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Cinque Terre and Rome after a cruise

We will be arriving at Civitavecchia in Rome on June 1, 2016. We would like to stay three nights in Cinque Terre and three nights in Rome. There are three couples traveling together, active seniors. We will be staying in Monterosso in CT and near Piazza Navona in Rome. One couple will be going to Paris after this to stay two nights at Disney there.

  1. I'm thinking the best way to do this would be to take the train to CT first and then do Rome afterwards since I'm assuming it would be easier to get to Paris from Rome than CT. Is that correct?

  2. Once we disembark at the port, can anyone suggest the best way to get to CT if we go there first? Is the port far from the train?
    Any way to check on the cost?

  3. If we decide to stay in Rome first, what is the best way to get to Piazza Navona from the dock? Cab?

  4. I'm assuming we would need to take a cab from the train station to Piazza Navona if we arrive in Rome after Cinque Terre, correct?

  5. If we do Rome second, it will be the weekend when we are there. Are any of the main sights closed on weekends such as the Colosseum, St. Peter's, Pantheon, etc? I'm thinking St. Peter's might be because of masses on Sundays.

  6. Cabs in Rome will probably not accommodate six people with luggage. If we call ahead, do they have mini vans available? I'm wondering what larger families do.

Thanks in advance for any tips/suggestions you may have!

Barbara

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16893 posts

To compare flight options to Paris, see www.skyscanner.com. Budget airlines flying from Pisa airport (near the Cinque Terre) include Easy Jet or Transavia to Paris Orly airport. Don't choose Ryan Air to Beauvais airport, which is a long way from Paris.

At the port, free shuttle buses take you from the cruise dock to the gate of the port area. From the gate to the train station is about a 10-minute walk or overpriced (€15) taxi ride. See http://www.civitavecchiaport.org/get-the-port-from-civitavecchia-train-station/ as well as p. 494 in Rick's Med Cruise Ports book or p. 996 in Italy book. Taxis and private shuttles into Rome can cost €110-150 one way, but would bring you and your bags right to your hotel. (Yes if you all arrive by train into Rome from either direction, you probably will choose a cab to the hotel, for several people with luggage.)

From Civitavecchia train station, you can take trains either to Rome (€5-12 per person, depending on ticket type) or to Monterosso (generally with just one connection at La Spezia). How to Look Up Train Schedules and Routes Online gives you the DB train schedule link and tips for using it.

Anyone can attend mass at St. Peter's Basilica, but you can't walk around during the mass. The Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel are closed on most Sundays (but free and crowded on the last Sunday of each month). Most other sites are open both Saturday and Sunday, except for the Synagogue and Jewish Museum are closed Saturdays.

Posted by
15152 posts
  1. Yes, that would be my suggestion. There is no airport at the CT therefore to go to Paris it would be necessary to travel to an airport (Pisa is the closest). Also if the other couples are returning to North America after this trip, it will be easier to fly from Rome than anywhere else in Italy.
  2. Walk to station (~ 1 km from port entrance) take train to Cinque Terre. For schedules and prices check here: www.trenitalia.com. Use from CIVITAVECCHIA to MONTEROSSO. Select a sample date in the next 7 days as regional trains are loaded weekly.
  3. Cab is expensive, however if many of you then the cost is shared therefore not as bad. The train is another option. There are at least 2 trains per hour from CV to Rome.
  4. Yes, also because I assume you have luggage, therefore the city buses are not a great idea as they get crowded.
  5. Only the Vatican Museum (and the Sistine Chapel inside of it) will be closed on Sunday. But you can do that on Saturday. Everything else is pretty much open.
  6. You can take 2 taxis. It's not that expensive from the station to Piazza Navona. Or there are also taxi vans. Just ask at the taxi stand in front of the station.