Cinque terre excursion

[ADSFL]

We have decided to do a Princess excursion to Cinque Terre from Livorno port in June 2019 however the excursion is marked as Strenuous which raises some concern as I am not very fit and I don't want to cause any grief to the tour group or embarrass myself, but we also really want to go here. 

 

We tried calling the Princess helpdesk in New Zealand several times but the feeling we got is that they haven't done this so can't speak from experience. They won't tell us or don't know the name of the tour operator either so I can't contact them direct.

 

The excursion says that we take a motorcoach from Livorno port to Manarola and from here it is a boat trip (or train in bad weather) to the other villages Vernazza an Montorosso. What bothers me is that it says that there is a steep slope in Manarola and stairs in other villages... I am okay with the stairs and can cope with a downhill slope providing I am not pushed too fast but what I need to know is - is the slope downhill or uphill? I realise that the motorcoach can't get to waters edge. It will park in a carpark..  and we will have to walk from there to the village...The tour guide does a short guided tour of the village and then we get some free time..

 

I feel that I will be alright with this trip once I am down in the village, but it is the getting to the village in Manarola that has me worried..

 

Has anyone done this type of excursion that could advise how long the walk takes and whether the slope is uphill or downhill? I tried google maps and it looks downhill but I am not sure of the route to walk nor know how much time I have to get to the village..and I also don't want to lose the tour guide once I get there as this is the first village our the tour so I will need to be able to find the group again when there.  Would appreciate any advice from someone who has been there and experienced this. Can anyone tell me also whether cellphone coverage is good in Manarola, as that might be a way of finding the group again..Thanks

[CruiserBruce]

The Cinque Terre is anything but flat- the towns are far more up and down than flat. The ramps that you use to get on and off the ferry are not the easiest. Monterosso is the "flat-est" town.

 

Can't answer your question about cell phones, but Italy is a first world country. I would expect their cell phone coverage to be fine.

[dogs4fun]

6 hours ago, ADSFL said:

We have decided to do a Princess excursion to Cinque Terre from Livorno port in June 2019 however the excursion is marked as Strenuous which raises some concern as I am not very fit and I don't want to cause any grief to the tour group or embarrass myself, but we also really want to go here. 

 

We tried calling the Princess helpdesk in New Zealand several times but the feeling we got is that they haven't done this so can't speak from experience. They won't tell us or don't know the name of the tour operator either so I can't contact them direct.

 

The excursion says that we take a motorcoach from Livorno port to Manarola and from here it is a boat trip (or train in bad weather) to the other villages Vernazza an Montorosso. What bothers me is that it says that there is a steep slope in Manarola and stairs in other villages... I am okay with the stairs and can cope with a downhill slope providing I am not pushed too fast but what I need to know is - is the slope downhill or uphill? I realise that the motorcoach can't get to waters edge. It will park in a carpark..  and we will have to walk from there to the village...The tour guide does a short guided tour of the village and then we get some free time..

 

I feel that I will be alright with this trip once I am down in the village, but it is the getting to the village in Manarola that has me worried..

 

Has anyone done this type of excursion that could advise how long the walk takes and whether the slope is uphill or downhill? I tried google maps and it looks downhill but I am not sure of the route to walk nor know how much time I have to get to the village..and I also don't want to lose the tour guide once I get there as this is the first village our the tour so I will need to be able to find the group again when there.  Would appreciate any advice from someone who has been there and experienced this. Can anyone tell me also whether cellphone coverage is good in Manarola, as that might be a way of finding the group again..Thanks

I enjoyed a week in the Cinque Terre but I was not on a cruise or tour so cannot speak to your particular tour.

I am not sure what you mean when you reference a "steep slope" in Manarola - where is this steep slope located? If you are attempting to get to the dock (water's edge) from the village, there is a downhill slope.

As previously mentioned, the villages are built on the hillsides and there are many up/down areas (nothing too difficult, IMHO) and lots of stairs. As noted, Monterosso has a relatively flat terrain.

[dogs4fun]

Forgot to mention - my smartphone worked just fine in Italy, including the villages.

[mskaufman]

After these steps it was a walk down a hill.  The bus leaves you off above the town.

[Langoustine]

Your biggest problem may be in climbing back up to the bus in the carpark after the last village. I've never done a bus tour like this, so I can't help you with that question. My only experience in the Cinque Terre was over 20 years ago, when it was relatively uncrowded, but I do remember a lot of up and down walking, especially to get to our hotel in Vernazza where we spent two nights.

Edited January 7, 2019 by Langoustine

[bennybear]

Many  pathways were destroyed in a landslide several years ago and still have not been repaired fully.    If it says strenuous I would tend to believe it.  Depending on time of year heat stroke can also be an issue.    The cinque terre has been overhyped in my opinion and is now over visited.  

My suggestion from Livorno if you have already been to Florence is to visit Lucca,  a charming walled city where you can walk around the tops of the walls or cycle them.  Then visit the town and have lunch with time for a quick stop in Pisa on the way back.  

IMO you will likely see more and enjoy these spots. 

Edited January 7, 2019 by bennybear

[Langoustine]

Lucca is an excellent alternative. The train stops just outside one of the entrances through the wall, and the town itself is pretty flat. The only climbing I can think of is if you want to go up the Guinigi Tower, which is pretty wonderful when you get to the top. And if you go to Pisa, don't miss the Camposanto Monumentale, which is (I think) much more interesting than the tower.

Edited January 7, 2019 by Langoustine

[ADSFL]

11 hours ago, mskaufman said:

After these steps it was a walk down a hill.  The bus leaves you off above the town.

Thank you this is helpful. Do you know how long the walk is? I gathered it was downhill walk but couldn't be sure..

I am okay with stairs and will be okay going downhill... I can do small distances uphill.. We live in Christchurch, New Zealand... it is all flat here... that is one of the things I love about this city... although it doesn't help when I need to climb hills... Would have to drive to get to one here... There are a few hills on the sides of town, I just never go there.. hehe..

[mskaufman]

2 hours ago, ADSFL said:

Thank you this is helpful. Do you know how long the walk is? I gathered it was downhill walk but couldn't be sure..

I am okay with stairs and will be okay going downhill... I can do small distances uphill.. We live in Christchurch, New Zealand... it is all flat here... that is one of the things I love about this city... although it doesn't help when I need to climb hills... Would have to drive to get to one here... There are a few hills on the sides of town, I just never go there.. hehe..

I seem to remember it being a 15 - 20 minute walk

[mskaufman]

11 hours ago, Langoustine said:

Your biggest problem may be in climbing back up to the bus in the carpark after the last village. I've never done a bus tour like this, so I can't help you with that question. My only experience in the Cinque Terre was over 20 years ago, when it was relatively uncrowded, but I do remember a lot of up and down walking, especially to get to our hotel in Vernazza where we spent two nights.

On our tour while we walked down the steps and down a hill, after the last town we got on a train, which took us to the bus waiting in the station parking lot.

 

 

[ADSFL]

21 hours ago, mskaufman said:

On our tour while we walked down the steps and down a hill, after the last town we got on a train, which took us to the bus waiting in the station parking lot.

 

 

 Thank you. After Monterosso we  take a train to Levanto and connect with our coach there so hopefully that means this won't be too difficult... I thought that Manarola was my biggest concern and after that I can manage the stairs and smaller slopes... I imagined that the walk in  from carpark to waters edge to either be uphill or lots of up and down but now I think it is mostly downhill so I think I will be fine. Thanks all for you input...

Edited January 8, 2019 by ADSFL
word spelt wrong..

[euro cruiser]

I took a group to Cinque Terre a few years ago and we were dropped off at the parking lot on the road into Manarola.  From there to the waterfront was a half mile walk, pretty steeply downhill (I remember this because I was pushing someone in a wheelchair and it was work to keep it from barreling down the hill).

 

When we left we took the train, which is reached via a rather long pedestrian tunnel.

[mskaufman]

On 1/8/2019 at 5:43 AM, ADSFL said:

 Thank you. After Monterosso we  take a train to Levanto and connect with our coach there so hopefully that means this won't be too difficult... I thought that Manarola was my biggest concern and after that I can manage the stairs and smaller slopes... I imagined that the walk in  from carpark to waters edge to either be uphill or lots of up and down but now I think it is mostly downhill so I think I will be fine. Thanks all for you input...

Sounds like the same tour.  The train was pretty crowded but everyone made it.