Would anyone have any suggestions for hotel near train station (preferably walking distance), could be between Florence and cinque terre. We are travelling by car from San Piancastagnaio(late september) to visit cinque Terre for 2 days (leaving the car at the hotel).After will be going to florence, to drop of the car. We are a group of 4.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15164 posts
My suggestion would be to find a hotel in Levanto, which is easy to reach by car from the A12 freeway. Levanto is the first town after the Cinque Terre in the direction of Genoa. From Levanto the CT are only a handful of minutes away by train. I wouldn't stay on the opposite side (i.e. Before La Spezia) because that would imply having to change train in La Spezia. Also the train between Viareggio and La Spezia travels somewhat inland, not along the coastal beach towns of the Versilia area of Tuscany. Viareggio would be nice, but why stay so far if your intended destination is the Cinque Terre?
Posted by
Portland, Oregon, United States
906 posts
Check hotels in Lucca or Montecatini Terme.
Posted by
OP
Terrebonne, PQ, canada
5 posts
Thank you Roberto and Gordon. I will start searching in the towns you have suggested. i am a new user on this site and i am not computer savvy... And french is my first language!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15164 posts
Lucca and Montecatini, although pretty localities, would be too far for daily commutes to the Cinque Terre for two days. Lucca isn't even very car friendly.
I understand that the Cinque Terre are not car friendly and you have a car, however there is no reason to stay so far from it. First of all the town of Monterosso, in particular the new part of town called lungomare Fegina, is car friendly enough. In any case Levanto is very car friendly with plenty of parking opportunities.
Another option would be to return the car at La Spezia two days earlier, stay at the Cinque Terre (just minutes from La Spezia via train), then go to your next destination (Florence) by train. That way you would save 2 days of car rental, since you won't need a car at the Cinque Terre. There is no extra charge for dropping off the car at a different location, as long as it's within the same country where you picked it up (Italy).
Posted by
Ann Arbor, Mi
3696 posts
I have driven and parked in Monterosso and if you have a hotel there that could work. I have also left my car in LaSpezia as suggested. Depending on car rental rates vs. train back to Florence you can decide which is cheaper/easier.