Please help me with some suggestions. My husband and I were going to take a driving trip through England, but after seeing the Rick Steves Italy special, he would like to see Cinque Terre. It will be the first week in March. Will anything be open and should we stay in one of the towns or LaSpezia? We are constrained by events in the US in mid-Feb and mid-April that are obligatory. Any thoughts would be deeply appreciated!
Posted by
Atlanta
972 posts
It's been about 8 years since I was there in March, and then only as a day trip from Lucca, but it was very pleasant then. We were able to park in the lot by the beach in Monterosso. (I wouldn't advise driving in any busier season!) Not everything was open for the season, but it was waking up, and there were almost no tourists! I don't remember if the ferry was running but we got to Vernazza some way, possibly on the train. I think I would attempt another longer trip in March again. Would not stay in LaSpezia; it's just another city. That early in the season I think Monterosso might be the liveliest of the five villages.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32214 posts
taylor,
The Cinque Terre doesn't "officially" open for the season until April 1st, however there will probably be a few businesses open. Travel at that time of year will probably be "quieter" with few of the hordes from cruise ships. One "wild card" though is the weather, as it could be "cool and rainy" at that time of year.
If you want to see the Cinque Terre, it would be best to stay in one of the five towns. Everyone here has a favourite, and I prefer Monterosso. It's the largest of the five towns, and therefore has the greatest number of hotels, restaurants and other tourist amenities (and also the nicest beach). If I were in the same situation, I'd probably try and contact a few hotels now and find out if they'll be open at that time of year. Many hotels shut down for the winter, so it's difficult to get a reply.
If you can't find anything in the C.T. towns, you could also try Levanto, which is only about four minutes by train from Monterosso (I've timed it). It's a slightly larger town, so has lots of hotels and other facilities, and also a large beach. You might check the RS Italy guidebook, as it has good listings for accommodations in all the towns.
I doubt that the Ferries will be operating in March, but the frequent local trains are a good way to get between the towns.
If you're going to be driving, note that each driver will require the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. These are easily available at any AAA / CAA office for a small fee, and are valid for one year. You'll also have to be vigilant to avoid the dreaded ZTL (limited traffic) areas, as hefty fines for each pass through one! There's parking in Monterosso in both the new town and old town, and some hotels provide some parking for guests on a "first come, first served" basis. Parking in the other towns is not as good.