Is Cinque Terre worth it?

I have been there twice and would go back if the timing was right. I am not sure from you post how you are traveling and how far the CT is out of you travel path.

Ann, its a beautiful area to visit!
Our family enjoyed hiking, swimming, and eating. Gelato, seafood, pesto, etc.

The towns are so different when the tourists leave at the end of the day. Loved making friends with the locals in the mornings.
Our family can't wait to go again.
Have a wonderful adventure!

We really loved spending time in the Cinque Terre! I would love to be able to go outside of the summer months...I would imagine there are fewer tourists which would be heavenly!

Ann,
The Cinque Terre are very picturesque & beautiful but so are all the destinations on your list.

It does take longer to get to the CT, so if it doesn't work out for you on this trip, it gives you a great excuse to plan another trip to Italy!

I've been 3 times, all on RS tours, so just 2 nights a visit. The last time, in 2014, was the day there was a cruise ship docked and wow, I was shocked at how much more crowded it was on that day. If you are having to divert between the Dolomites and Berner Oberland or BO and Paris to fit in a visit I would wait until you have a trip where it fits more conveniently in your itinerary.

No place on your itinerary will rival the jaw-dropping scenery of the Berner Oberland. CT - some people love it, some people don't see a need to return after 1 visit (like me).

Ann,

There are always a variety of opinions on that question, and IMHO the Cinque Terre is most definitely "worth it". While that area has suffered from overcrowding at times recently due to cruise ship or other groups, that's typically only a problem for a few hours each day. The evenings are usually quite pleasant.

The logical place to fit the Cinque Terre into your Itinerary would be after the Dolomites. However where to go after that presents a bit of a problem as the Berner Oberland and southern France are somewhat in different directions. However, it is relatively easy to get from the Berner Oberland to Paris. In this case, southern France is the outlier (which is going to be the case even if you don't visit the Cinque Terre).

If you decide to visit the C.T., I'd suggest getting accommodations booked SOON.

I think you're stretching too far to add the Cinque Terre. We've been twice, and it's a nice area, but I think you'll find it's a significant detour from the rest of your itinerary. My guess is that a trip down there would cost you three days of your trip (one to get there from any of your other destinations, one day to look around, then a third to get to your next stop). I'd save that time for the trip from Switzerland to Paris. Save the CT for next time.

Bruce

I have been to Cinque Terre 5 times and never tire of it. True, it does get crowded for a few hours a day, but you can deal with easily by not being in the main tourist areas. Head down the back streets or trails. It is a lot of fun at night when day trippers leave!

Wow, CT really not near any of your other attractions. Advise rethink. And think you'll like the other places enough that you won't miss CT on this trip. BO is fantastic.

For the full context of this question, see Ann's other post:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/help-with-itinerary-bernese-oberlander-dolomites-cinque-terre-france.

I personally love the CT area and have visited twice but everyone has their own opinions. We were there both times during peak season and though the towns were certainly crowded, we didn't mind. Each town is very unique and picturesque and since my husband and I are amateur photographers, we loved taking pictures of each CT town in addition to Portovenere, Camogli and Portofino. The towns are all so colorful and pretty. I have several pictures of the CT on my desk at work and everyone who sees them comments on how interesting and lovely the towns appear. That said, the CT does appear to be out of the way given your itinerary but it would certainly be a contrast in scenery from the other places you plan to visit. Look at pictures of the CT area and see if it peaks your interest.

We have visited Cinque Terre several times, most recently in October 2015, and find it charming but often crowded. A few years ago we took the ferry from Portovenere to Monterosso and found that it was the most beautiful way to see the villages. The different perspective makes so much difference.

The Cinque Terre is definitely worth it, although I am not sure if it fits into your itinerary.

Judging from your destinations, it appears that you are really into hiking. The BO is incredible for day long hikes. When I was there I lucked out with the weather and had 3 sunny days out of four. You may want to increase your time in the BO to 4days to hedge your bets on good hiking days. I cannot comment on the Dolomites. Since you will be Annecy (great town, I wish that I had spent more than 1 night there), you may want to go hiking in the French Alps. Chamonix is close to Annecy and you can do it by train. Great hiking experiences in Chamonix. Back to the CT, the hiking up into the hills is absolutely wonderful. Most people hike between the 5 towns (some of these trails are still not open), but the trails up into the hills are well marked, in good condition, and only lightly used.

In regards the staying in Lyon for the Cote de Rhone's, you may wish to stay in a small town like Vaison la Romaine or Gigondas. These are my favorite wineries and I had a great time tasting wines. We had a private tour of 3 wineries in Chateauneuf du Pape and though pricey, it was a great experience.

Just one other note, if you are looking for active adventures, you may want to check out the Gorge du Verdun in Provence. I cycled up and over, but I know you can kayak there and I believe that there are hiking trails, but not sure. Moustiers is a small town that would make an ideal one night stay.

This is a question that gets debated a great deal on the forum, and there's no clear answer. Read the opinions carefully. Ken is very enthusiastic, but note that he says regarding the overcrowding that it's typically only a problem for a few hours each day. Consider how long you're going to be there, how you will deal with the few hours (4-6 hours in peak sightseeing time, presumably), and whether the journey is worth it (long, slow train rides with connections).

Ann,
Where are you arriving? Venice? Milan?

Where are you starting your journey? Could you change the order so you don't have to travel so far to get back to Paris?

We stayed 3 heavenly nights at La Torretta in Manarola, in the Cinque Terre, and found it to be one of our favorite parts of our trip last year -- so much so that it is heavily influencing this year's trip in terms of how we travel and the types of places we are choosing to stay. I'm usually terrible at slowing down, to my husband's frustration -- but there, hiking, drinking wine, and eating the fruits of the sea were enough. I didn't feel the urge to get to "one more" museum or see "one more" sight, and that magic effect of "la dolce vita" stayed with me long after I got home. We were there in mid-September, and were lucky to have perfect weather.

We stopped in at the trekking shop in Manarola for a sun hat (a must!) and received excellent advice on which trails to hike and what time of day to avoid the crowds. I also have to say that the "limon" made from lemon juice, with ice water and sugar added to taste, together with the lemon sweet (it was like a brownie, only lemon-flavored), sold at the snack shop at the summit of the hike was the most satisfying thing I have ever had to eat and drink. Ever.

Yes. But only in off season IMO. Thats November, December and January. If you leave a little flexibility in your plans you should be able to juggle so that you get a beautiful clear skied winter day: winter here means av temp of 59F in November, 52F December which should be just fine for hiking.

Where is your trip coming from to make the detour to the CT and where are going for the first stop in Southern France?