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Cinque Terre- To Go or Not To Go?

Kristina

New Member
My husband and I are going to Italy for our 25th wedding anniversary near the end of June. We have 2 weeks total in Italy and the second week will be spent in a villa in Umbria that we've rented with a large group of friends and family. We fly into Milan and out of Rome and are trying to figure out where we want to go with the first week.

We've been to Italy multiple times, but we've never been to Cinque Terre and have always wanted to go there and hike the trails and enjoy the scenery. However, given the time of year (arrival on June 21, stay 3 nights) I'm finding it hard to find someplace to stay. Since we are celebrating a big anniversary, we would really love a room with a terrace and a sea view. It seems that everything nice is already booked! Then, after reading several trip reports it sounds like it will be insanely crowded, with cruise ships dumping off 10,000 people in La Spezia alone, on the Tuesday we'd be there.

So, to go to CT or not to go?
If the answer is yes, where to stay in terms of which town, and then if you have a specific hotel recommendation I'd appreciate that as well.
If the answer is "avoid" then where else to go with our time before Umbria? We were thinking a couple of nights in Lucca after CT but would also love a few days by the sea.
 
We went to Liguria 2 years ago spending 2 nights at a hotel in Santa Margherita Ligure, then 10 nights in an apartment in Levanto just north of the 5 Terre. This was our 3rd trip to the area but it had been 15 years since the trip before.

My advice is to choose between those two locations because the Cinque Terre is insanely crowded (but still beautiful). When we were there only one part of the lower trail was open, the northern part ending in Monterosso. We did the hike but it was way too crowded. I would not do it again

From SML we took a ferry to San Frutoso, an isolated abbey past Portofino. Then hiked back. Not crowded and a lovely hike. For your second day there are other hikes in the area.

From Levanto you can do the hike to Monterosso, the northern town of the 5 Terre. This hike was not crowded and was very nice. For a second day you could train to Corniglia in the 5 Terre then do a higher level hike up and take the bus down. We did this and loved the hike. There are other high level hikes that are supposed to be good.

I have lots of details in my trip report. If you decide on either of these locations I can give you more hiking info. In Levanto we stayed in an apartment but before we’ve stayed at Villa Margherita. Long, long ago I used to do their website for them. They rent apartments too.

My trip report:
 
I was also going to suggest Lerici or Tellaro as alternatives to Cinque Terre! And I am also very fond of Lucca, which is my probable retirement destination.
 
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We took our niece to CT in June and the trail between Riomaggiore and Manarola was closed. I'd suggest some research on trail conditions before going. I've always liked Portovenere for much the same type of scenery and feeling as the CT towns. You can take a boat or train from La Spezia to the CT towns and a boat from Portovenere up the coast and get off to enjoy the towns. For the above mention of Santa Margherita Ligure, I'd second that but suggest looking at Rapallo rather than San Frutoso. There is a seaside walking trail from Portofino to/from Rapallo that is very enjoyable. There is a water ferry working between Rapallo, SML, Portofino, and San Frutoso (the dock in Rapallo was closed for renovations last summer). We stay at the Excelsior Palace in Rapallo for the Montallegro festival every year (July 1-3) -- but a place where you could indulge yourself for an anniversary treat.
 
I vote for "avoid". We went in October and frankly as beautiful as it is, it is such a tourist trap. I can't imagine being there in peak season.

I would second the Santa Margherita Ligure suggestion. We stayed at the Imperial Palace Hotel (highly recommend). From there you can easily visit Portofino and Rapallo. Lucca is also a great suggestion.

If you really want to splurge on your 25th (and congrats btw), then spend a couple days in Forte dei Marmi.
 
We were there the first and only time in the first week of November 2008. The trails were closed and we had some rain, but OTOH we had the place practically to ourselves. The villages are indeed stunning, and roaming around them quietly was a lovely experience - but I would not return a second time, certainly not during the crowded season.

We based ourselves in Levanto, which we really like (I always refer to it as a town you'd like to live in), and it was a short train ride into the CT every day. However, Levanto also, I assume, might be quite crowded in June.

In short, unless you have your heart very set on this part of Liguria, and you are OK with relatively crowded seasons, I would consider a different destination, and save the CT for when you can plan better. It's worth it in the right circumstances, including optimal accommodations. For me, staying away from crowds as much as possible is a top consideration in travel.

Where else? I don't have that much experience in Italy, but since this is such a beautiful and friendly country, I don't think you can go wrong anywhere. One region we enjoyed is the hilly/mountainous area between Piacenza and the CT - beautiful villages and scenery, not very frequented by tourists, and also on your route.
 
We've been to Cinque Terre a many times over the years. And it has changed dramatically. Our last was in October 2019 and we stayed in Portovenere which was beautiful with available tour boats stopping at each CT town, if the seas are not too high. That being said, the cruise ships dumped thousands of people during the day, (see below view from our window) but the town was a ghost town at night. I have no idea what it would be like in late June. We have stayed in Levanto in late June 2017, and I highly recommend that as do others. It was crowded though, but fun for our young adult kids, and we did hike, bike the old train path, swam etc. But there were hiking trails closed even then. It really depends upon what you are looking to do as well as what pace you want in your trip. I would not advise if you want a secluded, quiet experience. Lucca is great. We love the Lunigiana - mountains and quiet, Pietrasanta - art & near the ocean. Lerici is beautiful too, but also crowded when we've been.

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I was in Cinque Terre on Thursday, 23rd January, we took the train from La Spezia about lunch time and I was dumbfounded about the amount of people on the train, it was packed with Japanese, when we got off in Manarola it took a while even to get out of the station due to the quantity of people. Instead, on the trail we hiked from Manarola to Volastra to Corniglia we saw one group and 3 or 4 other couples. Nevertheless, in conclusion I would forget the idea of going in June!
Portovenere is every bit as beautiful and possibly more so than CT, the AV5T path down towards Portovenere has spectacular views, I don't know how busy the paths are, less so than CT probably.
Lerici is pretty too and the hike to Tellaro id nice but it will also be very busy in June.
The whole coast of Liguria is a bit claustrophobic once school holidays start in my opinion ( 8thJune).
Forte dei Marmi is just a seaside resort, nothing spectacular
It depends how much of an issue the crowds are....
If it's just for three days and you want some hiking but not impossible crowds you could consider the Conero area near Ancona. Enough hiking for two or three half days or possibly more, Numana and Sirolo are pretty villages, Loreto not far away worth a visit, you could see Urbino on the way. Have a look at that area.
Right in the Monteconero park next to Badia (small church) San Pietro there's hotel Monteconero. We haven't stayed there, just stopped for coffee, but I filed it away mentally as a wow place, if you like total peace and quiet and a spectacular view.....just a thought...you would need a car though.
 
What's nice about Forte dei Marmi, besides the town, is it is easy to go to Lucca or Pisa for a day, or to Carrara. Visiting the quarries in Carrara is not for everybody, or the faint of heart if you are driving, but it is a VERY different experience.
 
Tina's idea is a good one. The Conero area is beautiful. We stayed in Portonovo at the Hotel Internazionale for a few days in 2012. The restaurant was very good and the views spectacular. They had a shuttle service down (and back) to the beach area, which was very helpful given the parking and the altitude of the hotel in the heat. There were Italian tourists, so it was crowded along the beaches, but nothing like CT. Ascoli Piceno is a lovely city, not far from Conero, and something to consider. Much to see. Urbino is not that far from Ancona either. We stayed at an agriturismo somewhat near Urbino, Ca'Maddalena, with amazing views and excellent food in the restaurant. The accommodations were simple. But it is a true farm that serves it's own meats etc. Horseback riding was great. But that was in 2012.
 
The Conero area is a great suggestion, especially since you're starting in Umbria and will be close to Le Marche. Nearby Ascoli Piceno is a lovely town. Senigallia is also a great spot, although more a traditional Italian beach resort, and you wouldn't have the hiking as you would in the Conero (but they have great restaurants). While Urbino is a bit of a trek from the Conero, it's one of my favorite cities in Italy. Le Marche is so much less touristy than Liguria that it would be an excellent choice--maybe you could divide your second week between Urbino and the Conero?
 
We have been to Cinque Terre twice. We stayed both time at I Limoni de Thule in Riomaggiore. It has been quite a while since we were there...back in the Slow Travel days, but I suggest you check it out. One real advantage is that we could reserve a parking place right in front. Our first trip was 2 couples and our second trip was 4 couples.
 
Wow! So many replies! Thank you! Somehow I didn't get any notifications past the first one, but I'm glad I came back and checked. I really appreciate it and have bookmarked many of your recommendations for the future.
It seems like the consensus is "avoid", but...I ended up booking an apartment with an amazing view and terrace for 3 nights in Vernazza. We just decided to bite the bullet and give it a try. If it's awful, I can't say I wasn't warned. I will report back in July. :)
I've also booked 2 nights after CT in Lucca. Now I need someplace for the final night, closer to the villa we are renting which is near the village of Panicale and Lake Trasimeno, right on the edge of the Tuscany/Umbria border.
 
Don't worry, Vernazza is definitely not going to be awful. Be sure to go to Corniglia to get gelato at Alberto Gelateria.

As far as Panicale, I would recommend this place in Tavernelle di Panicale. Although we stayed there 6 years ago, it appears their reviews on Trip Advisor have remained solid.

Here was my review -


In case the link doesn't work-

NoSpin wrote a review Jan 2013
Weston, Massachusetts426 contributions180 helpful votes

We Thoroughly Enjoyed Our Stay
The hospitality began even before we arrived. We were sightseeing, and shopping, all the way to this hotel. At one point I realized we wouldn’t arrive until around 8 PM, so I called the hotel to apprise them. They asked if we would be having dinner with them, and I told them we would. Well there was only one other set of guests in the hotel (this was the week between Christmas and New Year) and they weren’t dining there. They kept the chef on until our arrival and served an excellent meal. We each had an antipasti, primi and secondi of reasonable portions for 68 euros. The bottle of wine (Antonelli Riserva) was 29 euros and I later bought the same wine directly at the Antonelli winery for 20 euros, so I think a typical restaurant markup.

We had a very nice corner suite on the 3rd level with two gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside. The rooms were of nice size, well furnished, and very clean throughout. I read a review about thin walls. I don’t know where that person stayed, all interior and exterior walls in this villa were at least 20 inches thick. Only the doors were of normal thickness.

I was impressed with the breakfast spread that was laid out considering there were only two couples staying during the 3 nights we were here. There was an ample selection of pastries, cheeses, meats, cereals, yogurts, juices and even a bottle of prosecco. You could also order a hot breakfast from the kitchen.

The grounds were lovely, but I am sure even lovelier in warmer times. As an aside, there was mention in a review about a power plant that concerned me. Well it is about 4 miles away and you only see it for about two minutes as you pass it on the main road to Perugia. We highly recommend Villa di Monte Solare.
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Date of stay: December 2012Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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Ciao Kristina,

The nice part about staying IN Vernazza, instead of outside, is that you will truly get to enjoy the charm of the place. (Disclaimer: I was there 10 tears ago and in October) Let me explain: The day trippers and cruisers won't arrive until late in the morning and they will leave by evening. Get up early and enjoy the picturesque little harbor. Join the locals as the shops open long before the swarms of tourists arrive. Have a coffee in the piazza. It is very charming.

You can then hit the trails early. I thoroughly enjoyed the relatively easy hike from Vernazza to Corniglia . You'll get out on the trail early long before the biggest crowds arrive, and in June before the heat of the day arrives. Or, if you choose to visit one of the nearby, lesser tourist-ed spots suggested above for the day, you can get out of town before it gets crazy.

In the evenings, the cruisers are back on their ships and the day trippers are gone for the day. There are many good choices of places to eat right in town, and you can savor the loveliness of the little town. Those who stay out of 5T and visit for the day are part of the crowds and miss out on the nicest time of day to enjoy the little villages.

buon viaggi
 

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