How Strenous are the tours to Cinque Terre

[Murphey]

We used to be quite fit, but I am undergoing chemo and have pretty intense fatigue at times. Wondering if I can do this trip? If it's just walking and if I can take a minute up hills, I'll be OK. Need to know a bit more about the overall day. We are planning to take a ship tour from Genoa. Thank you for helping.....(Okay, can't correct my spelling on title..sorry!)

Edited April 8, 2016 by Murphey

[CruiserBruce]

I can't speak specifically to the tours, but very little in the Cinque Terre is smooth or flat. Will you be undergoing chemotherapy right up your cruise?

[wheezedr]

Not sure how long you are in port but cinque terra can be a long day. We did lots of walking and even if you use the train, town to town, very little is flat. The hills are what make this area so attractive but might make it a hard day for you.

How about one of the closer areas to Genoa like Portofino.

[Murphey]

Thank you for your input.....We've been to Portofino....loved it! I have to wait until April 27th (Leave May 26) to be cleared to go on the trip, but everyone on my teams is optimistic that it will be a go!! I'll be on oral chemo for the duration. I'm glad I asked here. It may not me doable for me, best to know in advance. Plus, I would be horribly embarrassed if I held up a group for any reason. Some "buckets" just aren't going to get filled!! There are plenty of others!! :)

[slidergirl]

If you weren't taking the ship tour, I would have said go for it. You could start at the closest village to Genoa, Monterosso al Mare. Walk it with your friends. If you feel tired, stop off at a cafe and relax with a drink or snack while your friends to to the next village, Vernazza. Vernazza would be another great place to sit and relax - right there on the harbor.

But, if taking the tour which would require you to keep up with the group as it moves through the villages, I would hesitate to tell you to go. CT is a beautiful spot, but it does require walking up/down hill on uneven surfaces.

[Omega1]

If you weren't taking the ship tour, I would have said go for it. You could start at the closest village to Genoa, Monterosso al Mare. Walk it with your friends. If you feel tired, stop off at a cafe and relax with a drink or snack while your friends to to the next village, Vernazza. Vernazza would be another great place to sit and relax - right there on the harbor.

But, if taking the tour which would require you to keep up with the group as it moves through the villages, I would hesitate to tell you to go. CT is a beautiful spot, but it does require walking up/down hill on uneven surfaces.

 

Agree. If you were exploring the CT by train, I would say go for it. We were there three weeks ago as part of a self drive road trip. Four of the five villages are generally at the same level as the station and walkable without too much difficulty. The other village, Corniglia, is elevated on a cliff top but a free shuttle bus meets the train and takes passengers up to the village (and back).

[tigercruiser]

We have hiked the whole route, and that is strenuous. But we did a Royal Caribbean tour a few years and it wasn't strenuous at all. We did walk between the last two towns, but the walk is probably half an hour on a paved surface and not too hilly. We then travelled by boat to two of the other towns. Most of the group was older.

[susietb]

You will not have a problem if you are on the ship's tour, as it does not entail hiking, just walking and boat trips between the villages.

[Murphey]

Just when I was sure we would cancel.....Well, now I'm conflicted!!! :eek:

Edited April 8, 2016 by Murphey

[wheezedr]

Do not know how you will be feeling after your chemo but just went back to look at this on Princess. I think you are on the Royal with us as I recognize the screen name and even they list it as strenuous. Simply sitting on the bus for 2 hrs each way will be tiring. I realize they do not climb a lot of steps but will entail at least a mile of walking.

One nice thing about Princess is you could book the tour now at no cost and then have up until 48 hrs prior to cancel, so you could see how your strength is returning at that point. Remember also that CT can be very crowded which is why Italy is looking to limit visitors

[icequeen]

We visited Cinque Terre last October and my parents (both in their mid 70's - Mom not very fit) were along for the tour. We booked a private tour through Papillon Service. They picked us up at the ship and drove us to Portovenere. We had an close to an hour to wander around the town. Not strenuous but my parents did not do the climb up to the Church of San Pietro. We caught the ferry and got off at both Manarola and Vernazza. The exit via the gangway at the front of the ferry can be a bit steep but it is not long. I would say the biggest climb was at Manarola, making your way up from the rocks (via stairs) to the town level. My parents just took their time and made out fine. The town streets are a bit steep but you mostly wander slowly so probably would not be terribly taxing for you.

 

Our guide picked us up at Vernazza and took us on a scenic coast and then to Pisa. My parents were tired at the end of the day but the tour was over seven hours so both time and effort played a part. They did fine as long as they did not have to rush and could take breaks when they needed to rest for a bit. I have blogged in detail about our day so that could also provide you with some additional info (link below).

 

Hope this helps in some way. It is always hard to make a decision when there are so many factors to look at. Best of luck!

Edited April 9, 2016 by icequeen

[b_cruise]

I think the hills are pretty steep and I'm a fitness instructor. I mean u don't have to walk from top to bottom that is certain. You can still experience the ambience with walking a bit. It is very hot if u are going in the summer which may be uncomfortable. It will be a highlight if u decide to go though!! Good luck. I wish you good health[emoji3]

[berlingo]

I have just completed my chemotherapy but was right in the middle of it when I cruised around the Med last summer.

 

I was keen to see as many of the sights as possible but came to realise that due to the change in my health I had to change my priorities for this trip. Fatigue was also a big deal for me and if I do not manage it well it "kicks me in the butt". I convinced myself that taking it easy was not admitting defeat but taking some control back.

 

Therefore I indulged myself a little. Breakfast in bed, time in the Sanctuary, relaxing in the jacuzzi whilst my family did the exploring worked well for me and meant I had energy to enjoy a lovely evening.

 

The trips I did do were last minute short, tailored ones via the local port taxis and really fun. I also after much thought hired a compact powered wheelchair for the cruise. I used this to cover the long distances on ship and it work really well.

 

Everyone is different but I just wanted to share what worked for me.

[Editrix]

One nice thing about Princess is you could book the tour now at no cost and then have up until 48 hrs prior to cancel, so you could see how your strength is returning at that point.

 

This is very good advice, and something you should consider. There is no harm in booking the excursion to have as an option in case you are feeling well enough to go. You can always cancel if you aren't.

 

My husband and I did this tour through Royal Caribbean two years ago and thought it was great. We particularly loved our charming and full-of-life guide, Andrea. It was end of season (October) and the weather was perfect and the crowds non-existent. However, it was a VERY LONG day, especially because I was still weak from the acute bronchitis (or something) I had come down with the week before.

 

Someone assigned to our table in the MDR came to dinner one night and announced he was ill. A day later I was too. This was the first week of our 5-week B2B2B through the Med and across the Atlantic. We missed Mykonos due to weather and it was a blessing because I had a fever and chills and was able to stay in my cabin without feeling deprived for missing a port.

 

By the time we docked in Livorno a week later, I was much better but still congested. The ship's tour was basically a bus ride with a guide who led the group into the first village (Manarola) and told us what time and where to meet for the boat ride to Vernazza. We were on your own until then. At the meeting point, Andrea provided tickets and directed us onto the ferry. If someone missed the ferry, it would have been up to that person to find his or her way to the next village. The ferry captains are on a strict schedule and wait for no one.

 

The same scenario applied in Vernazza: time on our own followed by a boat ride to the third village (Monterosso al Mare), where we were given the longest amount of time on our own and where lunch and shopping options were plentiful. We ate a very nice pasta lunch there, but otherwise I spent most of my time sitting, either at the restaurant or in one of the churches---because I had no energy.

 

Most people took advantage of the free time to shop or sightsee, but I spent mine sitting alone to gather my strength. My husband and I are big walkers so this was a setback for me. He carried on as usual and even bought me cough drops and Kleenex as consolation gifts. :)

 

Cinque Terre is breathtakingly beautiful, but getting around could be a challenge for someone at less than peak health, as it was for me. The longest stretch of mandatory walking was from the center of Monterosso to the train station, where we boarded the train to La Spezia for the bus ride back to Livorno. There was no shade, and the walkway was mostly uphill at a gradual incline. We had time to spare before the train arrived, so those who walked slower were not left behind.

 

I have no regrets about the trip and am glad I found the will to go. My husband tried to talk me out of it, believing it would be too much of a strain, but I was determined. I was also careful not to overdo it.

 

Back on the ship, I drank three cups of chicken consommé that I ordered from room service and then went straight to bed. The next day we docked in Villefranche sur Mer and I was rested enough to be able to get off the ship for a long lunch and leisurely walk, just the right activity for someone still suffering from shortness of breath due to an upper respiratory infection.

[Murphey]

A sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to help me here. I have booked the tour and as several have suggested, wait until I see how I am doing at the time. I can never tell from one day to the next how I will be. I kind of think that if I can survive the very long overseas flight with change of plane to just get to the ship, I can survive this! ;) But all of this will be moot if my April CT scan isn't good, so we are waiting for that for my Dr to clear me to go. You've all been a big help!! BTW, I golfed today for the first time in 6 months. Albeit with a cart and only 9 holes, but I did it!

[PaulaJK]

I having been struggling to remember the exact details....We were on a Crystal cruise about 3 yrs ago and took one of the ship's tour for CT. They dropped us in town where we then boarded a [public, I think] boat that was to visit 3 stops/villages. One was skipped due to harsh seas but we did stop at two.

At one of these we had a guide [not a bad walk] and then about 45 minutes to explore on our own. There was a lovely cluster of benches that looked out to the sea for any who wished. The scenery was exquisite....but clearly we were not hiking,doing flights of steps,etc. Essentially we toured by boat/water. If you could find a tour like this you certainly don't need to be in peak shape.

 

Go Murphey!!!!!

[Editrix]

Someone named Bimmer09 reviewed the Princess excursion from Genoa to Cinque Terre here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2266598&page=29

 

The review starts in the middle of the page and includes numerous photos that will give you a clear idea of what to expect.

 

As a result of the longer bus ride from Genoa (2 hours each way versus 1.5 hours from Livorno), you would bypass Vernazza and visit only Manarolo and Monterossa al Mare, which means less walking and more time on the bus.

[Editrix]

I have to wait until April 27th (leave May 26) to be cleared to go on the trip, but everyone on my team is optimistic that it will be a go!!

 

I hope you get good news today.

[Murphey]

I hope you get good news today.

 

Thank you for that! So, I got kind of mixed news. But the consensus is that we should go...now. So, we're doing just that! Everyone has been very helpful. The only decision we have is to whether go out of Livorno or Genoa. The info about that above was interesting. I do think June will be very nice for weather, not too hot and no rain....

[Editrix]

Thank you for that! So, I got kind of mixed news. But the consensus is that we should go...now. So, we're doing just that!

 

I'm sorry about the mixed news. I pray the trip turns about to be just what you need and you are able to enjoy every moment.

 

It seems the Italian government wants to reduce the number of tourists per year in Cinque Terre by 1 million. My husband and I were there in late October and didn't suffer the crowds and heat. If you are able to go, I hope you have the same experience.

 

http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2016-02-17/italys-cinque-terre-to-begin-limiting-tourists

Edited May 1, 2016 by Editrix

[Viv0828]

If I were you, I would consider a private tour. That way, if you get tired halfway through the day, you can go to plan B. Explain your circumstances to a few private tour operators and see which one can come up with the best and most flexible day. Best of luck.

 

 

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