Livorno to Cinque Terre is this possible

[scotslizzy]

Hi

 

Will be sailing on thr NOS 2 Oct and one of our ports is Livorno. Have been to Florence but thinking of Lucca or Cinque Terre .Would it be feasible to do Cinque Terre from Livorno ?

 

I like to have options and as we will be two days pre-cruise in Rome my sister may not want to do another round of churches and museums. I know that Florence is a great place but just in case I want to have a back up plan.

 

Thanks in advance .

 

Scotlizzy

[Mombak]

Well... it's possible to do, but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

The trip by train is roughly 2 hours each way (usually with a change in La Spezia and/or Pisa). The trains use different routes, so the travel times vary quite a bit. The quickest (and direct) route is an hour and a half; the longest is around 3 hours.

 

I'm not sure of the exact frequency of the trains, but from what I remember, the frequency varies wildly throughout the day.

 

You'd really have to time it just right to catch the right train(s) there and back -- plus you'd be spending about 4 hours of your time on the train. Not worth it in my opinion.

 

The Cinque Terre is very beautiful, but you should wait until you can actually spend some time in the villages (Vernazza is my favorite). The Cinque Terre isn't someplace you want to rush.

 

How long is the ship docked in Livorno for? From when to when?

[GSPLover]

Hi

 

Will be sailing on thr NOS 2 Oct and one of our ports is Livorno. Have been to Florence but thinking of Lucca or Cinque Terre .Would it be feasible to do Cinque Terre from Livorno ?

 

I like to have options and as we will be two days pre-cruise in Rome my sister may not want to do another round of churches and museums. I know that Florence is a great place but just in case I want to have a back up plan.

 

Thanks in advance .

 

Scotlizzy

 

As previous post said, it is possible. If your departure time is 7pm or earlier in Livorno, don't try it.

 

See my train site (link below) as there are links for the trains to/from Cinque Terre and a breakdown of the potential problem areas you will encounter.

[cruiseluv]

I agree with the previous comments. A visit to Lucca from Livorno makes much more sense. Lucca is lovely and it is easy to reach by train from Livorno.

[Hlitner]

We have gone to Cinque Terre on two ocassions from Livorno with no problems, however, we do not use the train since its a tight connection. We simply rent a car and drive ourselves. It takes about 1:20 - 1:30 to get from the port to Riomaggiore where we park in one of the garages and than use walking, trains, and ferries to the villages. Hertz will deliver cars right to the port which is a real time saver.

 

Hank

[scotslizzy]

Many Thanks for your replies.

 

I guess we will not be doing this journey as it looks like a lot of time spent just getting there and back. I think I will persuade her to see Florence or Lucca .

 

Cheers

 

Scotslizzy:)

[bluefox43]

hi Hank

we are hiring a car in livorno on 24 sept (voyager of seas) 07.30 to 1900 and are driving to cinque terra and lucca on way back if have time - would really appreciate some advice on the drive

thanks

tony

[Hlitner]

hi Hank

we are hiring a car in livorno on 24 sept (voyager of seas) 07.30 to 1900 and are driving to cinque terra and lucca on way back if have time - would really appreciate some advice on the drive

thanks

tony

 

Tony, My best advice would be to make sure you drive on the right side of the road :). You also would benefit if you can rent a GPS unit with your car. The drive to La Spezia is pretty fast since its all on a Autostrade (A12) but those last few miles to Riomaggiore does take a little more time than you might think. If you want to stop at Lucca you will have to cut your time at Cinque Terre, but this is a decision you need not make in advance. Keep in mind that at Lucca you would park outside the city walls and than it is all on foot. So, you do need a least an hour (and that is really a minimum) to walk inside the city plus approximately and extra 30 minutes driving time since Lucca is a few miles off the route that links Cinque Terre to Livorno. Lucca pretty much runs on the typcial Italian schedule which means that most of the shops/boutiques are closed from about 1:30 until 4. Just about everything in the villages of Cinque Terre are open all day.

 

Hank

[bluefox43]

thanks Hank

is the cinque terra well signposted from la spezia?

[grandbanksguy]

thanks Hank

is the cinque terra well signposted from la spezia?

 

 

The best meal we ever had in Italy was at Ciak (Chuck) in Monterroso's old town http://www.ristoranteciak.it/index_eng.html . It's open for lunch 12:30 - 2:30 (closed Wed). The place, food and staff were all wonderful. Reasonably priced. :)

[Hlitner]

thanks Hank

is the cinque terra well signposted from la spezia?

 

That is a darn good question. Yes, there are some signs, but of course, you have to be alert not to miss a turn. You would follow signs to Riomaggiore. Keep in mind that you do have to actually drive through part of La Spezia to get on the two lane road that takes you to Riomaggiore. With a GPS it would be no problem...without a GPS it is certainly possible that you would get lost in La Spezia. However, getting lost in Italy is not a real problem since you can simply stop anywhere and ask directions (this is an issue for some of us guys with big egos). When you arrive in Riomaggiore some folks park along the road in order to get free parking, but most of these spots are quite a hike from the town. If you drive right into the small town, you can just follow the parking signs which will take you to a pay garage that is pretty close to the town, trains and ferries. You are probably aware that you can buy a combination ticket that will cover your entrance to the walking paths as well as unlimited use of the trains between the 5 villages. The combination ticket does not cover the price of boats if you decide you want to use boats between some of the villages.

 

Hank

[cruise pup]

I was on Norwegian Gem last year and they offered a Cinqueterra shore excursion. It was a hectic day because it was May 1 weekend and all of Italy seemed to be there. We did cover a lot of ground and I know it's nicer to do on your own (and cheaper) but I did have a great time. We drove to Manarola and walked downhill through the town and then to the Lover's Walk which we took to Riomaggiore. From there we had our own ferry which took us along the coast to Vernazza where we were on our own for a few hours. Then we boarded another private ferry which took us to Monterosso where we had some time in the old town. We then walked through the tunnel to the beach area and boarded our bus for the return trip to the ship. Unfortunately, like everywhere else you go on a cruise, you could spend so much time there. But I really wanted to see it and wasn't disappointed. I hope to return there some day. And don't forget, pesto is from this region so when you dine out make sure to have some.

[Cruisin_Cheesehead]

Hank,

 

We will be renting a car in Livorno and driving to Pisa, then to La Spezia to take the train to Riomaggiore and onward. Any driving/parking at the Field of Miracles or the train station in La Spezia? Are both those landmarks well signposted or do we need to rely soley on a GPS? If so, then I will be sure to invest in one at the pier!

 

Thanks,

[Hlitner]

We have never parked at the La Spezia station so I do not know how much they charge for parking, but there is always parking near Italian train stations. You can be sure there are some signs to the train station (stazione Centrale) but it is always a good idea to Google a map and print it out. The train station in La Spezia is a couple of kilometers from the center of town. I really do encourage everyone getting a GPS if they are available. They generally are rented for about 10 Euros and are worth the money because you can save the location of the ship (ask the rental car company if you do not know how) so that it will guide you right back to the exact spot within the port. You might want to consider just driving to Riomaggiore since it will save you the time waiting for trains (both ways) and the drive does offer some very nice views. As to parking in Pisa, this is sometimes an issue. We have visited the tower twice when we were driving, and in both cases we found free parking on the street within a few blocks of the Field of Miracles. There are also a few pay parking lots in the area but they can often be full during the busy season (just look for the big blue "P" signs). By the way, a GPS will also be helpful in finding your way around Pisa since the Tower is not on any major highway. It was even heard to find on our own GPS since it was listed at "Torre Pendente"). Although we generally know our way around much of Italy and France, we still invested in our own GPS in order to save our marriage. My DW is not a particularly good map reader ("how can I read a map when I don't know where we are?") and tempers could flare with me trying to get directions ("which way is North?" etc). Our Garmin Nuvi GPS has become a good friend and a protector of the peace :)

 

Hank

[Dorinda]

Hank - wonder if you are still following this thread? If you are, I have a question. We could do this drive on a Sunday or a Monday. Any idea which would be best? And when you were there did you take time out for lunch or bring a picnic from the ship?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Cheers - Dee

[Hlitner]

Hank - wonder if you are still following this thread? If you are, I have a question. We could do this drive on a Sunday or a Monday. Any idea which would be best? And when you were there did you take time out for lunch or bring a picnic from the ship?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Cheers - Dee

 

My goodness Dee. You will be in Italy and going to charming villages with more than their share of cafes and restaurants. Why in the world would you want to bring food from the ship? Pick a nice cafe, trattoria, etc...order some nice pasta and a bottle of good regional wine and enjoy! As to Sunday vs Monday you will find that Sundays are a bit more crowded in the villages since the Italians also like to visit this area on weekends. But, if you are planning to rent a car on Sunday you better check with the rental car companies since, in Italy and France, most rental car agencies are closed on Sundays (except at the airports).

 

Hank

[Dorinda]

OK Hank - we will take our drive on Monday. And as for the picnic - it would save us some time so we could do more sightseeing, hiking, whatever. But if we will have plenty of time, a nice outdoor restaurant, where we could see a view or people coming and going, would be good. I was just thinking we would be pressed for time since the drive to and from Riomaggiore is about 1 1/2 hours each way.

 

Any recommendations on what route to take once we are in Riomaggiore? Did you have it all planned before you left or did you just play it by ear once you got there?

 

Thanks for the info - Dee

 

PS We also want to drive to the monasteries from Volos, Greece. Have you done that before by any chance?

[Hlitner]

OK Hank - we will take our drive on Monday. And as for the picnic - it would save us some time so we could do more sightseeing, hiking, whatever. But if we will have plenty of time, a nice outdoor restaurant, where we could see a view or people coming and going, would be good. I was just thinking we would be pressed for time since the drive to and from Riomaggiore is about 1 1/2 hours each way.

 

Any recommendations on what route to take once we are in Riomaggiore? Did you have it all planned before you left or did you just play it by ear once you got there?

 

Thanks for the info - Dee

 

PS We also want to drive to the monasteries from Volos, Greece. Have you done that before by any chance?

 

It is difficult to see all 5 villages in a port day so most tend to only do 3 or 4. But you would certainly want to walk the so-called Lovers Walk which goes between Riomaggiore and Manarola. Its an easy hike, well paved (for most of the way) and the views make it worthwhile. At that point you probably should just do what feels right with your time. Keep in mind the villages are all connected on a single train line and there are also water taxis moving between the various villages. As to Volos, we have never been there.

 

Hank

[Dorinda]

Great Hank - thanks. It sounds like you like to "tour" the way we do. One more question for you - have you ever rented a car out of Monte Carlo or Cannes? Or Israel?

 

Cheers - Dee

[Hlitner]

Great Hank - thanks. It sounds like you like to "tour" the way we do. One more question for you - have you ever rented a car out of Monte Carlo or Cannes? Or Israel?

 

Cheers - Dee

 

We have rented many cars in France, including both MC and Nice. But, have never been to Israel (we need to fix this soon). In MC there are several rental car companies downtown (within walking distance from the pier). In Cannes, it is about a 20 min walk from the tender pier to several rental car dealers (its a nice walk through the best parts of Cannes). Cannes is also one of the few cities where you can actualy get a rental car on Sundays.

 

Hank

[smiles2go]

Hi Hank. We are also considering Cinque Terre for our Livorno port visit. Thanks for sharing the info on car rental, as we hadn't considered that! Our port-day is a Saturday, so wondering how much traffic there may be heading back to the ship on a weekend. Ship departs at 7pm. Would we be safe to assume we'd need to leave Riomaggiore by 3pm? Or could we just safely determine our departure time from Riomaggiore based upon the time it took to drive from the port? (I ask because many hwys in California become parking lots on weekend afternoons....). Thanks

[Hlitner]

We would not be concerned about traffic on a Saturday (its lighter than on weekdays) and a good part of the drive between the ship and Cinque Terre is on an excellent 4 lane highway (until you get near La Spezia). It normally takes about 1 1/2 hours to drive between the port and Riomaggiore, but its never wise to cut things too close. Depending on the logistics of where you drop your car you probably could leave Riomaggiore at 3:30 without too much problem (this should get you back into Livorno by around 5. We like to allow at least an extra hour with this kind of drive since you do want a good safety margin and you will need to stop for gas before you drop the car. Its a good idea to rent a GPS (we finally bought our own with European maps) and make sure you save the port or car drop location. When you get near Livorno late on Sat afternoon there will be very little traffic (especially around the port). Of course anytime we go off on our own we have the phone number of the ships agent and a "Plan B" in case the worst happens and we would miss the ship (it has never happened to us in more than thirty-five years of crusiing).

 

Hank

[smiles2go]

Thanks for so generously sharing your experience, Hank.