If you are on vacation in Florence you might consider a day trip to Cinque Terre which is possible to do if you start early and come back late.. It takes approx 2.5 – 3 hours to get to Cinque Terre from Florence by train and you will enter this beautiful region along the Ligurian coastline… The Cinque Terre consists of five tiny villages called, Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. The Cinque Terre villages are just one stop apart by train (a few minutes between each village) which makes seeing them all in just one day very possible with a little planning.
If you are driving to Cinque Terre from Florence it will take approx 2.5 hours if you are lucky enough not to get any delays, however it can take a lot longer if there is traffic en route…. Once you get to La Spezia it is probably best to leave the car in the car park at the station and get the train to Cinque Terre, as driving to the villages takes longer and the roads can be narrow and windy.. If you decide to drive into the villages car parking is also expensive with limited spaces. Monterosso has 2 large car parks at each end of the village and is probably the easiest to park in. Most parking outside of the car parks is reserved for residents and during the summer months it is also prohibited to drive through the villages.
The train however goes through tunnels and gets to the villages very quickly compared to car travel, approx 10 mins to Riomaggiore and then each stop between the villages is just a few minutes.. Arriving at Corniglia by train can be a little more tricky as the village is up high, you would either need to take the community bus or walk up the 382 steps.
So if you are travelling from Florence to Cinque Terre it is always best to plan in advance in order to make the most of your time. Information for trains to Cinque Terre can be found here www.trenitalia.com.. Remember that in the high season the villages can be very busy and if stormy weather is forecast the roads can be quite difficult.. Our advice if you do want to get from Florence to Cinque Terre is to go by train.
Although a day trip can be wonderful, staying for a few days in Cinque Terre would enable you to see the area properly and enjoy these enchanting villages.. There is so much to do and see and a visit to The Cinque Terre Cooking School is an amazing culteral and fun learning experience.. Lessons are held everyday at 10am and at 6pm, details can be found on our website.