We're traveling with our 2 children 10 & 8 and using a rental car for the majority of our travels. We're thinking it would be better to park our car at a train station and train in to Rome. Qu: Are their park/ride stations, and which station would you recommend. We're also going to head to Florence for a day and Cinque Terra. Qu: Should we train in to Cinque Terra or Drive. Thank you!
Posted by
OP
El Dorado
3 posts
Thank you for responding!! If we're not flying in (because we'll be driving from Germany), but want to hit Rome, Florence and Cinque Terra (in that order)...do you recommend another potential train station? Or...should we drive so far in and train the remainder of the short distance...realizing we have our 2 kids 8 & 10. Hope I am making sense!
Posted by
USA
344 posts
Rome has some big lots, but as I was told today; Rome has 3,000,000 cars and only 300,000 parking spots on the street. We will be parking in Trestevi (spelling) train lot.
Posted by
Jericho, Vermont, USA
143 posts
If you are going to be in Italy a while and staying in country places not reachable by train I think a car is worth it. But, the trains are comfortable, inexpensive, and usually run on time. Personally I would not dare drive a car near Rome! We've just returned from 4 weeks in Italy and I drove for almost 3 of those weeks, being in country areas. When we went to the Cinque Terre, we took a train because parking lots there (especially in summer) often get filled up, and we felt it would be too difficult to find parking in La Spezia (too large a city). We were very happy we went on the train (with 2 changes from where we were.) Good luck! J Blake
Posted by
OP
El Dorado
3 posts
Thanks so much everyone, we cannot wait to go!
Posted by
Perth, WA, Australia
4 posts
Marion - we travelled in Mid-May 2006 to CT with our 2 children (aged 8 and 5) for a day trip by car. We parked our car in Portovenere for the day and then caught a ferry from Portovenere Port. Viewed from the ocean the CT are breathtaking!
Parking was not a major drama in Portovenere and not overly expensive - although we weren't there in 'peak' season, so it may be harder if you are there in June/July.
The kids loved the ferry and you can jump on/off all day on one ticket spending time in each town exploring.
We actually walked the 1km between Manarola and Portovenere - the shortest and easiest path between towns - on a walkway called 'Via Dell'Amore' (lovers lane). An easy walk with our 2 kids - and an experience they still talk about!
Enjoy your trip.