Cinque Terre vs. Livorno

[jmomma]

OK...Our ship makes both stops in October. We've already done Florence, Pisa and Chianti. We're willing to use a private driver to go somewhere but need advice on what else to go. Since the two ports are about 90 minutes apart, we plan on just one tour. Can anyone suggest which one. I sure would appreciate any information.

Thank you!

[rebeccalouise]

Loved the ship tour to the Cinque Terre.

[GSPLover]

OK...Our ship makes both stops in October. We've already done Florence, Pisa and Chianti. We're willing to use a private driver to go somewhere but need advice on what else to go. Since the two ports are about 90 minutes apart, we plan on just one tour. Can anyone suggest which one. I sure would appreciate any information.

Thank you!

If I were a betting person, I'd say that you were referring to La Spezia (for Cinque Terre.) If that is the case, go to Cinque Terre from La Spezia, on your own. It is about a 15 minute train ride.

 

From Livorno, go to Lucca. If that doesn't excite you, think about a trip to the Isle of Elba (about 2 hours away.)

[Destin Mom]

Hi Jmomma. Are you guys pretty active/ outdoorsy types? We absolutely love Cinque Terre (even though it has become more commercialized and crowded- we remember when there was no fee to take the trails and they were barely marked- you would end up in someone's vineyard or olive grove overlooking the Med Sea- it's a bit more crowded and there are marked paths and you will pay a (small) fee to hike). It's still some of our favorite hiking hands down. We love it but we also enjoy hiking very much. I think that is part of the draw of a cruise for us- you can tour some of the best museums in the world and the next day, hike some of the most beautiful paths in the world. So, in a long winded way, I would say hit Cinque Terre if you enjoy hiking and the outdoors. If you don't, I am sure there are tons of other attractions in that area. Have a great trip.

[kruzseeka]

Cinque Terre can be done without too much walking - the Cinque Terre cards (8.50E) allow you to hop on and off the trains all day and allow you to walk the trails.

 

Vernazza and Manarolo are the most picturesque in my opinion so to take it all a litlle more leisurely pace you could get off the train at Vernazza, perhaps catch the ferry rather than the train back to Manarolo then walk the paved path (level, easy walking - about half an hour) to Riomaggiore where you can pick up the train back to La Spezia.

 

The walks from Riomaggiore towards Monterosso get progressively more rugged and take longer between each village. Also Corniglia is on top of a hill and you have a good climb to reach it from the rail station which is nearer sea-level. A map of the Cinque Terre (also picked up at the train station) tells you the estimated time to walk between each village and the degree of difficulty.

 

It is vital that you collect a train timetable at the station at La Spezia so you can plan your return trip, also the ferry timetables if you want to use the ferry. You could do the whole thing by ferry from La Spezia getting off at different villages - but the ferries are not as frequent as the trains so you may not be able to visit as many of the villages. It all depends on which mode of transport and/or walking appeals to you - but you can mix-and-match if you wish. It's a great place to visit, and despite it sounding complicated, it's very easy to use the various transport methods to have a wonderful day out at very reasonable cost.

[OttoCal]

Oooh, that's tough.

 

Better food in Lucca, and Cinque Terre is just amazing to look at.

 

5T- can't actually drive into the towns- I think you can part at the farthest south, but most take the train up from La Spezia, and then wander around the 5 towns- by taking the train, or boat, or walking. Some are flat, short, level walks. Some are not. Each town has a different personality, and the colors on the houses are lovely. If you are there early in Oct. and it is hot, you can swim a bit, but I guess that would be pushing it. We happily swam in mid-September, but we are from NY and anything over 70 is swimming weather for us :D . It is really neat to travel around by the combo of train, walking and boat.

 

Lucca is a charming town for a visit. There are also wineries in the area and you could make an appointment at maybe 2 wineries for a tasting or lunch if you did a private driver. You do have to arrange in advance. We had a fabulous lunch at a small family winery near Lucca. Some also make olive oil, and you can do a tasting of those also.

[JoeyJoJoShabadu]

Why not Sienna from Livorno?