Cinque Terre tour

These are not cities, just small villages, and the roads are not really accessible for that type of thing. Perhaps the local tourist office could advice on something for you.

When my husband and I were there, we definitely never saw a bus tour due to the size of each of the villages. That's not to say that there isn't such a thing. You mentioned the trains and ferries, but don't forget there is also a beautiful hike you can do as well :) You might consider if there is a private guide available that could offer the type of informative tour you are seeking.

Thank you both!

There are no buses connecting all 5 towns. Just the train all year round and a ferry from may to September which is weather dependent.
The villages are basically just one main Street extending from the sea to the station except for Monterosso which is the biggest of all towns.
We did the blue trail from Corniglia to Monterosso in May, the rest of the coastal route is closed since a long time, but I believe part of even that route is closed since early September. The views from the trails are amazing.
There are group tours for the villages but it's not my idea of fun being herded around the beautiful towns. The villages are perfect for relaxing on the breakwater and having a warm foccacia or a pesto pasta early or late in the day when the day tripping hordes have left.

Have a great trip!

Ditto to all of the above.

The villages are small-to-very-small, and trains and/or ferries (in season) between them very easy so going it on your own is highly recommended. The villages are also almost completely pedestrianized so you'd be seeing them on foot anyway. We did some boning up on them in advance plus bought a small book at shop in our base town (Monterosso) for more information.

I don't know how long you'll be staying in the region but the Cinque Terre MS Treno Card is good for unlimited use of the trails, local trains and park buses (which you'll probably want for accessing Corniglia from its station) for 1, 2 or 3 days. It may be a worthwhile buy if planning to use the trains a lot. Figure single tickets for the trains run € 4 apiece.

http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Ecinque-terre-card.php

Do make special note of the this text:
"From 1st April 2017, visitors staying one or more days at accommodation facilities in the municipalities of Riomaggiore, Vernazza or Monterosso (Manarola is within the municipality of Riomaggiore) have the possibility to buy the Cinque Terre Card at a discounted price, by using a voucher provided by their host."

I'd check with your accommodation in Manarola about obtaining a voucher?

I've visited the Cinque Terre several times. I love using Rick's Italy book and following his walks for each town. Honestly, in towns that small, I think a guide might be more of a hinderance than a help.

Sharon

We did what Sharon said and self-guided with Rick's little walks. Each was a great overview to the towns and if you are not hikers, these are easy enough for most anyone.

I had a wonderful hiking trip in the Cinque Terre region last year. I agree with the other comments, these small villages are connected by train and/or ferry. No room on most of the narrow roads for a big bus. But some travel companies offer trips (not bus tours). I used Road Scholar. Tip: These small villages just have 1-2 ATMs. One of my cards didn't work in the only ATM in Portovenere. Hotel staff was very surprised when I asked if the "grocery store" (tiny shop) gave cash back. :-) It all worked out but I wish I'd brought more Euros with me.