We’ll be arriving by car around noon Saturday 4/29/23 for a 4 day stay in Vernazza. Our Vernazza host offered to make us a parking reservation above Vernazza at Parking Vernassoa, but the road in sounds a little sketchy. I would rather park near a train station at one of the above three mentioned towns, but concerned if we’ll be able to find a parking spot. Anyone have some insight on this? Thanks!!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16133 posts
The parking at Vernazza is small (see below), but if your host can secure a spot, I would take it.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KoqHyTanCwhwu2QN9?g_st=ic
The road to Vernazza is not sketchy, it is just narrow. You can see what it looks like using Google Maps street views. The road to Monterosso is also narrow (you can use Google Maps and see it too).
In Monterosso there are two decent size parking lots. One open air parking lot at the Fegina beach, and one multistory parking structure above the old part of town. The one at the beach is closer to the station.
In La Spezia there is a multi story parking structure.
Where will you be coming from?
Posted by
OP
14 posts
Thank you Roberto! We will be driving from Milpanese Airport, so I believe parking at the Levanto train station would be our most practical parking option. In your experience, are we likely to find parking there, considering that we arrive on a Saturday (4/29) around noon?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16133 posts
The airport you mentioned does not exist in Italy. Do you mean Milan Malpensa airport? If you come directly from Malpensa airport, you might want to consider going to Vernazza by train, since a car is not needed at the Cinque Terre. If you need a car later you can rent one at La Spezia, near the Cinque Terre. Train schedules here:
www.trenitalia.com
Enter from MALPENSA AEROPORTO to VERNAZZA.
All options require a couple of train changes.
On the parking matter.
I noticed that Vernazza has two more parking lots up the hill from the old town. You can see them on Google Maps satellite view. However unless they have a shuttle down the hill to the village, it’s a bit of a walk. If you decide on Vernazza the drive from Levanto to Cernazza is about 45 min on a narrow curvy highway. If the landlord got you a spot in one of the two parking lots a bit farther from town, I would drop off the luggage and passengers at the entrance of town (the parking lot I showed you) then drive back up to the farther lot.
If you decide to park at Levanto train station, the parking lot is not large. In summer it fills up quickly, but I don’t know on April 29. Just be aware that April 25 is a national holiday and May 1 is Labor Day through out Surope, therefore it is likely a busy holiday week. Below is the Google Image of the Levanto train station.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/JjWKrTGosDbbUPfK8?g_st=ic
As I mentioned Monterosso has two parking lots. The one at the Fegina beach is pretty large (about 300 stalls) and is a short walk to the train station. You shouldn’t have problems finding parking, I was able to find parking even on summer weekends, but that was many years ago. The image of the Monterosso Fegina Beach parking is here. The drive from Levanto is a bit over 20 min. The road is a bit narrow toward the end but not too bad.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KsdXbuoHTzAP8nS49?g_st=ic
Below is a post where I placed a comment on parking options at the Cinque Terre some months ago.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/travel-to-cinque-terre-by-car-what-to-do-about-parking
Posted by
OP
14 posts
Awesome info Roberto… thanks again. Yes we are arriving in Milan Malpensa … I obviously can’t spell!
Posted by
5 posts
My husband and I will be arriving in Cinque Terre in late June. Do we need a visa of some sort to visit this area?? Thank you