Cinque Terre

Best visited by train. Parking is very limited, depending on when you go.

Ditto Kent's post: much easier to do by train.

It is only a 2 hour drive from my base. Not staying overnight. Just want to visit the area.

IF you're going to drive in, there's some parking by the beach in Monterossa. I've done that off-season (March) and it wasn't difficult. Drove into Vernazza, once, and it was absolutely hair-raising. Got pushed into a rock wall by a panel truck, who would have probably run me off the mountain if I'd been on the other side of the road. The train is definitely easier, but you do have to watch your time, and possibly leave earlier than you'd like, to make all the connections on the return trip.

What month are you going and where's your "base"?

Jim,

You can use your car to "get there", but as the others have mentioned a car is not the best choice for visiting the Cinque Terre. Monterosso has the best parking, so I'd suggest leaving the car there and getting about the area via the local trains. There's a large car park right on the beach in the "new town" and I believe a newer car park above the "old town". Note that you won't be able to drive between the two parts of town.

Kent, base is 7 km outside Figlini Valdarno .in Poggio alla Croce ...mid September

Ken, drive to a parking lot and take a train? where is the station?

Jim
If you can drive from Poggio alla Croce to Monterosso in 2 hous, the Ferrari Formula 1 racing team probably has a job for you. And the ticket from the Polizia Stradale will be on the mail as well.
Nevertheless the car is probably still a bit faster than the 3 or 4 trains from Figline.
If you go by car it's actually faster to drive to Levanto and park at the station rather than going to Monterosso. La Spezia is also an option that is closer coming from Tuscany and there is a parking structure at the station. However La Spezia is a hit or miss with traffic from the parkway coming from the freeway and the city center, it's probably a wash between Levanto or Spezia.

well Roberto, great info thank you. using Google maps . Poggio alla Croce to Cinque Terre is 2 hrs. with a Peugeot 308 not a Ferrari
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Poggio+Alla+Croce+Metropolitan+City+of+Florence,+Italy/Cinque+Terre,+Localit%C3%A0+Foce,+Deiva+Marina,+Province+of+La+Spezia,+Italy/@44.3703583,10.706114,8.54z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x132bb25a2868829b:0xdb7b4c61bae6ec42!2m2!1d11.3945305!2d43.6516514!1m5!1m1!1s0x12d4eb49a842ce41:0x66210fb348d65e63!2m2!1d9.5467691!2d44.2384471!3e0

You are not going to make it from Poggio Alla Croce to Monterosso in 2 hours, Trust me. I don't care what Google says.
Maybe to La Spezia, but not to Monterosso. It takes at least half hour just from the freeway exit to Monterosso. Actually, now that I think about it, you are better off if you drive to La Spezia or even Riomaggiore (there is a parking structure there). Coming from Florence or Forte dei Marmi I nearly always drove, but generally to Riomaggiore except for once or twice I drove to Monterosso, which I regretted because it took much longer. If I were you I'd go to Riomaggiore o Spezia. Riomaggiore is very near and not much further from Spezia, so I'm not sure you'd save any time by parking in Spezia and taking the train from there. Try to see what google tells you from Poggio alla Croce to Riomaggiore or Monterosso and see how much time you save. Although Levanto might be faster than everywhere else but la Spezia.

Jim,

The car park in the "new town" is within easy walking distance of the station, probably about five minutes at a brisk walk (the rail station is in the new town). Even if you were to park in the "old town", it's still not a long walk.

I dunno, I looked at train times from Figlini Valdarno to La Spezia ...5 hours. No way will I do that when I have a car that can get there in 2 hours.

But as some of the folks above are saying, you won't make it in two hours.

2-3 hours , doesn't matter. I'm not on a time clock

Jim. Assuming no traffic, you can drive to La Spezia to the parking structure next to the station in 2 hours. From there there are plenty of trains to whichever village. That is your fastest option I think.

If you'd rather go on the farther side (Monterosso) from where you are coming, I would go to Levanto. You'll save almost half hour over going to Monterosso.

yes Roberto I think to La Spezia is the way to go. From there a train. Thank you sir.

since I am making this a day trip ...which of the five towns do you think are the most "picturesque" and have the most cafe choices? I know this a subjective question ... anyway

Jim,

Yes, that is a subjective question. Monterosso definitely has the most cafe choices as it's the largest town. Cantina di Miky is a big favourite with many here (including me). It's on the main street a few doors down from the train station. They have an outside patio overlooking the ocean which is a perfect place to enjoy a fine meal (a bit crowded but still nice). There are lots of good choices in the "old town" a well.

Picturesque----hard to say. Vernazza is my favorite, as you start the hike to Monterosso, you will see the famous view in millions of pictures, as you reach the top of the trail, looking down onto the town. Monterosso, to me, has gotten too "tacky touristy", but it has the nicest beach. Riomaggiore and Manarola are smaller, quainter, and very colorful towns, and also have nice views overlooking the water. Corniglia, I know the least, and it is more inland.

Agree with Ken, if criteria is 'most cafe choices' then Monterosso is hard to beat. While spending a week in CT recently, we had wonderful dinners at L'Osteria and Belvedere, and a great lunch at Cantina di Miky. Some of the best food in that town we found at a little cafeteria-style place called Gastronomia San Martino. Only three (always occupied) tables outside, we developed a 'habit' of stopping there after morning hikes or boats to the other towns and taking a late lunch back to our room. The husband and wife who run the place are fantastic, and always remembered what we liked/ordered before. Some great little wine bars in Monterosso also, Enoteca da Eliseo will make you happy! Two places in Vernazza which we thoroughly enjoyed are Il Pirata (great canoli !!) and Belforte (reserve ahead, request seaview seating on the terrace). We found Vernazza to be more 'picturesque' than Monterosso but somewhat limited as to restaurants and things to do.