considering staying in SM we will not have a car. Have heard that SM is beautiful. Is it less crowded than CT. Plan on taking train to CT then hiking btw the 5
grazie Steph
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Santa Margherita is probably even more crowded, if that's possible. I dislike the CT, but it would get the nod over SM in a heartbeat.
Posted by
Costa Mesa
348 posts
We did what you are considering in 1997 and thought it was great. It is possible Sm is more crowded now but I cant imagine it being over run. Also may depend on the time of year
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
565 posts
I love SM so much more than CT. It's a real city. There are tourists there too but it's not mobbed. The train is a few stops away and it beats trying to get into the CT from any other direction. You can also take ferries to several other interesting areas along the Riviera. I spent a week in Rapallo next door (free suite at a very nice hotel) and just trained it everywhere. SM was by far my favorite and I spent more time there sitting in cafes along the coastline than I did in CT avoiding the huge swarms of tourists, even in March. All that said, do go see CT at least once in your life.
Posted by
Vestavia Hills, AL, 35216
109 posts
To answer your question, yes, it is easy to get from Santa Margherita Ligure to the Cinque Terre. Trains run just about every hour, which is about how long the trip will take. Fare from Manarola to SML is 4.90 Euro.
Posted by
San Jose
84 posts
My husband and I have stayed in SM many times, most recently in October, and we always visit CT. It is an easy train ride and we also go the other direction to Camogli and Nervi. In SM we stay at the Hotel Tigullio, which is a 5-minute walk to the train station. SM is a 15-minute bus ride to Portofino, so it is a versatile place to stay and we have never found it to be crowded.