Rome2rio uses cookies to help personalize content and show you personalised ads. Other times, theyre in the next town and want to make plans to meet tomorrowwhen Ill already be in the next town. Stop for swimming or snorkeling off Punta Mesco, by the beautiful "Rocce Rosse" - dramatic Red Cliffs that plunge into the bright blue waters of the Ligurian Sea. Rome2rio makes travelling from Santa Margherita Ligure to Cinque Terre easy. May: wednesdays Listen, he said, conspiratorially. From Alaska to California, from France's Basque Country to Mexico's Pacific Coast, Teo Spengler has dug the soil, planted seeds and helped trees, flowers and veggies thrive. Find all the transport options for your trip from Santa Margherita Ligure to Cinque Terre right here. And back down. This view certainly beat the train station waiting roomand I didnt even mind having to rush to my train when I heardit pulling in. I was up at the very top of town more than a hundred steep stone steps above the harbor. As we clearly state in the book, we only list people who rentmultiple rooms, speak English, and can be reserved through email (to make things easier for our readers). My wifes Great-Great-Aunt Mildred traveled far and wide, long before such a thing was fashionable. Travel inspiration and top planning tips for getting around Italy. During the tour they drive guests as close as possible to each town center; if necessary they provide maps and information for making guests enjoy the area at their own pace, but they dont show around to guests. The trains and especially the platforms can be a perfect storm of crowds, particularly when trains in opposite directions pull in at the same time. For next years guidebook, Ive assembled these new tips: Italys undiscovered slice of traffic-free Rivierahas been discovered. Piazza Mazzini, 33 A If you are interested in visiting Cinque Terre, you may also like these other tour options: Included in the price is a nice boat that can carry up to 6 people, Upgrade to a faster and larger boat model. Yes, it has (pebbly) beaches, but it also has a bustling old town with a big Baroque church and lots of urban character. How dare you do this to me! (Worst of all, this particular researcher had nothing to do with those changes. A bit puzzled, I left with a noncommittal grazie for the tip and headed into Corniglia. To check out a room, I climbed five steep, narrow flights of stairs inside one of the tall, skinny houses on the harbor. The company operates regional and long-distance trains, as well as high-speed trains called Frecce that travel on specialised tracks on speeds of up to 360km/h. Yes - Frecce services include a power socket for each seat. The office is open: from monday to friday h. 9.00 12.00 am / h. 2 5 pm She currently divides her life between San Francisco and southwestern France. In fact, in the mainstream tourism world, its almostquaint that Rick Steves readers are so fixated on the Cinque Terre. Somehow, all of this little towns frustrations, conflicts, and grudges, dating back many generations, have boiled down to these two little neighboring shops. What is taking so long?. But thenit just never happens. Located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northern Italy, it is the smallest national park in Italy at 4,300 acres, but also the densest with 5,000 permanent inhabitants among the five towns. Such as the time I was stuck on a cruise ship in a North Sea storm. This is important.. Discover how to get to attractions and hotels near Riomaggiore. They offered to show me their second room, and off we wentback to that same building, up those same five flights of stairs, to an apartment literally next door to the one Id just been in. Ant it seemed like everyone in Italy woke up with the same idea: Lets go to the Cinque Terre! This was the last night of my Cinque Terre visit, and after a whirlwind afternoon running roundRiomaggiore I was just killing a few minutes here before the 8:30train home to Manarola. That was nearly two years ago! Before I move on fromthe Cinque Terre, I couldnt resist sharing just a few more pretty photos from this trip. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. Am I allowed to travel from Santa Margherita Ligure to Cinque Terre? Im in the Cinque Terre off-season, so most of the time its been sane and mercifully quiet. Ive written a lot on this tripabout the crowds in the Cinque Terre. Friendly and affordable, Santa Margherita Ligure stands in stark contrast to its high-priced, superstar sister, Portofino, and serves as a great base for exploring the region. Santa Cruz, a law degree from Berkeley's Boalt Hall, and an MA and MFA from San Francisco State. But I have to admitI liked it. Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. For example, the line that stops in Monterosso runs on Wednesdays in May and June, Wednesdays and Saturdays in July and September, and Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays in August. Later that day, I was inspectinganother persons room nearby. Yes, travel within Italy is currently allowed. If youd like to hit the beach but Monterossos is a human parking lot, hop the train a few minute to Levanto, rent a bike, and pedal on a level path to the delightful (and far less crowded) beach at Bonassola. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. (This sounds like a no-brainer, but its remarkable how many people decide to clump along the middle of the platform.) By proceeding, you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our, Take the train from S.Margherita L.-Port to Corniglia. To the best of our knowledge, it is correct as of the last update.Visit Rome2rio travel advice for general help. It takes approximately 1h 14m to drive from Santa Margherita Ligure to Cinque Terre. For more information, please visit this page, The house of the Gallery owner Citra 011024-LT-0208, Cod. While a bit of a splurge, this is both efficient transportation and a welcome escape from the crowds. I ask a few probing questions. Anytime a researcher is dispatched to the Cinque Terre, they return with tales of woe. Nobody was home, and my phone didnt work. Whats to think about? Finally, one morning, I was passing through a little piazza when she cornered me and asked me yet again to come see her room. They can point out the right restaurants or will simply ensure that guests get out of their trip whatever you are looking for, sights, landscapes, shopping etc. In a big city like Rome or Munich, the Rick Steves book is, for some, a big deal but its not the only game in town, so people keep it in perspective. Return late in the afternoon. 2022 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy. If youd like to luxuriate on the Italian Riviera, but arent up for the crowds (and quirks) of the Cinque Terre, try these on for size: Porto Venere the easiest and most worthwhile side-trip from the Cinque Terre wins my vote for la Sesta Terra (the sixth land). One reasonably priced spot in Santa Margherita is the Nuova Riviera Hotel, a bed-and-breakfast inn in a villa in midtown. Maximum for 10 people, Please select date, time, language and number of participants in Of course, none of these towns is quite like the Cinque Terre. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. We also have a more concise and focused, full-color Rick Steves Pocket Cinque Terre book. But then, when I have one foot out the door, like a coiled cobra he strikes. Trenitalia tickets are available online, in stations across the country or from many travel agents that offer bookings. Take the line 798 bus from Via Andrea Doria - P.zza Vitt. Tickets usually open for booking 90 days ahead of travel, and youll need make a seat reservation before boarding. And back up. I bail out of the shop, as politely as possible, and try to ignore the now-furious restauranteur as he hangs his head, Charlie Brown-style, and theatrically sulks back to his own restaurant stomping his feet like a frustrated toddler. Im getting crushed! Finally the last person pooshed their way onto the train, we all inhaled deeply, the doors shimmied shut, and we were on our way to Monterrosso where, five minutes later, the entire contents of the train disgorged onto the platform at once, creating yet another logjam. At the end meet the driver again and set off to Corniglia. Aha! The cruisers and day-trippers start pouring in to the Cinque Terre around 10:00, and are typically headed out by 18:00 (if not earlier). Im back in the Cinque Terre, and back in Corniglia, updating our book. Exceptions may apply, for full details: European Union. Timed entry tickets for the trails! After updating one B&B, I took a few steps and spotted the sign for another B&B that I needed to check. If you get wind that itll be a busy cruise day, consider simply getting out of town. ? the restauranteur demands. Its the kind of place that makes you want to settle into an Italian Riviera beach vacation. Towns like Portofino and Rapallo intimidate visitors with exquisite, crystalline beauty, snooty elegance and sky-high prices. And so on, all day long. Yes. In most destinations, I figure out the places I need to check for the book, line them up in a logical order, then work my way through the list until its done. They had no idea I was going to sleep in, so theyd been camped out there for hours. August: mondays wednesdays fridays The boat will stop 1 h and half in Vernazza or Riomaggiore (depending on the availability of the mooring docks) and Stop 3 hours in Monterosso enough time for a swim, lunch and a visit of the town . Shoulder season April and October can be a great time to visit (cooler temperatures for hiking, though its typically too cold to swim)but be warned that good-weather holiday weekends (Easter, Italian Liberation Day on April 25) can bring peak-season crowds. The impact of our book on this community is massive. The restauranteur is warm and gregarious. Its a glorious place that should, by all means, be visited. Yes, there is a direct train departing from S.Margherita L.-Port and arriving at Corniglia. How to Travel Economically as a Single Person to Hawaii, Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images. We talk about his menu, and his enthusiasm and pride lull me into a sense of normalcy. Start from the port of Santa Margherita or Portofino and board the private boat of your choice. But in Cinque Terre towns, most of the accommodations are little one-off B&Bs: a person who rents two rooms on this side of the harbor, two others across the harbor, another one behind the stationand lives three towns away. Another challenge here is the combination of the regions modest size, and its outsize popularity among Rick Steves readers. ', 'Should I book online before I travel? 0185.284670 The best entertainment is walking the cliff trails (ancient goat trails) that connect the villages and gasping at the spectacular coastal views. No. Cmon, I dare youdive into the rest of the Riviera. And everybody wanted on. In an instant, the tone of our conversation has turned sour and confrontational. Take the train from Sestri Levante to Corniglia, Take the train from S.Margherita L.-Port to Levanto, Take the train from S.Margherita L.-Port to Sestri Levante, Take a taxi from Santa Margherita Ligure to Cinque Terre, Drive from Santa Margherita Ligure to Cinque Terre. But do it on your own, when you have the freedom to move around as you please not following the color-coded umbrella of a hired-gun guide-for-the-day whose only interest is showing you the obligatory sights, then getting you back to your ship on time. All IC trains have 1st and 2nd class carriages as well as a bar buffet car, air conditioning and power sockets. Return: time from Cinque Terre will be communicated by the Captain on board. But recently, when we were doling out assignments for this year, our Italy crew was telling us (as usual), Id love to do anythingexcept the Cinque Terre. So I decided to take one for the team and head back to those five traffic-free Riviera villages. And yet, everyone keeps telling me how catastrophic the crowds can be in peak season. For these poor villagers, this is just the latest salvo in the gelato wars of Corniglia. The first one. I was warmly greeted by Alberto, who couldnt be more excited by my visit. I Got COVID While Traveling. Saturday and Sunday : closed Trenitalias Intercity (IC) trains are slower than the high-speed Frecce trains but are still a good way to travel between major cities and towns, with routes including Rome to Naples, Venice to Bologna and Milan to Genoa. Theres always some bold newmaster plan to revolutionize the park experience: Elevators to connect train stations with clifftop neighborhoods! Trenitalia offers national rail connections in Italy as well as international connections to Austria, France, Germany and Switzerland. People pushed and pulled their travel partners into the tiny alcoves by the doors. Its the kind of place where the sailboat masts are taller than the houses. On my last trip, my cell phone provider had rotten coverage here. Trenitalia operates a train from S.Margherita L.-Port to Corniglia every 4 hours. In case you wanted to add other villages or a boat tour along the coast, dont hesitate to ask. It was a mob scene. By law, they are professionals examined and licensed by the Province to accompany tourists during the visit of a certain area. The train was full. We're working around the clock to bring you the latest COVID-19 travel updates.This information is compiled from official sources. And Albertos wins the taste test, hands down. And you can also readmore posts about the Cinque Terrefrom this trip. In short, these people are ruining the Cinque Terre: In the more than a week I spent on the Cinque Terre during this shoulder season, this situation was unusual. This is what Im wondering as I get the hard sell. order to proceed, US +1 617 418 1860 Veneto to Viale Mazzini - ex I.N.P.S. More than one told me, Its only a matter of time before somebody gets pushed onto the tracks, and get hurtor worse.. In a town where everybody is everybodys cousin, it requires diplomatic acrobaticsto getthe latest gossip about which restaurant is going downhill and which new accommodations are overcharging. Busy always, crowded in the summer, Cinque Terre retains a special, serene magic that makes it worth a visit any day of the year. Thats because most cruise passengers come to the five villages on package excursions. Should You Still Go to Poland? I saw a tour guide at the door of the train, shouting to his group with exaggerated calm: Dont worry. The primary train operator in Italy, Trenitalia was created in the year 2000.