Riomaggiore Travel Forum

Yes, I already know that many of you will say I should stay there more then one day but probably another time. I'll arrive there from Riccione (the base for our vacation in Italy) and hope to be at Riomaggiore (or it should be better to stop in La Spezia?) about 10 am. I would like to go from Riomaggiore to Monterosso by foot (I understood it's an itinerary that takes about 5 hours or maybe will do only half of the road by foot and the other half by train). I want also to stop a little bit in each of these lovely towns and take after a ferry from Monterosso to Spezia. Is it possible to arrive to Spezia aboua 5 pm? And if this is possible where can we go to stay a litlle bit on the beach and take a bath after such a beautiful day? We want to return to Riccione about 9 - 10 pm.
Or you believe it will be better to start with Monterosso? But I really wish visit the Cinque Terre by foot and by ferry.

Thanks,
Codruta

Monterosso has the best beach, BUT it is also a village that does not really fit into the 5terre in every aspect. I mean when you walk from the east to the west you start with genuine and remote places without car-trafic. That walk should be doable, but I am not sure wether the beach and the ship back to la Spezia are possible within a total of 7 hours.
b.t.w.there are fullday-tickets including all means of transport (local buses and the trains) and the entrance-fee to the national park that you have to pay at least for the distance Vernazza-Monterosso anyway.
You may easily skip parts of the walking-path and take the train instead.

day trip from Riccione to 5 Terre (one or two of five) means to leave Riccione very early in the morning as you want to be there for 10 am
from www.trenitalia.com
Leave Riccione at 05:06 to Rimini at 05:16
From Rimini at 05:30 to Parma at 07:34
then form Parma at 07:52 till Monterosso at 10:17

to go back there no train at 5 pm
there are two train

Option 1) at 18:43 to S. Stefano Di Magra
change train to Fidenza within 5 minutes (very very very short time) to Fidenza and finally last change to Riccione (at 00:40)

Option 2) at 19:03 to Viareggio then change to Prato, here an other train to Bologna to get the same train #923 which arrives at Riccione at 00:40.

good trip :-)

We don't know yet if will take the train or rent a car. Leaving early from Riccione/Rimini it's not a problem (will party all night long and sleep on the way to 5 terre). I believe will do only 3 of the 5 Cinque terre walking and will use the train to see Vernazza and Monterosso. But, we want to stay a little bit on the beach and rest in La Spezia. Is there a good beach? Free if it's possible?

parking of a car is quite expensive in that area. Its possible in Monterosso, they have a large parking and it would make you more flexible than parking in La Spezia, paying high fees there and be forced to catch the last train etc.
Monterosso has a great beach - see my page about it. Vernazza has only a small bit of sandy beach next to the port in the very centre, I don't know about the other 3 villages.

To me it seems like a terrible, exhausting day, but it's a matter of tastes :) Anyway, if you really feel like doing this, arrive on site as soon as possible, wehn temperatures are still under 30°. Start from Riomaggiore and walk west. If you're tired or late, catch a train for the next villages, finish in Monterosso where there's the only proper beach of Cinque Terre. If you arrive on foot, stop at the very first small beach (Tragagià), it's my favorite :) train station is on the other side of the village. You'd better get back by train because I'm not sure there are ferries in the evening... I think the last one is at 3 pm - maybe I'll tell you next week :)

ZoT

Well, I really suggest to rent a car, no chance to do it by train (I made for years the Parma-La Spezia and it's awful!), you may arrive in La Spezia or Levanto, park there for very few (in La Spezia some parkings are just 0.25€/h) and then take the train, from La Spezia to the last Monterosso is 30 minute approx. If you like to walk just for saying "I've done it" you can easyly walk from Riomaggiore to Manarola in 20 minutes.
The largest beach is in Monterosso, but in my opinion Monterosso is the less typical of Cinque terre! All other villages have a beach bujt mainly with no amusements or facilities like Monterosso has.
Take in consideration to spend a night there you'll aprecheate che atmosphere, belive me!

Maks

Thanks for advices. I didn't took yet a decision. The idea was to get a little bit in touch with the places and if it will be ok to plan a one week trip there next year.