Travel Answers

Am going to be here in October and would like to go to the Cinque Terre. Can you tell me the easiest and quickest way to get there? Do not have a car. I only will have a day available to tour these marvelous villages. I want to get to Vernazza for lunch and walk the path from Manarola to Riomaggiore besides exploring these villages. So exciting!!
This is the 3rd trip to Italy for me and I am determined to get there this time. Thank you all for the help.

Hello All, I am so excited about our trip in June 2012. I am drawn to Santa Margherita, but I am not sure that this is the place to stay. We plan on staying in a central location for 6 nights and explore the surrounding areas. I want to be in a place that in the evenings we can explore the city by walking around a piazza, talking with locals, and eating yummy gelato. My daughter is 12 years old and I want her to remember this trip forever, so please advise if Santa Margherita is the place to be for us. Also, I am a teacher so we are on a budget!!! Thanks you for any help you can provide.

Are there any touring caravan sites close to Santa Margherita Ligure?

My husband, two sisters and I are planning a week in Liguria and would like to stay in Santa Margherita. We are looking for a self-catering accommodation with two bedrooms but are not having any luck. Does anyone have any recommendations for us?

We are arriving at Malpensa Airport in Milan and need to catch a train to Santa Margherita. Should we buy train tickets online before we leave home? Does anyone have any other tips for our trip?

I would like to find out what is the place or area where the cruise ships arrive. I might be taking a cruise next year and I would like exactly where are we going to arrive. thank you

Hi Everyone! In the interest of saving time later, I had wanted to find good walking maps of Santa Margherita and Portofino BEFORE arriving in Liguria. People directed me to viamichelin.com for maps, but I noticed that these maps don't mark off the major tourist sites so unfortunately, they are not detailed enough. Instead of having to buy a million different tourist books, does anyone happen to know if the tourist office in CAMOGLI might have good walking maps of the other towns? Or are there other sites online with better detailed maps of the towns? Thanks a million / Grazie mille! --Betty

how long is the train journey fro pisa airport to sant marghurita by train

Hi Everyone, So we have set our September trip to Liguria with a 6-night base in Camogli... WOO-HOO! One hike that we will do for sure is the Levanto-to-Monterosso hike. Aside from the well-known Cinque Terre hikes, what are some hikes with beautiful views NOT TO BE MISSED?? 1) I think we will skip the Santa Margherita-to-Portofino hike because it sounds a bit unpleasant and I want to AVOID SEEING HIGHWAYS whenever possible. 2) I heard that there are great hikes above Camogli, San Fruttuoso and Santa Margherita (perhaps one of them involved SAN LORENZO... not sure if I'm confusing the name of the area). 3) Is there a PARK in the area that is definitely worth seeing? Think I heard Portofino area had a cool park. 4) If you mention a hike here, please also let me know if it is difficult or moderate because we'll be travelling with some non-hikers as well. Thank you / Grazie mille for your advice! And Happy Mother's Day to all!!!

Hi Everybody! I am curious if Santa Margherita Ligure is one of those places where you can easily reach every place by walking. (It doesn't SEEM that big.) We're planning atleast one daytrip to Santa Margherita from Camogli. We were wondering if driving into SM will be a problem... Is it hard to find parking? And once we're in SM, will we want to get everywhere by foot? Thanks for your help!

Our cruise ship docks in Positano. We are thinking of walking to Santa Margharita. Is the walk on the road or on the beach better. Is it approximately 5 mi, and any other advice for a day trip.

Please can someone tell me if it is possible to travel by bus from the airport at Genova to Santa Margherita Ligure? Is it possible to see any bus timetables for 2008? Also, do you know how much a taxi from the airport would cost? Thank you very much.

Hello everyone, I wanted to know if I need to buy a separate Cinque Terre day pass including the train rides from each village if I buy a roundtrip ticket from Santa Margherita to Riomaggiore and then work my way back towards Monterosso before coming back to Santa Margherita. So this is the route: Santa Margherita- Riomaggiore-Manarola-Corniglia-Vernanzza-Monterosso- Santa Margherita. Any help in this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

We will arrive in Santa Margherita L. on Wednesday, March 19, 2008, and would like recommendations of good, reasonably priced restuarants or bistros or cafes in the vicinity of the Duomo. We would like to walk to the restuarant and to have a place we could call "home" for the 4 days, 3 nights we are there. We enjoy very much having a familiar place to eat while we are on trips. We enjoy healthy dishes made with fresh vegetables and local ingredients. The simplier the better. We would like to have a selection of main courses in the 5-10 euro range, if possible. We really appreciate any suggestions. Also, we would like to locate a grocer. Thank you very much. Mimi

I am getting married in Santa Margherita Ligure in May 2008 and being based in Australia at present makes it hard to determine where to have a reception! I have narrowed it down to "La Darsena" at Hotel Helios or "La Cambusa" a quaint restaurant off the marina. Does anyone have any experiences they may like to share with me about either of these places, with regards to quality of food, value for money and service. Whilst La Darsena has a lovelier outlook, experience to date with them is that they are not too accomodating and this is the last thing I want for my wedding! I am interested in somewhere on the water with a nice view and fantastic food. Thanks!

Hi, Will be coming to Santa Margherita shortly for a 2 week holiday. We are staying at Hotel Helios but are a little concerned that its swimming pool is a natural seawater, although we understand that there may be a new 'pool there. Anyway, is it possible to go to other hotels in Santa Margherita and pay to use their swimming pools and facilities? Thanks John, The Wirral, UK

Hello! Im thinking of visiting the Portofino peninsula in mid-to-late June, and staying in Santa Margherita Ligure. I was just wondering, is the water there clean enough to swim in? And is it warm or cold? Thank you in advance, gianduia

Does anyone know where I can find a bus timetable for buses from Santa Margherita to Portofino travelling in March 2007? Thanks Phil

Hi All, My girlfriend and I are going to arrive in Nice on Sep 3 and then plan to visit French Riviera (Nice, Monaco, Provence, Cannes, St Tropez)and then onto Cinque Terre. We will rent car and drive. Need to be back in Nice on Sep 11. I would appreciate any suggestions on an itinerary, hotels, restaurants, places to see/things to do, and any other good advice you have to offer. Thank you very, very much! Randy

My beau and I want to go to cinque terra, but were thinking of staying in Santa Margherita. How far the 5terre from Santa Margherita? Also, considering staying in La Spezia or sestre levante. Any suggestions?

Is it true that Santa Margherita Ligure is "dead" in winter? I'm travelling to Italy in February and wanted to go back to S. Margherita Ligure (happy memories), but I heard somewhere that virtually all the accommodation, restaurants etc are closed at this time. I don't mind the cold, but don't want to be in a ghost town, so to speak... Does anyone know if this is true? thanks!