Guides & tips

Plan your trip like a local

Honest answers to the questions travellers ask us most.

Weathered green bronze statue of a monk looking out over a deep blue bay and the terraced headlands beyond

Cinque Terre by Boat or Train: Which Is Better for Your Day?

Boat or train for the Cinque Terre from La Spezia? What each gives you, which villages the boat skips, what weather does to it and when to combine both.

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Blue and white regional train running along a rocky cliff above the sea, with a village perched on the headland ahead

Cinque Terre by Train from La Spezia: Which Card, Which Order, Which Villages

How to visit Cinque Terre by regional train from La Spezia: when the Treno card pays off, the order of the five villages and where the train is not the answer.

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Terraced hillside above a pastel fishing village with the sea behind, seen on a clear day

Cinque Terre from a Cruise Ship at La Spezia: Shore Excursion, Train or Boat?

How to visit the Cinque Terre on a cruise stop in La Spezia: the shore excursion by train, a boat trip, or going alone, and what to plan around the ship's departure.

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Stone mortar with fresh basil leaves and a wooden pestle on a rustic table

Food and Wine in the Cinque Terre: Pesto, Sciacchetrà and Limoncino, and Which Tastings Are Worth Booking

What to eat and drink in the Cinque Terre and which tours add something: a pesto class, a vineyard tasting in Vernazza, a food walk in La Spezia, or a limoncino day.

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Small motorboat with an awning on dark water in front of Riomaggiore's tall orange and pink houses glowing in evening light

Sunset Boat Trip at Cinque Terre: Which Departure Port, and Is It Worth the Price?

Sunset boat trips at Cinque Terre compared by departure port, length, price and reviews: which ones actually pass the five villages and which stay in the Gulf of La Spezia.

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Small boat on turquoise water below a rocky island with a pale fortress on the shore

Cinque Terre with Kids: Which Village, Which Transport and When It Is a Bad Idea

A practical guide to the Cinque Terre with children: the easiest village, the stairs and trains, short boat trips from La Spezia, and when to choose another day out.

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Small fishing boats moored in the green water of Riomaggiore harbour below tall pink, yellow and orange houses

Guided Cinque Terre Tour or Go Alone? A Small-Group Day from La Spezia Compared

Is a guided Cinque Terre day trip from La Spezia worth it? Compare the train tours by price, length and reviews with doing it yourself, and see who gains most from a guide.

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Hiker with a red backpack photographing a pastel village on a headland far below, with the sea glittering behind

Hiking the Cinque Terre: Sentiero Azzurro Sections, Fees and What Is Open

How hiking the Cinque Terre works: the Sentiero Azzurro between the villages, which card you need, what changes with landslides and weather, and when a guided hike makes sense.

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Open orange-seated rigid inflatable boat cruising past the pastel-coloured waterfront houses of Portovenere in low sunlight

Portovenere and the Three Islands by Boat from La Spezia: Is It Worth It?

What the boat trip to Portovenere and the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto offers, how the main options differ, and who should choose it over the Cinque Terre.

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A green bronze statue looks out over deep blue sea towards the rocky, wooded coast of the Cinque Terre

Which Cinque Terre Village Should You Visit? Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola or Riomaggiore

The five Cinque Terre villages compared for a short visit: beach, harbour, stairs, the view and the boat or walking tour that suits each one.

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Nearby

Other places in the region — same approach, their own tours:

Cinque Terre tours from €59 · available today

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