Family with 2 teens, traveling by train from Florence to Cinque Terre. This will probably be a long day (Arrive ~10am, leave ~730pm). What are things to do when taking a break? Are there parks with benches/shade? Any recommendations would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Cinque Terre is made up of 5 villages, connected by train. Where are you going? Is this a one day stop on your way to somewhere else? If so, where will you store your luggage?
There are always cafes where you can take a break, sit down, order a drink. Otherwise there are benches, parks, walls where you can sit and enjoy the view.
Thanks! It’s a day trip from Florence - we will have backpacks only. Planning to see 4 villages (probably skipping Corniglia) and hoping to hike from Montorosso to Vernazza. Probably overly ambitious - but want to plan for some downtime - and looking for places to just sit down and rest.
Read up on the requirements for passes, acceptable hiking footwear (closed toe, grippy, ankle covering - you could be fined if you don't have good shoes), and the potential for one-way hiking on some segments of the trail on specified dates and weekends: https://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Ecinque-terre-card.php
There are places to sit in the towns but I don't recall many benches along the trail and if you're going to be there midday shade could be a challenge (though not impossible). Each town has restaurants and quick break places. The Monterosso to Vernazza portion is one of the most strenuous parts of the trail, if you're not typically hikers and aren't going to have good hiking footwear with you, then I'd focus on the shorter paved Via dell'Amore (I believe you may need a time slot to do this) and take trains between towns. If it's raining, I wouldn't hike the trails at all - it can be extremely slippery in some parts (thus the new footwear requirements).
Ten years ago we went swimming at Vernazza. Not a beach just large boulders.
In addition the actually staying in the Cinque Terre, I've also done a day trip from Florence. You might consider taking a slightly later train back to Florence so you can spend a bit more time there and enjoy a fine hot meal in one of the towns. I normally stay in Monterosso so I'm more familiar with the restaurants there, and Cantina di Miky is a big favourite with many here (in the "new town", close to the rail station). There's also the more upscale Miky (owned by the same family), especially if you like seafood.
If my memory is correct, there are some benches in the "old town" piazza, near the Duomo in Monterosso. There's a small park there. You could also "take a break" in any of the towns by stopping in one of the restaurants for lunch. Monterosso has two beaches, however some parts of those are "pay-per-use".
As a previous reply mentioned, you'll need a Park Pass for hiking any of the Sentiero Azzurro trails. I vaguely recall that the Monterosso-Vernazza trail is one-way at some times. All the information should be available on the Parco Nazionale website link that was posted in a previous reply.
There are many places t just sit down. No parks, per se, but waterfronts, and walls, and steps. I hiked between all 5 villages with my then 9, 12, and 14 yo's and I dont remember ever 'needing' a place to sit and not being able to sit. The waterfront area is your best bet; you can put your feet in the water, or swim if the teens want. In Manarola there is a big rock for cliff jumping that my son enjoyed. I dont remember there being any benches along the trail between Monterosso and Vernazza. Best to do it early in the morning (I know you're coming from Florence, but we started at 8am and it was still HOT). Good luck.
We were there the first part of October last year. It was really crowded and probably the best place to sit was on the sea walls at the harbor in Vernazza. I might suggest if you’re going to do the trail between Vernazza and Monterosso that you start in Vernazza. There is an “endless” amount of steps straight up at the beginning if you go the other way. Also, make sure you have a trail pass (they do check) and shoes with treads to hike. I wore my Keen sandals that are closed toe with treads and it wasn’t a problem. They won’t let you on in flip flops or regular sandals and sneakers with smooth bottoms could be disastrous especially if it has rained recently.
You don't say what time of year you are going, but I would have some concerns with starting a hike from Monterosso after 10 am. We did this in October, when CT was a bit less crowded, and it was still " bumper to bumper" out of Monterosso by 11 am. (when we arrived from the other end). If you want to do a hike that is less busy, I suggest catching the bus in Manarola up to Velasqua and hiking down to Corniglia. Easier, as mainly downhill, much less crowded and then you can rest in less busy Corniglia. We actually did this late afternoon and had a sunset snack in Corniglia.
If you have any ability to do one overnight in CT, I would highly recommend, it makes for a very different experience.
Another way to rest is to take the boat from one of the towns to another. It's a neat way to see all the towns and to cool off. You can take it to Portovenere as well, which is a lovely town.
