Arriving from Paris, which to visit first,Cinque Terra or Florence?

You don't say how long you will be in Europe and what your interests are. Unless you have at least 3 weeks, I would skip the Cinque Terre and head to Florence, and consider taking a day trip from Florence into the countryside. The CT is beautiful, but very crowded, making it hard to really enjoy the hiking trails. I went to the CT on my first European trip and was underwhelmed - I was expecting too much. Florence will be very crowded as well. But if you have more than a passing interest in art and a limited amount of time, you will want more time in Florence.

I will defer to others regarding budget accommodations.

Hope you have a great trip!

I would just add that you're going during high season so your budget and a great location may not go together.

I agree that for a Europe trip that involves 3 countries you should have at least 2.5 to 3 weeks. You're going to lose an entire day to travel when you change countries. You lose about half a day when you change location within the same country.

If you have less than 3 weeks I would skip the CT unless you only plan to visit the CT and Florence. Then, it would depend on where you plan to fly out of or visit next as to which I start with. If you're flying out of Florence, you'll want to end in Florence. If you're flying out of Pisa I really don't think it matters too much which you start with.

Donna

June will be crowded and somewhat warm. Reserve your tickets to the Uffizzi in advance or be prepared to stand in line for hours.

Regarding budget accommodations, I use TripAdvisor to sort hotels by ranking and then I go down the list to find something affordable such as the Orcagna Hotel, the Florence Dome, or the Florent (which looks like a very good deal).

Or, if you're willing to use Florence as your base, you could also check out Air B-n-B and look for a studio apartment in the Altorno, the south bank of the Arno. Florence is a very walk-able city so if you're anywhere near the center you will be able to get around just fine. The buses are also very useful, or maybe you can rent a bike

From Florence, you can take reasonable day trips to Lucca (highly recommended), Fiesole (just up the hill, take the bus from San Marco square), Sienna, San Gimignano, etc.

The Cinque Terra is over-rated in my view, hard to get to, overcrowded, served by an over-worked small train, and subject to mud slides and closed trails. Lucca is ten times more fun.

bodo,

"The Cinque Terra is over-rated in my view, hard to get to, overcrowded, served by an over-worked small train, and subject to mud slides and closed trails. Lucca is ten times more fun."

I suppose that's a matter of opinion. I've been to both and much prefer the Cinque Terre, even if it is crowded at times. To respond to the points you raised....

• It's not hard to get to as it's well served by numerous trains every day, and not by "an over-worked small train". There are also boats during good weather. To provide some examples, the train ride from La Spezia Centrale to Riomaggiore (the most southerly of the five towns) takes a whopping nine minutes or so, while the train from Levanto to Monterosso (the most northerly of the five towns) takes an incredibly lengthy four minutes (I know as I've timed it). I wouldn't characterize those travel times as being "hard to get to".
• While some of the "blue path" trails can be closed at times due to storm damage, there are generally some segments open. It should be remembered also that there's an extensive network of other trails in that area besides the much publicized Sentiero Azzurro trails so if travellers want to hike, there will be many opportunities.
• Mud slides don't generally cause a lot of damage to the towns themselves. The last was an unusual occurrence which took place in October 2011, and that only affected two of the five towns to any degree. Both of the affected towns were back in operation very quickly and again hosting happy tourists.
• Lucca is also nice and I may get back there at some point. However, the Cinque Terre is a place I return to whenever I can. For a person who hasn't yet been there, I think it's reasonable to visit at least once, so that one can form their own opinions on the area.

mosey83,

Before answering your question on which location to visit first, it would help to know where you'll be going after the Cinque Terre or Florence? One important question you'll have to address is which of the five towns you want to stay in. THIS VIDEO may help you to decide.

Cinque Terra ....what a over rated place

I'm with Ken that the CT is NOT difficult to get to nor overrated but it WILL be very very busy during high season. We have been there in May when it was crowded enough, and June will be even more mobbed but we managed to escape the worst of it by avoiding the town centers during the middle of the day and exploring the churches and cemeteries in the upper reaches where most of the day-trippers don't make an effort to go.

Yes, some of the trails may be closed but others will be open.

If you're willing to get up and out early in the morning, you can explore in relative peace. We have.

It really doesn't matter whether you do Florence or the CT first but where you are on to next. If it's Rome, I'd do the CT first and Florence second as there is more frequent, direct train service from there.

Cinque Terre is not my favorite place but it is a place I am glad I've visited and I would not mind going back. Just seeing the towns hanging on to the cliffs is amazing especially from the vantage point of the ferry heading from Monterosso to Riomaggiore. I do enjoy Lucca, it's wall and old town center but to me the CT villages are unique vistas.

Thank you EVERYONE for your replies. Funny this is my first post on Rick Steves and after reading others ask questions only to neglect important info mainly how many days they plan and I go ahead and do the same thing....

I will be travelling to London from Vancouver Canada.

My hopes/plans for this trip are to have a taste of London and Paris (just a taste) then a few days to relax with no set schedule just to walk around and drink coffee and wine and then spend more time exploring the sights.

So far my idea is to arrive in London, (flights from here arrive by lunch) have 3-4 nights then 3 nights in Paris. 2-3 nights in CT to have my relaxing by the sea time and then Florence for the remainder of my trip. I would love to explore Tuscany but I dont want to rush, I want to enjoy and savor whilst planning on returning to explore further. I look forward to leisurely walks and people watching in Florence.

I have three weeks including travel days off work... May 31-June 19 but should return no later than June 17 to account for travel time plus jet lag before returning to work.

Im open to all towns except Corniglia as I would like to be closer to the sea for strolling.

I would definitely give yourself 4 nights in London as that gives you 3 full days plus your arrival day where you might not get a lot in depending on your jet lag status. You can take the Eurostar from London to Paris and 3 nights in Paris just gives you 2 full days.

For Cinque Terre, you will probably want to stay in Monterosso Al Mare as it has the best promenade for walking along the sea. Then you can take the train to the other towns to explore as you like.

I loved Cinque Terre even during the the hot and crowded month of July (2015). Florence was great too though also hot and crowded. Cinque Terre was the highlight of my Italian trip (which included Venice, Florence, CT, Rome)! I absolutely loved Hotel Villa Steno in Monterosso and the price was reasonable (my cheapest hotel in all of Italy).

Ok Ive realized that I need to increase my budget. Will also help with hotels in Florence im sure.

If it is your first European trip then I would keep it simple

1 June Depart Vancouver
2 June Arrive London - 4 nights
6 June Eurostar to Paris - 4 nights
10 June Fly to Venice - 2 nights
12 June Train to Florence - 2 nights
14 June Train to Rome - 3 nights
17 June Depart Rome / Arrive Vancouver (Lufthansa via Frankfurt is your quickest journey)

I decided to skip Rome and Venice this trip. My typical travel style is somewhere tropical for a week or two such as Hawaii, Mexico or the Caribbean. This is going out of my comfort zone.... and im very excited. Travelling solo too...

They say "all roads lead to Rome".
Did you consider heading to the south of France after Paris, and finishing up in Barcelona?
Barcelona is a youthful, vibrant, party city with sandy beaches in the very city.

David, no that never crossed my mind. I will look at that. I think I will have to start saving constantly and spread my travel wings annually as this sounds like a good idea too.

mosey,

It's good to know you're from Vancouver, as I'm quite familiar with travel from there. A few more questions....

• Which airline are you using?
• Does your return flight leave from Florence?
• Are you ending your trip in Florence, or going elsewhere?
• Are you planning to see Venice?
• Which part of London are you planning to stay?

For your stay in the Cinque Terre, I would recommend staying in Monterosso, as it provides the best atmosphere for strolling along the beach. It's the largest of the five towns and therefore has the best selection of restaurants, hotels and other tourist amenities. I would also highly recommend Hotel Villa Steno but one important note - BOOK EARLY as it's very popular! If you can't get a room there, try their sister property, Hotel Pasquale.

For your flight from Paris to Pisa, you might consider using an easyJet flight from ORY.

I'd suggest allocating extra days to Florence, as it makes a good "home base" location for taking day trips to other places in Tuscany such as Siena, Lucca, Pisa, etc.

As it's your first trip to Europe, you may find it really helpful to read Europe Through The Back Door prior to your trip, as it has a lot of good information about how to travel well in Europe. You should be able to find a copy at the Library. After that use the country or city-specific RS guidebooks to plan hotels, sightseeing, transportation, etc.

Especially for travel in Italy, there are some potentially expensive "caveats" to be aware of when using trains and other public transit. It will be easier to provide more details on that once you have a route mapped out.

I'd suggest leaving Spain for another trip, when you have more time to explore. If you want to explore another area, you could skip the flight from Paris, and instead travel by train to Switzerland and then Italy. It's "on the way" so easy to do. One point about Switzerland - the Berner Oberland especially is very scenic with cows grazing in alpine meadows with bells on their necks, quaint buildings and incredible mountain views. It's expensive though.

Hi Ken

Nothing is booked yet. Been reading RS books on Italy mainly. I want to book very soon, at least the main flights and CT.

I emailed Villa Steno tonight and got an automated reply saying they were closed for repairs... Yes it looks fabulous I hope it works out.

Which airline are you using? No idea, I will get help from a travel agent that has helped me before. Shes young and has lived in London for a few years. Would like to have a direct flight there. Online they look to be anywhere from $900-1300

Does your return flight leave from Florence? again not decided but yes I plan on return flight from there, possibly a hop back to London and then direct return. Whatever the smoothest open jaw is within reasonable price.

Are you ending your trip in Florence, or going elsewhere? Last stop is Florence and honestly I'm not planning any day trips out of Florence. If I have the energy while there I can do something spontaneous if available.

Are you planning to see Venice? Not this time

Which part of London are you planning to stay? going to take advice here. I plan on budget here and spending more in Italy.
these budget hotels(inc air) are listed on Jubilee Travels website. I figure I would start looking at these just as ideas
Dec 21,28: $1429 + $607 tax (Ibis London Earls Court; 3-star)
Dec 21: $1529 + $607 tax (H10 Waterloo; 4-star)
Jan 11-Feb 22: $1149 + $607 tax (Ibis London Earls Court; 3-star)
Jan 11-Feb 22: $1249 + $607 tax (H10 Waterloo; 4-star)
Jan 11-Feb 22: $1469 + $607tax (Citadine Barbican; 3.5-star)

London I plan on a hop on hop off tour, see Kensington palace, Shop Harrods, Pubs for lunch and If possible I would like to see the Phantom.

Paris, I want to eat cheese, drink wine, cafe's, walk around the Eiffel Tower and people watch. Picnic and also take a hop on hop off bus tour. Would like to be within 35 min walk of the tower if possible.

I thought taking a plane to Pisa and having a quick look around then catch the train to CT would be good. Train it to Florence.

If you talking about a 15-16 day time period then maybe consider this as two potential trips ...
London or Paris
then
Italy or Spain

Debbie,

Thanks for all the additional information. A few thoughts on your last post.....

• Booking hotels in the C.T. - many of the businesses in all of the towns close for the season in November and re-open in about March. That's when the business owners have a rest and also do any needed renovations or repairs, which explains the automated message you got. Therefore you may not get a quick reply from any of them at this time of year. I normally start sending out notes starting in about late January and just try to be patient with replies.
• Booking flights - you can ask the travel agent, but I'd probably wait until early in the new year to start on that as prices may be better.
• Airlines - Air Canada has the best choice of flights, both into LHR as well as back from different airports in Europe using their Star Alliance partners. I travelled that route in September and it was a very pleasant flight, about 9 hours from YVR (although I should mention that I paid for Premium Economy this time, and that made things considerably more comfortable). Air Transat flies into LGW but they're not as convenient for timing as they only operate some flights once a week. They also offer a Premium Economy (although they may call it something different). A new option that may save you some money is WestJet, as they will be inaugurating flights into LGW next spring using their new 767-300 aircraft. They'll be trying to promote the new service so should have some good deals.
• Flight from Florence - I haven't checked but the best bet from Florence is probably a Lufthansa connection to Frankfurt, and then direct back to Vancouver.
• Area of London - I always prefer to stay in the Victoria Station / Belgravia area as it's a nice area and very convenient for transportation.
• Hotels in London - Have a look at the RS London guidebook as there are good suggestions there for hotels in various parts of London in various price ranges. Be aware that London is expensive, especially with the £ / $ exchange rate at about 2.02 (I was back there in September and it was an expensive stay, but very enjoyable of course).
• Paris - One of the most popular areas with RS readers is the Rue Cler area in the 7th district. It's close not only to the Eiffel Tower but also some other major sights, and good Metro access via the Ecole Militaire station. Some feel it's too "touristy" but I don't mind that as it's a nice area. You can see a glimpse of it on THIS VIDEO.
• Pisa - Your plan for Pisa will work but keep in mind that you'll likely want to store your luggage if you're going to see the tower. There is a luggage storage (Deposito Bagagli) at Pisa Centrale, but leave some time as there may be a queue. As I recall, reservations are required to climb the tower but I'd have to check the guidebook to confirm that.

In order to plan the fine details for sightseeing, etc., I'd recommend having a look at the RS guidebooks for the places you'll be visiting. The books have an enormous amount of information which will help to avoid any problems. Most of the books are available as E-books in a variety of formats, if that would be more convenient.

I travel solo almost all the time. You can find B&Bs in your budget range but orobably not in Cinque Terre at that time of year. Check booking.com and filter by price and distance from center to get an idea of what's out there. If you can commit to a non-refundable fare (I never do), you can save a few euro. Also check for specific amenities/facilities like private bath, wifi, breakfast included.

If you want to enjoy cheese in Paris, you might enjoy visiting The Fromagerie in the Marylebone area of London which has some of the best cheeses in the world, including many English and French ones. Everything is kept on straw and the display is -wow-.

Then you will be more prepared for the French experience, and maybe a bit full of cheese already.

Website:=
http://www.lafromagerie.co.uk/marylebonew1/

Have a look at this page from their website which shows some of the cheeses in their current cheeseroom:

http://www.lafromagerie.co.uk/cheeses/

Click on any cheese photo for much more detail.

Update: I heard back from Matteo at Hotel Villa Steno in Monterosso. He was already booked for my dates but offered to look for other dates. I decided to fly to Florence first and then end my vacation in CT... he had room for me :) Send my booking info just waiting to hear back.

Thanks all. Thats my first reservation for this vacation. Phew

Good luck, Debbie and thanks for reaching out to the Forum for advice. Isn't it amazing how we can improve our lives using the Internet? Twenty years ago, no one would have believed that the internet would be such an integral part of our lives.

Debbie,

The fact that you'll be able to get a room at Villa Steno is wonderful news! Matteo & Carla are wonderful people, and I think you'll really enjoy your stay there. If you need directions on how to reach the hotel from the station, restaurants or whatever, post another note.

Debbie, I'm glad that you still decided on CT after some people called it over-rated. I have traveled many places around the world and been to every major city in Italy, and CT is one of my top destinations. Beautiful hiking, clear water, vibrant villages. Ahh! I want to return! I went solo and made a great friend who was staying at my "hostel" so that probably is another reason I loved CT so much. Make sure you take the ferry to the different villages. Enjoy!!!

You'll need to figure out how and when to get to your departing airport from the CT. Assume that there will be some impediment from getting you there on time (as in a train strike which eliminates most but not all of the trains running).