You can actually go on a day trip from Florence to Cinque Terre. Pingback: Daily Travel Photo - Vernazza, Cinque Terre. Two more villages will be visited Manarola and Vernazza, which is ideal for those who want to relax and lay on the beach. Early on our first morning, Adam and I woke up, shook off the last shreds of our jet lag, and made the quick journey from our hotel to Firenze Santa Maria Novella, the main train station and our jumping off point to parts west and north of the city. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a7b09e483a8286bd4cb9b0799eef5ba7" );document.getElementById("bf5f1d039c").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The easiest way of getting to Cinque Terre if you have limited time is on a guided tour. Once in La Spezia, you have three options: PARK YOUR CAR You can leave your car at the train station for a fee, and take the train to Monterosso. I have found a few but they seems quite pricey. But lets face it: you may not have all the time in the world to travel. After crossing the Arno River and continuing onward we finally paused to consult Google Maps. Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Maryland Sunflower Fields: A Summer Tradition Near Washington, DC, The Way Life Should Be: 25 Things to Do in Maine, Washington Wine and the Columbia River Gorge, The Virginia Presidents: Homes and Museums for US Presidents in Virginia, A Day at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It is supposed to be the oldest of Cinque Terre villages, likely founded in Roman times though the present settlement dates back to the 12th century. I felt like a bad world traveller when I would shake my head and say I had never been. It is not a strict age limit and people older than 35 but younger than 50 are always welcome as long as they are young at heart and have no walking disabilities and are happy to be with younger people. A large tower tilted to the left in the distance. Make sure to read my post A Guide To Hiking In The Cinque Terre. The ride lasts another hour. 7:30 am approx.
Cruises are run by the Consorzio Marittimo Turistico 5 Terre Golfo Dei Poeti; they run like a hop-on hop-off service and have several daily departures. By 11:00am we were on another train, and after a one hour ride and a quick transfer we found ourselves in Manarola, one of the five towns that make up beautiful Cinque Terre. TREKKING CARD: It gives you access to all the footpaths of the national park, guided tours and more. Make sure to also read my post The Best Things To Do In Cinque Terre. The uphill climb was pretty constant, so with a couple of breaks to take pictures (read: catch our breath) it only took about fifteen minutes before we were walking single file toward a gorgeous spot that provided the exact image I had in my mind when I pictured Cinque Terre before we got there. s.type = 'text/javascript'; Once the train arrived, our trip back to Florence was uneventful, and after a full day of exploring, great food, and sea air, we slept really well. Legal Disclaimer: this post is written in cooperation with Ciao Florence. Also, there were very few vendors peddling their wares or open shops at that time, which made for a less hectic experience for us when we first arrived. Learn how your comment data is processed. If Tuscany is in your travel plans, a day trip from Florence to both Pisa and Cinque Terre is absolutely possible if you dont mind spending a good amount of time on regional trains and lots of walking. When you will reach the city of La Spezia, your expert tour leader will take you on the enjoyable Cinque Terre tour ,visiting the famous UNESCO villages. We arrived in Manarola with no agenda except to take in the sights and the landscapes- and, ideally, find something to eat. GetYourGuide. Over the course of thirty minutes we took a lot of photos from just about every angle, and then we hung back and took in the scene. The day is long overall but Cinque Terre especially is absolutely worth it, especially for this price! At first, you will meet your personal driver and he will drive you from Florence to La Spezia, ready to enjoy your day tour. (function(d, sc, u) { Great tour but a long day in the heat. Manarola is thought to have the best deep water swimming in the area. It is thought to be the prettiest of the Cinque Terre villages. You'll also get our "Twelve Travel Tips for Terrific Trips" guide! Here are the various options. So it felt almost nonsensical when, just a day after touching down in Florence, we planned a day trip to get out of the city. We also include an, How to Get to Cinque Terre and Pisa and How to Do It on Your Own, Take the train to Pisa and Cinque Terre from Florence, You can learn more about our newsletter and see a preview of a past edition. Fegina is home to a nice beach with a lovely promenade. You can still see some of the fortifications built during Genoas rule. You will first travel by train from Santa Maria Novella station in Florence. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Then we will pass throughPiazza Dei Cavalieri, which has a stunning facade designed by Giorgio Vasari. Theres also a stony beach to the east of the village. Interestingly, when talking with friends who had visited the tower before us, many shared that they also limited their time there. Again, you can purchase your ticket back to Florence at the Manarola train station, so you dont need to worry much about pre-planning. Here youll have time to walk through the narrow alleys and learn more about history, tradition and lifestyle of Cinque Terre. In retrospect, there is much more to do in Pisa than just see the leaning tower, and we didnt do any of it. We didnt pre-book our tickets- that isnt necessary for regional trains- so we walked into the station, purchased them at a kiosk, found our desired train at its assigned track, picked seats, and sat back for the journey. We gazed at the beautiful coast and listened to the waves lap the rocks below us. Bella Toscana Chianti and San Gimignano with Light Lunch, Your Requests and information about departure. The view of the villages from the sea is stunning! Should you still go to Cinque Terre, then? It includes a stop in Pisa to admire the leaning tower, hotel pick-up and drop-off in an air-conditioned minibus are included. For first, you will have the chance to explore Manarola or Riomaggiore, one of the jewels of the National Park with its typical and colorful houses facing the sea from where you can take wonderful pictures. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Ready to book a room for your own vacation to see Cinque Terre and the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
arezzo chianti toscana discovertuscany colli aretini guidate The tours we considered would have cost more than $100 USD per person and primarily included transportation and some brief guided tours. It takes about 2 hours to walk it. Florence is a beautiful city. If you are super lucky with all the connections, the trip will take around 2.5 hours. The ride from Pisa to La Spezia Centrale is about an hour and a half long, and the second train to Manarola takes only 10 minutes. The village is a maze of tiny alleys (called caruggi) lined with lovely cafs and craft shops, and a few wine bars. The next stop will be a visit to Riomaggiore. A daily ticket costs 35; a one-way ticket from La Spezia to Riomaggiore costs 18.You can check the full list of prices, routes and timetable here. We watched as people posed in all sorts of uncomfortable positions to secure the ultimate souvenir: a photo holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Theres no denying it; stand anywhere, look to the right or left, and youre very likely to find a centuries-old statue looking back at you. Really fast paced which we are happy as we tried to cramp a lot in 2 days we had in Florence. No charge for cancellations made with at least 48 hours prior notice. The train access was a big reason why we selected this hotel and it was very convenient for our day trip to Pisa and Cinque Terre. We put Pisa on our itinerary for one reason, the main reason it winds up in so many travelers plans: we wanted to see the famous leaning tower. If the trails are closed a different itinerary will be suggested, This tour is not recommended for people with walking disabilities, Please inform the guide of any dietary requirements.

Its probably going to be more expensive, but I am sure it is worth the price to avoid any inconvenience. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I normally wear my. The overall saving is great, if you consider that a one-way ride costs 4 already! Hi Claudia, Loved reading your post & looking forward to going there. Get your train tickets to Pisa and La Spezia online here. Taking the planning into our own hands also allowed us to set our schedule for the day. The Piazza del Duomo would wait for us; our first day in Italy would instead be spent in Pisa and Cinque Terre. The hotel is in a terrific location, just a three-minute walk from Firenze SMN (the main train station). 2022 It was beautifully isolated until the end of the 19th century, when the railway connecting Genoa and La Spezia was finally built. Its also a quick walk to many tourist attractions in Florence. During the day you will switch from train to boat according to the itinerary and weather conditions. I recommend Ciao Florence, which offers a good Cinque Terre tour departing from Florence. By continuing to browse our site we'll assume you are okay with it. Its a short and easy trail that offers stunning views. Explore the Cinqueterre National Park and see the spectacular coastline of the Ligurian Riviera on this guided tour. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Do you have one you have used and suggest? The capital of Tuscany is so centrally located in the region that it makes it extremely easy to explore the rest of Tuscany, and even beyond. View and download my media kithere (updated July 2019). Another short hike goes from Riomaggiore to the Sanctuary of Montenero, from where there are gorgeous views of Punta Mesco and the Island of Tino. I was so excited to ready your article and would like to book a tour from Florence to Cinque Terre in April 2019. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. You may want to get in touch with a company and ask for a private tour to suit any of your needs ie a wheelchair accessible van or boat. From However, opt to get those to Cinque Terre at the station, just in case your train gets in late. Expect to spend at least 12 hours away from Florence; we recommend leaving between 7 AM and 8 AM, which will give you enough time for a great day trip and put you back in the city for dinner. Our tour guide will let you walk around the village and discover marvelous streets. You can go on many day trips from Florence. As an Airbnb Associate, I earn when you book through certain links. It will take you about 2 hours to drive to La Spezia in ideal conditions. Florence is a great place to start your trip. p.parentNode.insertBefore(s,p); A few short blocks later we were standing in front of one of the most famous landmarks in the world. When you travel from Pisa to Manarola, you will leave from Pisa Centrale but will need to transfer at the La Spezia Centrale station. Hi! Nowadays, it is divided in two parts: the old village; and, connected to it by a tunnel, Fegina, the modern one. If youre thinking of visiting, consider the early part of the day to avoid some of the crowds.
We acknowledged that we werent sure when we would make it back there and how nice it was to just live in that moment. In fact, it makes sense if you visit several villages and use the train a lot. Riomaggiore has a small, lovely pebbly beach. Once in Pisa, hop on an Intercity Train to La Spezia Centrale (they are the ones going to Milan). We were a bit wistful when we finally paid our bill and headed off to the train station, wishing we had a little while longer to enjoy in that beautiful place. s.async = true; Stop for 2 hours at Pisa, home of the spectacular Piazza dei Miracoli, where you will see Pisas most significant attractions, including the Leaning Tower, Baptistry, Campo Santo, and Duomo di Pisa (Pisa Cathedral). Also you will visit theDuomos Square of Pisa, with its Baptisteryand theCathedral. It's our way of saying "thank you" for joining our newsletter. It will open again in 2023. The entrance to the trails werent particularly well marked; we found one almost by accident as we walked up a street that looked as if it might turn into a dead end at any point. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Manarola has lots of great paths to explore, and we spent a good amount of time walking many of them. I dont know of any group tour that is suitable for people with limited mobility. The tour is fast-paced, budget-minded and includes activities for travelers to connect with other passengers of the same age. Thank you for subscribing! The best way to discover Cinque Terre and Pisa in a Private Tour from Florence. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Our afternoon in Manarola Cinque Terre was a bit of a departure from our usual days on the road. Due payment may be made in cash in EURO the day of the tour. Let me start by saying that I dont recommend getting to Cinque Terre by train if you are only planning to spend a day there. Wherever you travel, make sure to always get a good travel insurance. Im guessing that might be it? he asked. The furthest village is Monterosso al Mare, a 25 minutes train ride. From your Hotel/ Accommodation in Florence. Florence was the starting point for our day exploring Pisa and Cinque Terre and we stayed at the Cosimo de Medici. 2008 If not, would it be best to bring a walker to the tour? The villages of Cinque Terre all have something to offer. A good sunblock and a good moisture locking lip balm. This means that for any purchase you make through one of my links, I receive a small percentage which however does not affect the final price for the customer. Instead, we trekked back to where we had started (the walk down was only slightly easier- steep stairs are tough from either direction!). You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Finally, you can hike to the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Reggio: the views of the bay along the way are stunning. Your day trip to Cinque Terre should all be about comfort. Here is a quick overview of each of them. It was easy for us to enjoy the sights and get some photos before we were overwhelmed by the throngs of other tourists.
The reason I say this is that the journey is actually quite long, since there are no direct trains from Florence to Riomaggiore, the first of the Cinque Terre villages.