My wife and I will be traveling in late march from Florence to Cinque Terre. We want to avoid renting a car but would still like to enjoy the best of Tuscany. Please let me know if you have any tips. Especially interested in information on traveling from Florence to Cinque Terre. Ideally, we would like to take a day trip bus tour starting in Florence and ending in Cinque Terre.
Thank you!
Nick
Nick,
You might want to have a look at the RS Italy to figure out which destinations in Tuscany you'd most like to see. If you're using Florence as a home base, it's easy to make day trips to.....
Travel by rail from Florence to the Cinque Terre is probably your best bet. I don't know of any "day trip bus tours" on that route. There are usually lots of trains on that route, with travel times of 2-3 hours or so and one or two changes. Not all schedules may be posted yet for March. You'll have to decide which of the five C.T. towns you want to stay in as you'll need to know that when you buy the rail ticket. Trains may travel either via Pisa or through Milano Centrale.
Train schedules:
https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html
Select from FIRENZE (TUTTE LE STAZIONI)
to TOWN OF YOUR CHOICE IN CINQUE TERRE (choose from: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso)
Choose a date in the near future
Choose a time of approximate departure.
Cinque Terre is more of a Summer place than an early Spring place. I would prefer to see more of the hilltowns that time of the year--like Siena, San Gimignano and Volterra. And they're best visited by rental car.
Siena is best if you take a bus from the line of buses next to McDonalds across the street out the side door of the Florence train station. The bus takes you into the center city where a train drops you on the outskirts of the city.
The roads in Tuscany are well marked and well paved. They're just a little crooked. Nothing to be afraid of renting a car as you can see so much more than trying to meet bus schedules, etc. throughout the region.
For Florence to CT, when booking which train, utilize the drop menus of where the stops will be. DDifferent routes/stops for different trains (and times). Then you can better plan where you hop off along the way.
Is it worthwhile to visit cinque terre for the day from Florence or should we stay overnight
I personally would spend 2 nights in Cinque Terre, but I have been there several times and just love it! I can't imagine a day trip because you will spend more time traveling, than seeing it.
barbara,
I agree with the previous reply.... two nights are a good time frame to see the Cinque Terre. Keep in mind that there are five small villages to see, and getting to all of them takes time. Also, it's nice to spend time there in the evenings as the towns take on a more "relaxed" character once all the day-trippers have left.
I've taken a day trip to the C.T. from Florence, and travel to & from takes several hours each way (depending on which trains you choose). I had been there before so wasn't concerned that I only had a short time to spend. It was a long day and I didn't get back to Florence until about midnight.
