La Spezia Shore Excursions to Cinque Terre

[dunedinmaiden]

Hello all -- we're trying to decide between two different Royal Caribbean shore excursions to Cinque Terre (similar pricing):

 

1. Small-group tour to three Cinque Terre towns via land
2. Regular-size tour to three Cinque Terre towns via boat

 

While I understand the inherent value of a small-group tour, I'm thinking the actual scenery may be better appreciated from the water (boat tour). Most pictures of Cinque Terre are from the water perspective.

 

For those of you who have visited Cinque Terre personally, what is your opinion?  Thanks in advance 🙂

[mapleleaves]

I went DIY so I was able to do the ferry AND walk between 3 villages.

I much preferred the view from the sea.  When  you're IN the town you're surrounded by people and don't really have much of a view, but the sea gives you a great perspective.

[Twolittleboys]

I haven't been there yet but will be on a cruise with stop in La Spezia and spent some time looking at the various offerings. If I am not mistaken, the RCI general Land and Sea tour included a drive to one of the villages, lunch, a boat ride and a short walk in the second village. I ended up not booking because even though I would have enjoyed the boat ride, it seemed that you would spend little time actually looking at the towns/doing anything there.

 

Obviously, it is a matter of taste but I would recommend reading the descriptions VERY carefully to see how much time is spent driving there/back, eating, touring, etc. so you can decide whether it is worth it for you.

[John Bull]

Yes, it's more scenic from a boat - equally-important it's much more relaxing on a boat, and the harbours are the hearts of the villages. It'll be slower - and much much slower by ferry due to the queuing & waiting time, so those planning to independently use ferries should expect only one, mebbe two, ferry trips.

If your boat tour is from one of the 5 villages and includes only the boat portion you'll need to get there from La Spezia. Most folk use the Cinque Terre train. A day-ticket is reasonably inexpensive (about €16 IIRC) and the trains are frequent. But they're packed, consequently the train travel isn't enjoyable - and since most of the travel between villages is in tunnels it's not scenic. But it's only a few minutes between villages.

 

We've not driven the villages - and I recommend others not to either. I understand that the roads between villages are traffic-free and they're probably scenic, but most roads in the villages are restricted to badge-holders (mainly locals). Google "ZTL Driving Zones". Parking is also very very limited except for very early arrivals.

All of that of course applies to self-drive rentals - not the same problem with local tour operators, but either you'll simply be dropped at each village or you'll have both a guide and a driver.

 

The villages are over-crowded, difficult or lucky to get a seat in a cafe or restaurant. 

That also applies early or late in the season, week-days as well as week-ends. And it doesn't depend on the number of cruise ships in port - cruisers are only a tiny proportion of the visitors. 

 

TBH the over-crowding (mid-week, October) spoilt it for us. That was by using the Cinque Terre train from La Spezia (or Genoa) and the welcome relief of one ferry trip between villages. 

I think you're very wise to pre-book a private or small-group excursion with a local operator - I recommend by boat, but even by road is way better than DIY for this trip.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

Far more scenic from a boat.

 

I would also DIY...its not hard.

[Twolittleboys]

Yes, I agree that DIY is probably best but at the moment only ship excursions are allowed so unfortunately until that changes there is very little choice.

[dunedinmaiden]

Thanks all -- I'll have $1,200 onboard credit from a previously cancelled cruise and prior cruise planner items.  So, I'll use that money for shore excursions.  Based upon the responses so far, it appears traveling by boat vs. land will be more scenic.

Edited October 3, 2021 by dunedinmaiden
typo

[LauriPedal]

We are on RCL Harmony sailing 10/21/21 and booked the  Jewels of cinque terre tour due to less walking due to husband having mobility issues.  The write up looked like it gives great views from the boat (like seen in most pictures) and also has a nice variety of land time sightseeing.  Seeing that we only have the day to tour, we figured get a taste of it all and hopefully get back some day for a land vacation to go back to the places we want.

[dunedinmaiden]

8 minutes ago, LauriPedal said:

We are on RCL Harmony sailing 10/21/21 and booked the  Jewels of cinque terre tour due to less walking due to husband having mobility issues.  The write up looked like it gives great views from the boat (like seen in most pictures) and also has a nice variety of land time sightseeing.  Seeing that we only have the day to tour, we figured get a taste of it all and hopefully get back some day for a land vacation to go back to the places we want.

Enjoy your upcoming cruise, and please post how your excursion goes!  Bon voyage

[ECCruise]

Agree with most here.

If you can't hike the villages, the boat is definitely the way to go.  Far more scenic. 

[brentrader1]

On 10/10/2021 at 8:33 AM, LauriPedal said:

We are on RCL Harmony sailing 10/21/21 and booked the  Jewels of cinque terre tour due to less walking due to husband having mobility issues.  The write up looked like it gives great views from the boat (like seen in most pictures) and also has a nice variety of land time sightseeing.  Seeing that we only have the day to tour, we figured get a taste of it all and hopefully get back some day for a land vacation to go back to the places we want.

We are booked on Wonder of the Seas next summer and have booked the "Jewels of Cinque Terre" excursion. I was wondering how you liked the tour, what size boat you were on, how much time you spent on land, etc.

[mskaufman]

We did a cruise tour by boat.  If it helps, here is a link to some pictures

 

Southern Europe (shutterfly.com)

 

 

[brentrader1]

12 hours ago, mskaufman said:

We did a cruise tour by boat.  If it helps, here is a link to some pictures

 

Southern Europe (shutterfly.com)

 

 

Looks amazing! What cruise line were you on and what kind of boat were you in for the tour?

[douggw]

On 10/2/2021 at 8:29 AM, mapleleaves said:

I went DIY so I was able to do the ferry AND walk between 3 villages.

I much preferred the view from the sea.  When  you're IN the town you're surrounded by people and don't really have much of a view, but the sea gives you a great perspective.

Mapleleaves, do you have a write up or more information on this?  Will be porting there in October and very interested in DIY ferry and walking.  Thank you!!

[mapleleaves]

16 hours ago, douggw said:

Mapleleaves, do you have a write up or more information on this?  Will be porting there in October and very interested in DIY ferry and walking.  Thank you!!

It was pretty simple, BUT,  we did this in May 2012.  A few months later the famous Via Dell Amore between Riomaggiore and Manorola was closed due to a rock slide, and remains closed.  Since then other trails have been closed due to floods, rockslides and mudslides.  Some have re=opened, others are only open on the higher routes.

 

 So my itinerary won't be of any use.  You;ll need to come up with your own itinerary based on which port you're starting from,  which footpaths are open,  as well as the ferry schedule in Oct, and the train schedule.  The CT web site has all the current info on trails and ferry.  Sounds complicated but It was pretty simple to put together.

https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/footpaths-cinqueterre

https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/boat-excursions

https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html

 

(I believe the current ferry schedule is only good thru Sept;  in Oct, it's  reduced so check back for the details.)

 

It appears that the more northern paths are open, so perhaps you should take the ferry to Monterosso, the northern-most village , the start walking south to the other villages.  Visit as many villages as you can reach or have time for, then  hop on the train back to port.

 

It was fantastic !  Viewing from the ferry was definitely the highlight. When you're swallowed up in the crowds at the villages, you don't really SEE much, but the view from the sea is breath taking.  

 

Did the Amalfi Coast in 2019; it too was beautiful but I preferred CT.  

Have a great cruise !