Will be in Cinque Terre for two and a half days. Found out one of those days, a cruise ship is arriving. Learned that it can get really crowded during cruise ship day. So we will do as much touring of the area as we can during the non-cruise ship day, before the crowds arrive. What activities do you suggest we do during cruise ship day? We are going in the fall. Thank you.
Posted by
Fort Lauderdale, FL
1245 posts
You could hike one of the lesser known trails. Vernazza has a winery a little bit up in the hills, away from the harbor where the tourists seem to swarm. Maybe a wine tasting? Or, you can take the ferry to Porto Venere, visit and have a nice lunch.
Posted by
USA
320 posts
Depending on the day and time of year, there are ferries that go up the coast, stopping at some charming, lesser known fishing villages. Not only is there a beautiful view of the coastline, but there are lovely stops, such as Camogli, San Fruitosso, and Portofino. If there is not a ferry, you can take the train to Santa Margherita Ligure and walk around there, and/or take the #82 bus for the 10 minute trip to Portofino, and then take a ferry back to SML, and then the train back to the Cinque Terre.
Posted by
Boston
1814 posts
The cruise ships are only one cause of crowding. There are many many individuals coming in by train as well as many many bus tours whose final leg is by train. Have a look at this article for ideas https://www.apathtolunch.com/2016/03/cinque-terre-16-tips-for-avoiding-crowds.html There's no reason you can't have a very enjoyable trip.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8203 posts
Well, the main advice would be to stay out of Vernazza, everybody heads there. Corniglia tends to stay less busy so that is an option, as someone noted, try the trails around there, Manarola may not be too bad.
You are looking at mid-day really being a problem, earlier morning will still be pleasant and the crowds will be leaving by late afternoon.
Posted by
OP
Somewhere in California
107 posts
Thanks, so many options. I'll have to look into those towns outside of Cinque Terre that I've never heard of. And ferries and wine-tasting.
Posted by
Ventura, CA, USA
297 posts
If you are staying in Monterosso, and the weather is nice, make it a beach day. Relax on the beach, take a swim in the Ligurian Sea, have lunch at the café on the beach. The crowds and day trippers don't usually come for the beach.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
I second TXtwinmama's suggestions. There are lots of lovely towns and spots in the Italian Riviera besides the Cinque Terre, which gets most of the attention. I love the Cinque Terre too, but there are so many other lovely spots to explore. Last May I spent three nights in Camogli - which was lovely and small and not touristy at all (at least with non-Italians). Train service is frequent and good.
I hiked from Camogli up to San Rocco (more of a climb up stairs than a hike) and then hiked from San Rocco all the way to San Fruttuoso. I took the very difficult trail option via Batterie - very scenic, but extremely scary for me (not a seasoned hiker), with spots without any footing where using chains to scale a few feet was required to continue. (I guessed experienced hikers shrug off this kind of thing.) On the upside, there was almost no one on the trails besides me (didn't see anyone for over an hour at one point). On the downside, there was almost no one on the trails besides me, and I was hiking alone - stupid! Lucky I made it through. There's an optional easier trail to San Fruttuoso that's apparently less scenic than the one I took.
You could take the train to Camogli first thing and then take the boats to San Fruttuoso (just a cove with an abbey, not a town), Portofino, and Santa Margherita Ligure and train back to the CT. You could walk up to San Rocco from Camogli (just steps not a hike, but a steep climb); the views from San Rocco are really nice back on Camogli. There's also a bus (with a connection I think) between San Rocco and Camogli, so you could take the bus up and walk down. Anyway - easy to make a nice day of it without so many crowds in the CT!
Posted by
OP
Somewhere in California
107 posts
Thank you for all your suggestions.
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2429 posts
hey AM
you can look at incinqueterre.com and see other things to do away from the crowds. Like Mike says it's not only that cruise ships cause the crowds, it's all the tourists on boats, trains, buses, cars that want to see that area. you can take a boat on the bay, take an early train to lucca and do a cooking class with chef-paolo.com (cucina-italiana.com) for something different and fun, cinqueterrecookingschool.com, cinqueterrewalkndrink.com, looks like a good tour. get away from the crowds then come back in late afternoon have dinner at a sea view place and enjoy sunset with a glass of wine. happy travels
aloha