With Portovenere, Lerici, Levanto, Viareggio, Portofino Timetables
La Spezia to Cinque Terre: Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, Riomaggiore
Latest Ferry Schedules with Prices for Planning 2018 Cinque Terre Boats.
Cinque Terre 2018 Battelli / Traghetti Orari attuali / aktuelle Fährfahrpläne / Horaires de bateau actuels
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| Ginestra (broom) blooming over the Gulf of the Poets. |
Where: The boats operate between the '5 Terre' towns of Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, and Riomaggiore (not Corniglia) and the nearby towns of La Spezia, Lerici, Portovenere, and Levanto. Tours are also provided in summer to Portofino and from the Viareggio / Versilia area.
Cost: Daily tickets from about 25 to 35 Euro (cash only), stop-offs allowed. Single trip tickets and one-way tickets available.
When: The 2018 boats started March 24 and will probably end November 1. The boats do not operate in rough seas (unusual in summer).
Frequency: Varies by season. In summer there are about 10 daily. In low season, about 5 daily.
Ferry Reservations: There are no advance ticket sales or reservations for individuals. Reservations are required for groups of 20 or more.
New Article: With 103 Cinque Terre FAQ's Link: Every Answer You Need for Your Cinque Terre Trip
❇Our Cinque Terre Guide ✰Cinque Terre-16 Tips for Avoiding the Crowds
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INDEX OF PORTS & INFORMATION
Scroll Down or Click the Section Name to Jump Down
Ports
Cinque Terre Schedules for La Spezia, Portovenere, Levanto, Lerici & the Portofino tour
La Spezia Schedules for Portovenere, Cinque Terre, & the Portofino tour
Lerici Schedules for Portovenere, Cinque Terre & the Portofino tour
Levanto Schedules for Portovenere, Cinque Terre & the Portofino tour
Moneglia, Deiva Marina Schedules for the Portofino tour
Ports
Cinque Terre Schedules for La Spezia, Portovenere, Levanto, Lerici & the Portofino tour
La Spezia Schedules for Portovenere, Cinque Terre, & the Portofino tour
Lerici Schedules for Portovenere, Cinque Terre & the Portofino tour
Levanto Schedules for Portovenere, Cinque Terre & the Portofino tour
Moneglia, Deiva Marina Schedules for the Portofino tour
Portovenere Schedules to & from Cinque Terre, La Spezia, Lerici, Levanto, the Portofino tour, & Three Island tour.
Viareggio & Versilia Ports / Minor Gulf of La Spezia Ports Cinque Terre tour & local port ferries.
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| April 21 to Sept. 30, 2018 La Spezia - Portovenere - Cinque Terre Ferry Includes Lerici, Levanto, 3 Island Tour. More schedules & Fares below. |
Which Village? In words & photos. We help you choose your future memories.
Where to Stay to See Cinque Terre? Stay in a village or in a nearby base? Different
pleasures await.
More Boat Info Bathrooms, Pets, Shade, etc.
Cinque Terre FAQ Best time to go, Guidebooks, etc.
Links to Helpful Articles Cinque Terre & Surrounding Towns Crowds, Portovenere, Lerici, La Spezia, Food & more.
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Where to Stay to See Cinque Terre? Which Village?
Book as early as you can - the CT is very popular. We use Booking.com because they have an excellent selection of hotels with VERIFIED REVIEWS! Our advice: Reserve accommodation NOW, and use Booking.com's free cancellation policy if you find something better (within stated date limit). Act Now! In 2018, Italian holidays are April 25, May 1, June 2, August 15, Nov. 1. In 2019, Easter is April 21.
Booking.com
Monterosso The largest little town with a resort feel & the most restaurants and hotels. The only real beach in CT, some parking & the best train connections. There's an old town and a new section and it's fairly level. The full town name is Monterosso al Mare. Link to: Booking.com - Monterosso
Vernazza The prettiest, most celebrated town with the most visitors. You really should see it. Photographers love this town especially at sunset as the nearby hills provide stunning views. Link to: Booking.com - Vernazza
What's It Like? - Our Vernazza Photo Gallery Link
What's It Like? - Our Vernazza Photo Gallery Link
Corniglia Sitting prettily on a promontory high above the sea with an historic church. It's the least crowded. It's a climb from the train and the boat doesn't stop here, but it's still very romantic and the views are the best.
Link to: Booking.com - Corniglia
Link to: Booking.com - Corniglia
Manarola The second most popular to explore, it's very photogenic & colorful. Approached from the sea, the town seems balanced on a cliff. Below there's a tiny harbor with quaint fishing boats and the famous terraces loom nearby. Link to: Booking.com- Manarola
What's It Like - Our Manarola Photo Gallery
What's It Like - Our Manarola Photo Gallery
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| Riomaggiore CC by Nick Grosoli |
Click Liguria / Cinque Terre / Portofino Map to see the Cinque Terre towns & other Base towns.
Choose a pretty Ligurian town nearby as an affordable base to see Cinque Terre and other famous towns. We describe the Pluses & Minuses of each town. If you're driving, look at Levanto in Part 2.
Link: Part 1: Cinque Terre South - Gulf of the Poets
Link: Part 2: Cinque Terre North to Portofino
Link: Part 3: Towns on the Portofino Peninsula
Your reservations support this site. Our links do not affect prices. Thanks for helping us help travelers.
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The Cinque Terre Boat / Ferry Schedules
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| The vineyard terraces of Cinque Terre in early spring. circa 1987 |
We strongly recommend you do not drive your car to the Cinque Terre villages! To rent your car after the visit or drop it off before - see our special article with a map of rental offices - Link: Where to Rent a Car from Cinque Terre? For advice on parking during your visit see our article - Link: Every Answer You Need for Your Cinque Terre Trip
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - La Spezia
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - Portovenere
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - Monterosso in Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - Lerici
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - Levanto
Schedule: La Spezia-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return
(March 24 - Apr 20 2018)
(April 21 - Sept. 30 2018)
(Oct 02 - Oct 27 2017)
Schedule: La Spezia Portovenere Cinque Terre & return
( Oct. 28 - Nov.1, 2017 )
Schedule: La Spezia Portovenere Cinque Terre & return
( Oct. 28 - Nov.1, 2017 )
See Lerici and Levanto below for additional Cinque Terre connections.
Schedule: Cinque Terre-Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri
( Monterosso Schedule in Link )
Departs (Returns) Riomaggiore 9:15 (6:15 pm) Manarola 9:25 (6:00 pm)
Vernazza 9:35 (5:45 pm) Monterosso 9:50 (5:20 pm)
For a guidebook dedicated to Cinque Terre, we think the best by far is Rick Steves Pocket Cinque Terre (US Link) (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click) - also available as a Kindle version. Most of the Pocket Cinque Terre info is also included in Amazon’s best selling Italy guidebook Rick Steves Italy 2018 (US Link) (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click).
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La Spezia Boat / Ferry Timetables
For info on buses and parking (including near the boat), see: Getting Around La Spezia
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - La Spezia
Schedule: La Spezia-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return
Schedule: La Spezia-Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri Departs 8:30 Returns 6:40
Lerici Boat / Ferry Timetables
For information about parking and more in Lerici, see Castle to Castle Along the Gulf of the Poets
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - Lerici
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (Mar 24 - Apr 20 2018)
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (April 21 - Sept. 30 2018)
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (Oct 02 - Oct 27, 2017)
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return ( Oct 28 - Nov 1, 2017 )
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Schedule: Lerici-Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri
Departs 8:30 Returns 6:40
Portovenere Boat / Ferry Timetables
For information on parking and buses to Portovenere and boats to Palmaria, see Getting to Portovenere.
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - Portovenere
Schedule: La Spezia-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (Mar. 24 - Apr 20 2018)
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (April 21 - Sept. 30 2018)
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return
(Oct 02 - Oct 27, 2017)
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return
( Oct 28 - Nov 1, 2017 )
Departs 9:00 Returns 6:00
Levanto Boat / Ferry Timetables
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - Levanto
Schedule: Levanto-Cinque Terre-Portovenere & return
Schedule: Levanto Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri
Departs 10:20 Returns 4:50
Moneglia / Deiva Marina Boat / Ferry Timetables
Schedule: Moneglia - Deiva Marina - Levanto - Cinque Terre - Portovenere & return
(July 4- Aug. 31, 2017) Tuesday and Thursday Departs Moneglia 9:20 Deiva 9:30
Schedule: Deiva Marina -Moneglia - Portofino Tour Information in center of schedule.
(July 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon. and Fri. Departs Deiva 10:40 Moneglia 10:50
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Portofino from Cinque Terre / Portovenere Ferry Timetable
Schedule: Cinque Terre-Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri
( Monterosso Schedule in Link )
Departs (Returns) Riomaggiore 9:15 (6:15 pm) Manarola 9:25 (6:00 pm)
Vernazza 9:35 (5:45 pm) Monterosso 9:50 (5:20 pm)
Schedule: Portovenere-Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri
Departs 9:00 Returns 6:00
Cadimare / Fezzano / Le Grazie / Portovenere / Palmaria Timetable
Cadimare, Fezzano and Le Grazie are small ports on the western shore of the Gulf of La Spezia.
Schedule: Cadimare Fezzano Le Grazie Portovenere Palmaria
July 1-14, 2017 Sat., Sun. July 15-31 Fri., Sat., Sun. August 1-31, 2017 Daily
Palmaria / La Spezia Boat / Ferry Timetables.
Terrizzo is the Portovenere side of Palmaria Island, Pozzale on the far side. Popular for the Beaches!
(There is also separate year-round Portovenere to Palmaria service, see our Getting to Portovenere).
Schedule: La Spezia to Terrizzo Palmaria (Jun 5 - Sept 3, 2017)
Schedule: La Spezia to Terrizzo Palmaria (Sept 5 - Sept 18, 2016)
Schedule: La Spezia - Pozzole Palmaria (June 17 - Sept 3, 2017)
Schedule: La Spezia - Pozzole Palmaria (Sept 01 - Sept 11, 2016)
Viareggio+ to Cinque Terre Boat / Ferry Timetables
Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi, Marina di Massa, and Marina di Carrara to Cinque Terre.
Schedule: Four Versilia Ports - Cinque Terre Tour (Jun 17 - Sept 10, 2017) Includes dock locations.
Departs Viareggio 9:00, Forte dei Marmi 9:30, Marina di Massa 9:45, Marina di Carrara 10:10
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Why Archived Schedules? Only the current schedules for the Gulf of La Spezia boats are available at any given time. To show you the whole season, we must use some archived schedules. All the timetables always show the effective dates which could vary a little bit from year to year, so check back periodically.
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More Boat Info
Your daily ticket allows stopovers at intermediate ports. The boat service is cash only and subject to cancellation due to weather and wave conditions, which is uncommon in summer. There are no advanced ticket sales or reservations. There are bathrooms on the boat. Dogs that can be carried are allowed. The boats have both open air and covered sections. Wheelchairs and walkers are not advised due to the design of both the boats and docks. The official Consortium website is Consorzio Marittimo Turistico.
Portofino. For scenic ferry boats further north in Liguria read: Portofino Ferry Boat Schedules from Rapallo & SML. There are timetables for boats serving Portofino, Rapallo, Santa Margarita Ligure, Sestri Levante, Chiavari, Lavagna, San Fruttuoso, and Cinque Terre.
Camogli. For ferry boats on the Liguria's Gulf of Paradise read: Camogli to San Fruttuoso Ferry Boats with Recco & Portofino. There is info for boats serving Recco, Camogli, Punta Chiappa, San Fruttuoso, Portofino, .
Some of our Liguria Travel Articles
Cinque Terre - 16 Tips for Avoiding the Crowds Yes, it's popular, but you can have a great time.
Getting to Portovenere All about buses, parking, hiking, taxis, hotels, boats in Portovenere.
Portovenere Travel Guide - The Top Ten Attractions Portovenere's attractions for reasonable folk
.
Castle to Castle Along the Gulf of the Poets All about Lerici - exploring, parking and hotels.
Getting Around La Spezia Describes parking in La Spezia, as well as bus info and other goodies.
La Spezia Travel Guide: Top Ten Attractions as told by people who have actually been there.
Getting to Portofino - Walking, Hiking, and More Describes fabulous walking and hiking from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino.
The Most Beautiful Villages of Liguria Part 1 The Rock Villages A 7-part series covering 28 great little towns.
Written by Martha and Mike. If you find an error or omission please let us know. We're also happy to answer straightforward questions, but we might not respond if we don't have an answer or we're traveling. There's a contact form at the bottom of the page. When planning your trip remember there are no right choices, just different pleasures. Buon Viaggio.( Monterosso Schedule in Link )
Departs (Returns) Riomaggiore 9:15 (6:15 pm) Manarola 9:25 (6:00 pm)
Vernazza 9:35 (5:45 pm) Monterosso 9:50 (5:20 pm)
For a guidebook dedicated to Cinque Terre, we think the best by far is Rick Steves Pocket Cinque Terre (US Link) (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click) - also available as a Kindle version. Most of the Pocket Cinque Terre info is also included in Amazon’s best selling Italy guidebook Rick Steves Italy 2018 (US Link) (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click).
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Is There Service to Portofino?
There is Service to Portofino on Mon. & Fri. from La Spezia, Lerici, Portovenere, the Cinque Terre, Levanto, and Moneglia on the high Summer schedule, which in 2017 started July 3 and ended Aug. 28. The latest Portofino timetables are listed under each port.
There is also excellent Portofino service from ports further north in the Gulf of Tigullio, such as Rapallo. Look at this article: Portofino Ferry Boat Schedules from Rapallo & SML.
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There is Service to Portofino on Mon. & Fri. from La Spezia, Lerici, Portovenere, the Cinque Terre, Levanto, and Moneglia on the high Summer schedule, which in 2017 started July 3 and ended Aug. 28. The latest Portofino timetables are listed under each port.
There is also excellent Portofino service from ports further north in the Gulf of Tigullio, such as Rapallo. Look at this article: Portofino Ferry Boat Schedules from Rapallo & SML.
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| The Ligurian coast from Portovenere toward Cinque Terre. |
For info on buses and parking (including near the boat), see: Getting Around La Spezia
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - La Spezia
Schedule: La Spezia-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return
(March 24 - Apr 20 2018)
Schedule: La Spezia-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (April 21 - Sept. 30 2018)
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Schedule: La Spezia-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (Oct 02 - Oct 27 2017)
Schedule: La Spezia Portovenere Cinque Terre & return
( Oct. 28 - Nov.1, 2017 )
Schedule: La Spezia Portovenere Cinque Terre & return
( Oct. 28 - Nov.1, 2017 )
Schedule: La Spezia-Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri Departs 8:30 Returns 6:40
Lerici Boat / Ferry Timetables
For information about parking and more in Lerici, see Castle to Castle Along the Gulf of the Poets
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - Lerici
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (Mar 24 - Apr 20 2018)
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (April 21 - Sept. 30 2018)
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return ( Oct 28 - Nov 1, 2017 )
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Schedule: Lerici-Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri
Departs 8:30 Returns 6:40
Portovenere Boat / Ferry Timetables
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| San Lorenzo, Portovenere. |
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - Portovenere
Schedule: La Spezia-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return
(March 24 - Apr 20 2018)
Schedule: La Spezia-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (April 21 - Sept. 30 2018)
Schedule: La Spezia-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (Oct 02 - Oct 27 2017)
Schedule: La Spezia Portovenere Cinque Terre & return
( Oct. 28 - Nov.1, 2017)
Schedule: La Spezia Portovenere Cinque Terre & return
( Oct. 28 - Nov.1, 2017)
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Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (Mar. 24 - Apr 20 2018)
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return (April 21 - Sept. 30 2018)
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return
(Oct 02 - Oct 27, 2017)
Schedule: Lerici-Portovenere-Cinque Terre & return
( Oct 28 - Nov 1, 2017 )
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Schedule: Portovenere-Three Island Tour (40 min.) (Mar. 24 - Oct 27, 2017)
Island tour info in small notation: Departs at 12:00 & 3:00pm Price 12 Euro
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Schedule: Portovenere-Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri Island tour info in small notation: Departs at 12:00 & 3:00pm Price 12 Euro
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Departs 9:00 Returns 6:00
Levanto Boat / Ferry Timetables
Cinque Terre Ferry 2018 Fares - Levanto
Schedule: Levanto-Cinque Terre-Portovenere & return
(Mar. 24 - April 20 2018)
(April 21 - Sept. 30 2018)
(Oct 02 - Oct. 27 2017)
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Schedule: Levanto Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri
Departs 10:20 Returns 4:50
Moneglia / Deiva Marina Boat / Ferry Timetables
Schedule: Moneglia - Deiva Marina - Levanto - Cinque Terre - Portovenere & return
(July 4- Aug. 31, 2017) Tuesday and Thursday Departs Moneglia 9:20 Deiva 9:30
Schedule: Deiva Marina -Moneglia - Portofino Tour Information in center of schedule.
(July 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon. and Fri. Departs Deiva 10:40 Moneglia 10:50
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Portofino from Cinque Terre / Portovenere Ferry Timetable
Schedule: Cinque Terre-Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri
( Monterosso Schedule in Link )
Departs (Returns) Riomaggiore 9:15 (6:15 pm) Manarola 9:25 (6:00 pm)
Vernazza 9:35 (5:45 pm) Monterosso 9:50 (5:20 pm)
Schedule: Portovenere-Portofino Tour (Jul. 3 - Aug. 28, 2017) Mon and Fri
Departs 9:00 Returns 6:00
Cadimare / Fezzano / Le Grazie / Portovenere / Palmaria Timetable
Cadimare, Fezzano and Le Grazie are small ports on the western shore of the Gulf of La Spezia.
Schedule: Cadimare Fezzano Le Grazie Portovenere Palmaria
July 1-14, 2017 Sat., Sun. July 15-31 Fri., Sat., Sun. August 1-31, 2017 Daily
Palmaria / La Spezia Boat / Ferry Timetables.
Terrizzo is the Portovenere side of Palmaria Island, Pozzale on the far side. Popular for the Beaches!
(There is also separate year-round Portovenere to Palmaria service, see our Getting to Portovenere).
Schedule: La Spezia to Terrizzo Palmaria (Jun 5 - Sept 3, 2017)
Schedule: La Spezia to Terrizzo Palmaria (Sept 5 - Sept 18, 2016)
Schedule: La Spezia - Pozzole Palmaria (June 17 - Sept 3, 2017)
Schedule: La Spezia - Pozzole Palmaria (Sept 01 - Sept 11, 2016)
Viareggio+ to Cinque Terre Boat / Ferry Timetables
Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi, Marina di Massa, and Marina di Carrara to Cinque Terre.
Schedule: Four Versilia Ports - Cinque Terre Tour (Jun 17 - Sept 10, 2017) Includes dock locations.
Departs Viareggio 9:00, Forte dei Marmi 9:30, Marina di Massa 9:45, Marina di Carrara 10:10
_________________________________________________________________________________
Why Archived Schedules? Only the current schedules for the Gulf of La Spezia boats are available at any given time. To show you the whole season, we must use some archived schedules. All the timetables always show the effective dates which could vary a little bit from year to year, so check back periodically.
_________________________________________________________________________________
More Boat Info
Your daily ticket allows stopovers at intermediate ports. The boat service is cash only and subject to cancellation due to weather and wave conditions, which is uncommon in summer. There are no advanced ticket sales or reservations. There are bathrooms on the boat. Dogs that can be carried are allowed. The boats have both open air and covered sections. Wheelchairs and walkers are not advised due to the design of both the boats and docks. The official Consortium website is Consorzio Marittimo Turistico.
Portofino. For scenic ferry boats further north in Liguria read: Portofino Ferry Boat Schedules from Rapallo & SML. There are timetables for boats serving Portofino, Rapallo, Santa Margarita Ligure, Sestri Levante, Chiavari, Lavagna, San Fruttuoso, and Cinque Terre.
Camogli. For ferry boats on the Liguria's Gulf of Paradise read: Camogli to San Fruttuoso Ferry Boats with Recco & Portofino. There is info for boats serving Recco, Camogli, Punta Chiappa, San Fruttuoso, Portofino, .
Cinque Terre - 16 Tips for Avoiding the Crowds Yes, it's popular, but you can have a great time.
Getting to Portovenere All about buses, parking, hiking, taxis, hotels, boats in Portovenere.
Portovenere Travel Guide - The Top Ten Attractions Portovenere's attractions for reasonable folk
.
Castle to Castle Along the Gulf of the Poets All about Lerici - exploring, parking and hotels.
Getting Around La Spezia Describes parking in La Spezia, as well as bus info and other goodies.
La Spezia Travel Guide: Top Ten Attractions as told by people who have actually been there.
Getting to Portofino - Walking, Hiking, and More Describes fabulous walking and hiking from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino.
The Most Beautiful Villages of Liguria Part 1 The Rock Villages A 7-part series covering 28 great little towns.
FAQ
When Should I Go? Visit the Cinque Terre only when the weather is good - they are all about the sea and the hills as well as the villages. First choice: April 15 - June 15; Second Choice: September 1 - October 10.
Should I bring guidebooks? Yes, buy your Cinque Terre guidebook before you arrive as you won't easily find them in Italy, though you can order some for delivery in Italy, including to a post office, from Amazon Italy: Click Here.
For a guidebook dedicated to Cinque Terre, we think the best by far is Rick Steves Pocket Cinque Terre (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click / for Italy: Click) - also available as a Kindle version (for Canada: Click). Most of the Pocket Cinque Terre info is also included in Rick Steves Italy 2018 (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click) which is Amazon’s best selling Italy guidebook. The next two best sellers have smaller Cinque Terre sections, but are suitable for a short visit. They are Fodor’s Essential Italy 2018 and Lonely Planet Italy 2018 (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click).
If you are touring the Italian Riviera - Liguria - there are two guidebook choices. DK Eyewitness Italian Riviera (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click) has a small Cinque Terre section, but solid coverage of Genoa and other major locations and good graphics. The guide we use is Liguria: The Italian Riviera / Bradt (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click) which has a good section on the Cinque Terre and decent coverage of the entire Ligurian coast with a personal touch including some wonderful out-of-the-way towns.
Should I bring a map? We think it's easier to arrive with one. For driving get 1:200,000 scale. We prefer the DeAgostini and Touring Club Italiano series over Michelin. Touring Club Liguria Map Touring Club Tuscany Map. You can also buy one in Italy -larger bookstores and some autostrada rest stops have good selections.
Should I opt for a GPS for a rental car? They are less useful in Italy, they can't handle ZTLs well, and they are absurdly expensive. Many travelers use the Google Maps App (or similar) on a smart phone or use pre-loaded Google Maps Offline on a smartphone, laptop or tablet. You can also bring a GPS from home with an Italy/Europe map loaded -both US & European cars are 12V.
Which Airport is Closest to Cinque Terre? Pisa airport is the easiest and it's connected to Pisa's Centrale train station by a special train (PisaMover). Genoa airport is next easiest as there's a frequent bus (Volabus) to Genoa's Brignole train station (also stops at Principe station).
When Should I Go? Visit the Cinque Terre only when the weather is good - they are all about the sea and the hills as well as the villages. First choice: April 15 - June 15; Second Choice: September 1 - October 10.
Should I bring guidebooks? Yes, buy your Cinque Terre guidebook before you arrive as you won't easily find them in Italy, though you can order some for delivery in Italy, including to a post office, from Amazon Italy: Click Here.
For a guidebook dedicated to Cinque Terre, we think the best by far is Rick Steves Pocket Cinque Terre (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click / for Italy: Click) - also available as a Kindle version (for Canada: Click). Most of the Pocket Cinque Terre info is also included in Rick Steves Italy 2018 (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click) which is Amazon’s best selling Italy guidebook. The next two best sellers have smaller Cinque Terre sections, but are suitable for a short visit. They are Fodor’s Essential Italy 2018 and Lonely Planet Italy 2018 (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click).
If you are touring the Italian Riviera - Liguria - there are two guidebook choices. DK Eyewitness Italian Riviera (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click) has a small Cinque Terre section, but solid coverage of Genoa and other major locations and good graphics. The guide we use is Liguria: The Italian Riviera / Bradt (for UK: Click / for Canada: Click) which has a good section on the Cinque Terre and decent coverage of the entire Ligurian coast with a personal touch including some wonderful out-of-the-way towns.
Should I bring a map? We think it's easier to arrive with one. For driving get 1:200,000 scale. We prefer the DeAgostini and Touring Club Italiano series over Michelin. Touring Club Liguria Map Touring Club Tuscany Map. You can also buy one in Italy -larger bookstores and some autostrada rest stops have good selections.
Should I opt for a GPS for a rental car? They are less useful in Italy, they can't handle ZTLs well, and they are absurdly expensive. Many travelers use the Google Maps App (or similar) on a smart phone or use pre-loaded Google Maps Offline on a smartphone, laptop or tablet. You can also bring a GPS from home with an Italy/Europe map loaded -both US & European cars are 12V.
Which Airport is Closest to Cinque Terre? Pisa airport is the easiest and it's connected to Pisa's Centrale train station by a special train (PisaMover). Genoa airport is next easiest as there's a frequent bus (Volabus) to Genoa's Brignole train station (also stops at Principe station).
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| Fall 2017: our 56th Italy trip. |
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