zone) which is a challenge for those of us used to driving in Italy....and a horrid minefield for those first learning how to drive in Italy.

 

Hank

P.S. I never mentioned the Griswold's.....but did love that family :)

[cruising cockroach]

At the risk of beating a dead horse, when you talk about Cinque Terre you are talking about 5 tiny villages (not cities).. In theory, one could walk through any of these villages in 15 min. The problem is the transportation system between the villages is not very efficient. For example, the single train line that links these places might only operate one train every 45-60 min.

 

I won't dispute the fact the villages are overcrowded by tourists and the platforms cannot handle the volume of passengers but the rail line has been double tracked. We're not talking about 1 line that s used both directions. Service frequency, at lest during the day, isn't that limited?

 

As a FYI, you can drive on/through the old single-track tunnels north on the last village, which is pretty cool drive on it own.

[buggins0402]

Not sure why you are dumping on me about it. No need to be a jerk about it. You find yourself superior, I get it.

 

As a regular cruiser, I fully understand that I'm not going to get immersed in the culture with a port visit. I'm not taking 3 months off, renting a castle in the French alps, and learning how to make pastries one-on-one with the next Gaston Lenôtre. I've got part of one day in a lesser-known port in Italy to try and get the most out of it.

 

Having read countless reviews of how crappy Pisa is, I fully understand that it's the lesser choice. I'm fully aware of that, but it is one of those places in the world that is extremely well-known. I'm both kinds of tourist.

1. I love to see as much as I can and venture off the beaten path. I don't want to eat in all the tourist traps or never wander off the main roads. I want to feel the real world and not just what you see from the end of the dock or the places shown in the brochures.
   
2. HOWEVER, I like to see/check off all the main things as well. I didn't go to Rome and avoid the Coliseum because everyone sees that. I didn't go to Paris and avoid the Eiffel Tower. I didn't avoid the crown jewels in London. On and on, around the world.
   

 

I get it. On a personal level, you seem to feel that only lesser Griswold-people have an interest in that stuff. It is my interest, though.

 

In regards to my math, my second comment was that not every ship gives you 12 hours in port. Many give you quite a bit less. Are you saying that if you have 6-7 hours in port, you shouldn't even bother with the 5 cities? Going on the assumption that even with 5 full days, I'm not going to be dining with the 5 mayors (for lack of the proper term) and getting the keys to the cities. I won't be hired by Rick Steve's or some blog to give all the ins/outs of the cities.

 

More research would need to be done on my part, but it sounds like a train ride through some/all of the 5 might work, with a focus on 1 or 2.

 

My math, since you questioned it:

 

I stated previously that the trip I'm considering has 12 DAYLIGHT hours in port. I knocked off 2 hours for getting on/off the ship and general garbage of that variety.

 

10 hours left.

 

I checked the train schedule from La Spezia to Pisa. If the train gods are in our favor, it looks like 3 hours from La Spezia station to Pisa train station to the Field of Miracles snapping a bunch of photos to the Pisa train station to the Riomaggiore train station. That almost never happens. As such, I added an additional hour, to make it 4 hours.

 

6 hours left and we'd be standing in Town #1 of 5.

 

If you remain flexible, you might be able to do it. Check train times for Pisa. Get on the first port shuttle and waste no time going through the terminal to the taxis to get to the train station. Perhaps just focus on Riomaggoire and Manarola. Trains were running every half hour last week. Perhaps start with CT when it is quieter in the morning and finish with Pisa where you have a set time with tickets already purchased through Trenitia. Only one train we were on was horribly crowded...but, we were not in absolutely high season and the two ships in port were small...less than 1400 passengers combined.

 

You might give thought to instead doing the wonderful walled town of Lucca instead of CT. That way you could get a taste of Tuscany.

[slidergirl]

Not sure why you are dumping on me about it. No need to be a jerk about it. You find yourself superior, I get it.

 

As a regular cruiser, I fully understand that I'm not going to get immersed in the culture with a port visit. I'm not taking 3 months off, renting a castle in the French alps, and learning how to make pastries one-on-one with the next Gaston Lenôtre. I've got part of one day in a lesser-known port in Italy to try and get the most out of it.

 

Having read countless reviews of how crappy Pisa is, I fully understand that it's the lesser choice. I'm fully aware of that, but it is one of those places in the world that is extremely well-known. I'm both kinds of tourist.

1. I love to see as much as I can and venture off the beaten path. I don't want to eat in all the tourist traps or never wander off the main roads. I want to feel the real world and not just what you see from the end of the dock or the places shown in the brochures.
   
2. HOWEVER, I like to see/check off all the main things as well. I didn't go to Rome and avoid the Coliseum because everyone sees that. I didn't go to Paris and avoid the Eiffel Tower. I didn't avoid the crown jewels in London. On and on, around the world.
   

 

I get it. On a personal level, you seem to feel that only lesser Griswold-people have an interest in that stuff. It is my interest, though.

 

In regards to my math, my second comment was that not every ship gives you 12 hours in port. Many give you quite a bit less. Are you saying that if you have 6-7 hours in port, you shouldn't even bother with the 5 cities? Going on the assumption that even with 5 full days, I'm not going to be dining with the 5 mayors (for lack of the proper term) and getting the keys to the cities. I won't be hired by Rick Steve's or some blog to give all the ins/outs of the cities.

 

More research would need to be done on my part, but it sounds like a train ride through some/all of the 5 might work, with a focus on 1 or 2.

 

My math, since you questioned it:

 

I stated previously that the trip I'm considering has 12 DAYLIGHT hours in port. I knocked off 2 hours for getting on/off the ship and general garbage of that variety.

 

10 hours left.

 

I checked the train schedule from La Spezia to Pisa. If the train gods are in our favor, it looks like 3 hours from La Spezia station to Pisa train station to the Field of Miracles snapping a bunch of photos to the Pisa train station to the Riomaggiore train station. That almost never happens. As such, I added an additional hour, to make it 4 hours.

 

6 hours left and we'd be standing in Town #1 of 5.

 

I'm not dumping. If someone wants to spend 5 minutes somewhere and check off the box and take the photo to show their friends, go for it. Just not me. Even with a long port visit time with lots of places that are tourist "must see", I still only pick one or two. I just can't stand rushing around every hour of my vacation; I only get one vacation a year now, and it is the only time I have to truly relax. I don't want to come home from my vacation exhausted and having to dive right back into work (dealing with tourists in my town).

 

For your tour: Have you looked at the train schedule to get you back from CT? Have you looked at the train schedule to get from village to village? Do NOT count on the ferry. The day you are there, so will be another thousand people trying to make their way on the trains - you may or may not get on the one you want, so you have to wait for the next one (or the one after that). I'd leave at least a 2 hour cushion from Riomaggiore train station to when you have be back onboard - have you done that?

 

You can be the beta-tester for all future cruisers to go to Pisa and all 5 CT villages in one port day via train; be sure to come back and give us the details on how you did (how much time in each place, trains, when you made it off the ship, when you made it back to the ship). And, La Spezia is no longer a lesser-known port - that is why the Italian government is considering limiting access to CT because of the thousands of cruisers who descend on it like a swarm of locust.

 

P.S. I've never rented a castle or villa, never taken a cooking class with Paul Bocuse (although I LOVE his mashed potatoes!)

Edited June 13, 2016 by slidergirl

[poncho1973]

Sounds like if we book this, I'll have to write a report. The wrench is that the cruise went up by almost $700 this morning. I'll have to see if it drops down a bit. I should've pulled the trigger this weekend.

 

buggins0402, flexible is all about what we are.

 

Slider, I would know all of that prior to going and have my options ready.

 

Hank, we're young, active, and adventurous... maybe that makes us too optimistic, but I love adventure.