One Day In La Spezia...Options?????

We did a cruise and stopped at Livorno which is about an hours drive south from La Spezia. We went to Cinque Terre and enjoyed it. You are a lot closer and will travel less and have more time to enjoy the towns of CT. I believe you could easily take a train in less than 20 minutes (our bus took more than 1.5 hours each way) and be in the CT towns if you want to do CT on your own. If you choose to do a private tour, in my experience, they know what they are doing and will get you back in time. They get paid cash at the end of the tour and believe me they are just as eager to get you back to the ship on time. We used and would recommend Joe Bananas for CT and in Naples. JB has steller reviews on tripadvisor.

You are so close to CT that I would recommend it over the other choices. This way you max your feet on the land time and minimize your butt in the bus time. Even though you will have a lot of time in CT, you may still want to resist the urge to see all 5 towns. Each train ride is only about 5 minutes, but it still takes time to line up and wait at each train station and those trains get packed to the rafters with standing passengers. A ferry ride would be nice but only in the best weather. Do a little reading and pick and choose. We liked Vernazza and although we did not have the time, the big one on at the northern end is supposed to be very interesting.

Thank-you SO VERY MUCH!!
Was there a restaurant in one of the towns you would recommend for lunch??

We were just in CT on our own, there were hundreds of cruise ship tourists. The boats coming into Vernazza were so full of people it was almost scary looking. And the trains that run through all the towns are packed all day too. When we were there six years ago the cruise ships were not making LaSpazia such a big spot so we were not prepared for all these cruise ship tourists. I personally would opt for the trains, I just can't imagine being on one of those boats with that many people. I think the CT is beautiful, but I would look into Portofino and Santa Margarita and just see what is there and how the crowds are in that area.

Lots of restaurants to eat. We ate in a place near the water in Venazza. It was pizza and pasta and not notable enough to even remember or for you to look for it specifically. Lot of very similar places in all the towns. We just found one with an open table and as long as the prices looked reasonable, we ate. One food item which was unique in the area is that you can buy deep fried seafood served in a paper cone to go. Once again, they serve this item in a lot of places, about €8.

lewalters,

A few thoughts on the options you mentioned.....

1. Portofino & Santa Margherita - both are scenic towns but they're not exactly close to La Spezia so the travel time there and back will be longer. In addition there's not really a lot to see in Portofino except for the pretty harbour and some posh shops which most people can't afford anyway.
2. Florence & Pisa - Pisa is not worth the effort for such a short stop (IMO) and it will detract from Florence which is a more worthwhile destination.
3. Florence all day - if you're interested in Renaissance art and prefer large cities, Florence has a lot to offer including the Uffizi and Accademia. However, again it's some distance from La Spezia so you'll be spending more time sitting on a bus. Florence is the capital of Tuscany and a very scenic location on the Arno River.
4. Cinque Terre - Of all the destinations you listed, this will be the easiest of all the options as it's so close. You can easily tour the five towns on your own, and tailor the time frame to what you feel comfortable with. All you'll need to do is take a Taxi or whatever from the dock to La Spezia Centrale, where you'll connect with the local trains (I don't cruise so don't know what the best method is). The rail trips between towns are all short. For example, from La Spezia to Riomaggiore (the closest of the five) is only about 8-10 minutes.

If you choose Option 4, I'd recommend doing some research and pre-planning so you get the most out of your time there. As someone else mentioned, the local trains may be hot and crowded at that time of year (often the case when cruise ships are docked in the area). As the trips are short, that's usually tolerable. The towns can also be somewhat crowded on cruise ship days (especially Vernazza), although Monterosso (north end) is larger so seems to tolerate the crowds better. You could perhaps take the train directly to Monterosso and return to Riomaggiore on the boat, stopping at each of the towns (except Corniglia) for a short walkabout. At the end of your visit, take the short train ride from Riomaggiore to La Spezia Centrale, and then return to the ship. I can suggest restaurants in Monterosso, but don't have much information on the other towns.

For any of the options, it's also a good idea to wear a Money Belt under clothing (don't access where others can see), as where ever there are crowds of tourists, the pickpockets will be circling like vultures.

Ken gave you good advice. Stick to the Cinque Terre, which is very close.
Florence is too far.
Portofino is just an expensive yacht harbor for the rich and famous.
Another alternative could be Lucca, near Pisa.

Even though it will be hot and crowded I would also go to CT... it's just an interesting place to see, and one can imagine what it was like years ago. That is what lots of travel is about anyway... imagining the past. If you walk just a few street up from the sea you will find fewer people and can get a nice overview of the town. I did the boat on one trip, but I actually prefer the approach from the train... maybe because that is how I first saw the towns. Either way, I think it is one of those places you will be happy to have spent a few hours.

I think CT is a no brainer...although I get queasy thinking about the hundreds of tourists stomping all over tiny Vernazza...we were there in March and it was great to be one of only a few tourists

I can't thank-you all enough for your help. For real. We tend to gravitate towards out of the way, less touristy areas, even when in a large city. We also prefer to eat where the locals go. CT sounds like the perfect day for us. I believe the train station is within walking distance of the dock (or a short taxi ride). A train, a boat, narrow streets, coastal views and cafe's - sounds like a perfect day, the kind we can enjoy even if the weather isn't perfect.
Starting at the last town and working our way back towards the ship sounds like a good idea.
Since I'm bound by time constraints, I'll do my research to figure out which town to skip in case that decision comes up.
I'm not sure, though, whether, to go on our own or use a guide. My husband loves history, so he would like to know about each town, because that's the most important part of traveling for him. For me, it's talking to the locals and eating what they love and what's special to that particular area. More research. I guess.....
I'm going back through what you all said and take notes.
Thanks for taking the time to help us!!!!!