Cinque Terre from Milan

mbritt, is your trip THIS July (next month)?
If so, you need to try and find accommodations very quickly, and take whatever may still be available. Summer is high season in the CT, and accommodations sell out well in advance. Ordinarily I'd recommend staying in any of the 5 CT villages (Corniglia is the most challenging to reach as it involves a bus unless you're up for a long, steep walk) but you may very well end up in La Spezia or other town outside of the park.

The Cinque Terre Villages are, from north to south, Monterosso (our choice), Vernazza, Cornigila, Manarola and Riomaggiore, and they are only a few minutes apart. La Spezia is the next train stop south of Riomaggiore, and you could try Levanto, which is one stop north of Monterosso. ALL of the villages will be very, very busy in July so it doesn't really make a difference which one you choose.

Best way to get there is by train: explore the Trenitalia (Italy's national rail) website.

http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en

Are you coming from the city of Milan or Milan Malpensa airport? Or Linate airport?

mb,

I agree with the previous reply. If you're travelling this July, you'll need to get cracking and get accommodations booked (it may already be too late). I'd suggest trying Monterosso first as it's the largest of the five towns and therefore has the greatest number of hotels and other lodgings. Check the guidebook for other listings.

The best way to travel from Milan is to take a train to the town you'll be staying in. You don't have to go through La Spezia, since you'll be coming from the north. There are direct (no changes) trains to Monterosso several times a day, so that's the method I'd choose.

It's difficult to recommend plade to stay or eat without know which town you're staying int. I'm afraid that in July you won't be able to avoid "super touristy" in the Cinque Terre.

Monterosso was already super-touristy in May this year.

...but to answer your question, assuming you are flying into Malpensa (MXP) airport, you take the Malpensa Express from the airport to Milano Centrale, then at Milano Centrale you buy a ticket to one of the 5 villages. You can find info on time of the trains from Centrale to the Cinque Terre at trenitalia.com. Do not buy your train tickets in advance. Wait till you get there.

The Malpensa Express leaves about every half-hour. Make certain you get on the train to Centrale and not Cadorna.

Cinque Terre is pretty touristy in the Summer. You can't really avoid it. The best way is to get out of the villages during the day and up into the hills on the high trails. The lower trail, #2, is one long conga line of tourists.

It might be a good idea to know what your definition of "touristy" is?

If that simply means a place which draws lots and lots of people, then yes, the CT will be "touristy" to you.

I more often apply to word to places which are artificial, cheesy, sleazy, cluttered with junky souvenir shops and/or have become cheap caricatures of a former life or purpose. It can also mean a thing which so visually identifies a country/city that too many people go just to take the snap or selfie to show the folks back home and ignore the history/story behind it, or offer poor price value compared to an alternative. My "touristy" is Las Vegas, Disney World, Fisherman's Wharf, Spanish Steps, Madam Tussaud's, Grand Canyon West, etc.

For example, the Pantheon in Rome is mobbed during High Season but that doesn't make it "touristy" unless defined simply by size of crowd. It's a very rare and valuable piece of architecture with a long history. Grand Canyon West is touristy to me because it involves an expensive 1-day ticket and a lot of nickel-diming whereas the National Park, a couple hours away, is a bargain at $30 a carload for 7 days, more dramatic scenery, lots of free activities and amenities, and more freedom to enjoy them. You can't even bring your own picnic to GCW, or take your own photos on the Skywalk that involves an $80+ PP package just to walk on the thing.

The centers of the 5 small CT villages will be overrun during high and even shoulder seasons, and during peak visiting hours. Taking lesser-used trails, being willing/able to make some steep climbs to upper reaches of the towns, and doing some exploring early in the morning are good ways to get around the masses. It also tends to quiet down at night when the day-trippers leave: a good reason to stay within the park. Hordes aside, you can't argue with the gorgeous scenery on a sunny day, and train tickets to get around are reasonably priced as an alternative to your feet - although they will be packed.

Just things to consider when deciding if this is an experience you will enjoy or not. Make sense?