In order to explore Cinque Terre to the full extent of its tourist opportunities, visitors can resort to trains and ferries. Thus, they can both admire the nature set and be efficient about their stay in Cinque Terre, getting to know the highlights of the region in virtually no time. Walking and hiking remain, however, the most rewarding manners of searching out Cinque Terre, adequate, in fact, for the tourist profile of this destination. Driving around, though an option, is not the most advisable alternative.

By train

Getting from any of the villages of Cinque Terre to another by train seems to be the most straightforward manner of searching out the region, at least for tourists who don’t necessarily want to experience the destination exclusively on foot. Given each village has a train station, hopping from one locality to another by train is the simplest and most efficient way of making an overall idea about the place, with the obvious disadvantage of missing out what is truly valuable about this destination from a tourist point of view: its outstanding outdoors.

Trains run from Monterosso al Mare to Riomaggiore with a comforting frequency (up to three trains an hour). The only aspect one should take into account is the type of the vehicle, since only the local trains make stops in every village. Trains which cover longer distances only stop in Monterosso and Riomaggiore.

On top of that, tourists who use the Cinque Terre Card will find it very rewarding to see they can travel unlimitedly all the way from La Spezia to Levanto, to the extent the validity of their card allows it.

For complete information on departures and arrivals, ticket prices and the like, visit Trenitalia [www.trenitalia.com].

By car

Driving around in Cinque Terre is, unsurprisingly, not the most rewarding holiday experience. The narrow meandering streets and the shortage of car parks can definitely dampen one’s spirits. This is why if in not in the mood for walking or hiking, tourists should definitely turn to trains as to the most reliable solution.

Indeed, parking tends to become an issue during the summer season, even in Monterosso (which is the most modern of all Cinque Terre resorts) and Levanto. On top of the fact free parking is basically unheard of the villages between Monterosso and Riomaggiore are closed to traffic road (except for the locals).

By boat / ferry

Getting around by boat or ferry along the Ligurian coastline is an experience each visitor of Cinque Terre should make, given its understandable appeal: the picturesque boat trips, though a little pricier than the land means of transport, are definitely worth trying.

Next to the companies which offer leisure boat trips along the coastline, tourists can also resort to the companies which operate at the main ports in and around Cinque Terre. Thus, Consorzio Marittimo Turistico 5 Terre Golfo dei Poeti, headquartered in La Spezia, is the top choice in this respect. It offers trips along the Ligurian coast, sometimes reaching all the way to Genoa, making the villages of Cinque Terre and the other seaside resorts accessible by sea (except Corniglia and the other landlocked locations). The main drawback is the company operates only spring to autumn, as long as the climatic conditions allow it. Holders of a Cinque Terre Card can benefit from sundry advantages if decided to indulge in boat tripping during their stay in Cinque Terre.

For complete information on the ferry schedule, tickets and the like, follow the indications below:

Name:
Consorzio Marittimo Turistico 5 Terre Golfo dei Poeti
Address:
13, Via Don Minzoni, 19121, La Spezia, Italy
Telephone:
0039 0187 732987
Fax:
0030 0187 730336
Email:
info@navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it
Website:
www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it

On foot

Cinque Terre excels, from a tourist point of view, by its great nature set. Hiking, in fact, is a sort of tourist tradition in Cinque Terre and one of the top things to do on the Ligurian coast and further inland. Even if not a passionate hiker, the tourist can always explore at leisure the stunning outdoors of the region and sample the charm of the place both in terms of nature landscape and rural anthropogenic sites.

The Cinque Terre Card is useful in this respect too, since it allows visitors to explore some of the most endangered and vulnerable trails of the National Park of Cinque Terre.

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