Monterosso al Mare Travel Forum

Multiple questions here:

We'll be in Monterosso for 3 nights May 28th - 30th and will spend our first day in transit/exploring the immediate area and the next two hiking the trails. Current information is sort of all over the place (including rebuildmoterosso and savevernazza) so I've been using the park site as my main reference as it seems to have to more regular updates. It's still light on a lot of details, though.

We are, of course, interested in the #2 Percorso Azzurro trail. The sections from Monterosso to Vernazza and Manarola to Riomaggiore are open but the large middle piece between Vernazza and Manarola is still closed. That could change between now and then but I'm looking for a recommended alternative route between these villages as Plan B. Any suggestions? We do want to explore both Corniglia and Manarola so don't want a route that bypasses them altogether.

Also a question about park tickets: I can get two-day hiking OR two-day hiking/train tickets. I've seen recommendations to just buy individual train tickets in the village stations as needed but also saw this from one of the area rental sites:

"Any train station in Cinque Terre has offices selling both tickets and Cinque Terre cards but they have closing times during the day and anyway they all close usually at 19:00 at night"

Ok, so we could buy a few tickets in advance and get around that. For sure, we want to hike south from Monterosso to Riomaggiore and take the train back but unexpected trail closures, weather problems, etc could have us taking the train more than originally planned.

I assume tickets purchased for the train between villages can just be validated and used as needed?

And I assume I can pick up a train schedule at any of the major stations/tourist info offices? This would be a REGIONAL train, correct?

I do not see any other public transport option between villages, right?

CT Hikers, do you recommend the 2-day CT pass just for the trails or the trail/train combo? The difference between them is about 10 euro so I guess it's not a huge amount but...

Does the clock start ticking on park passes the moment they're purchased or not until you sign, date and use them the first time?

Thanks folks - this is just one of multiple locations we'll be visiting and the brain is on overload here. Oh, and if any of your have another favorite area hike(s) recommended for one of our two days, I'm all ears.

I have been trolling through so much information about the Cinque Terre and am totally confused. Can anyone help? We are staying for 4 nighs in early May. Which town should we stay in and where should we stay? We are 60 and will be travelling by train from Santa Margherita and on to Florence. I have recently had a knee replacement I am fit but do not wish to walk up too many steps to a hotel with luggage. So...a good hotel near a railway station in which town?

Hi
We are looking at booking accommodation for 3 nights next April (2012). We have seen a place that is high on a hill and wondered has anyone experienced this. Is there a track or bus down to the ocean and how long does it take to get down there? We like the look of the views but how will we be able to get there from the rail at La Special?
Hope you can help. All advice welcomed.
Keen to travel...

We plan to travel from Milan to Monterosso al Mare by rail in April. Which would be the preferable route, via Levanto or via La Spezia?

I will be in Monterosso for a few days in mid Sept. I have been trying desperately to find reasonably priced accommodations online but sadly have not been successful. The only accommodations left are the really expensive Hotels, which is out of my Budget. I realize now that I should've booked this way in advance since I've read some reviews where people have even booked 6 months prior. I will be there in a week or so and would like to know if it's possible to just get there and wing it. Would there be accommodations available with no reservations in advance? Should I cancel this part of my trip b/c of this?

Looking forward to your advice....Thanks!!

Bonjour!
I am planning a trip in Cinque Terre in September. I will be arriving by Pise then taking the train to Riomaggiore. Then, will hike in Cinque Terre until Monterosso. Once in Monterosso, I would like to rent a car to cross over to Venise in order to catch a ferry to Croatie. I can't seem to find a car rental place in Monterosso that would allow me to drop it off in Venise. Any suggestion? Should I reverse my trip to arrive by Genoa then start in Monterosso down to Riomaggiore? Thanks in advance for your kind advice.
Friendly,
Sun

We plan a day from Genoa by train with stops at Monterosso, Veranzza and Manarola, then walk the trail to Riomaggiore and then boat to Monterosso and train from there back to Genoa. Much talk of the Cinque Terre train/boat card but not at all clear about:

1) Do we buy one ticket from Genoa to Monterosso round trip and then also buy a Cinque Terre Card that covers all locally all the above including boat ride?

2) Is there one single Cinque Terre Train/Boat card we use from Genoa?

3) One goal is to avoid having to queue up at local Cinque Terre stations to buy tickets.

Sooo, can we do it all from the Genoa train station?

If I purchase a train ticket to Monterosso in Pisa airport which I plan to use on the direct train journey to Monterosso but if I miss that connection at Pisa Centrale can the same ticket be used on train from Pisa to La Spezia and then local train to Monterosso?
Is it better to buy a return ticket and is there a discount for the over 60's! We arrive Pisa airport Friday, May 14 and return to Pisa Tuesday, April 18.

hello all,
Does anyone know of a beautiful bed and breakfast on the most beautiful beach in cinque terre? Is there a direct train from Rome to Cinque terre?What's the weather like first week of october?thank you in advance,lengleng

Hi Everyone,

1) Can anyone recommend where there is FREE PARKING in Monterosso in mid-September? Does it exist?

2) What is the DIFFICULTY LEVEL of the hike from Levanto to Monterosso? I keep getting different feedback regarding how steep it is.

Thank you / Grazie!

Betty

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to hammer out our travel plans in Liguria and wanted to know if there is ferry service or water taxis going from Monterosso to Levanto. This would be at night in mid-September.

Any help is appreciated. THANK YOU / GRAZIE!

We are leaving Monterosso on the 19th June 2009- travelling by train to Rome.the train leaves La Spezia Cantrale at 6.51. Is there an early train form Monterosso to La Spezia?

I was wondering if anyone would have some possible suggestions as to hotels in Cinque Terre? Good location, clean and not overly pricey are the most important considerations. This is for a September trip 2009. I am very open to suggestions. Thank you......Jim

Visiting Monterosso al Mare in May & would like to visit the ferrari factory in Maranello. Are day trips available by train or bus from Monterosso to Maranello & return

Hello forum,

Can someone tell me what airport that would provide the easiest access to the Cinque Terre area? If you have some suggestions as to the best way to get to and from that area, be it bus or train etc, I would really appreciate the help.

Many thanks
Jim

I have been sending emails to the Hotel Palme in Monterosso al Mare info@hotelpalme.org & info@hotelpalme.it for some weeks now to confirm a booking but I have not had a reply. I have also telephoned from Australia and received a recorded message in Italian (which unfortunately I cannot understand) Can anyone help and let me know if their is a problem with Hotel Palme. Regards Lance

In Spring 2007 I purchased a heavy handmade thick silver ring from a lady in a small shop on the old main street (heading away from the ocean on the right side). She made these rings in another village and sold them in her small storefront - she also had other jewlrey. I have lost the ring and would love to replace it. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!

Please can you advise me regarding shopping time for purchasing food in Monterossa in January 2, 3, 4, 5 in 2009

Thankyou, Peter

Planning on driving next summer from Nice, France to Monterosso in the Cinque Tera. Do you know how long the drive is? The hotel states 5 hours, but google says it's closer to 3.5 hours straight through.

Doe anyone know the address of the train station in Monterosso? I am trying to find the distance between Hotel Palme and the train station.
thanks

I'm a 30-year-old woman who is travelling alone and am looking for a place to stay in Cinque Terre. I'm looking for something more along the lines of a hostel or B&B (ideally - a friendly place where I can meet interesting people). Any suggestion would be most appreciated.

Hi There
Will be in Cinque Terre around August 26 2008, thinking of staying at either "My Hotel" or "Relais San Roco" any comments anyone. If we stay at Relais San Roco we would probably walk or ride to the closest town which is Trigoso. Question: Can we hire bicyles in Trigoso and is there a rail station there?

Thank you

I will be in the Cinque Terre area in August and would like to plan my accommodation now in hotels within walking distance to local railway stations that will take us to the various walks. I need a map of train routes and a lsit of rail stations and the distances between each station if anyone could help please.

Is the train station near the newer part of town or the older? How long a walk to the older part of town?

Hello.
I am going to monterosso al mare in august, and we are going to stay at stella della marina. Is there anyone who has been there, is it ok to stay there? We have to kids and are going to sleep 4 persons in one room?

Hi all.

I was just wondering if there are any good campgrounds, clean, safe near Cinque Terre. Thanks for your help!

We'll be arriving in the Cinqueterre on a Sunday afternoon in July. We are staying at a hotel in Vernazza. What are the best parking options for arriving in mid- to late- afternoon? (I know it would be best to arrive by 10-11.)
1) The Vernazza parking lot may be full by late afternoon. Try anyway? If it's a full, it's a waste of driving time.
2) Go to Monterosso and park there? There are two lots there -- a big beachfront lot and a lot further up from town called "Via Roma". Has anyone parked in either of these lots?
3) Has anyone parked in Levanto? Either at the train station or in another lot in Levanto? Have you parked at train station parking lot overnight?

We (2 adults 2 small kids ages 7 and almost 6) have rented an RV to travel around Italy and we are thinking in visiting Cinque Terre. We were thinking in taking the train to visit all 5 villages. QUESTION: Does anybody knows if we could park our RV outside the village of Monterroso al Mare and take the train to the other 4 villages?, if so do you have specific places that you could recommend?

Hi everyone,

We are heading for 5 Terre this summer and staying in Monterosso.
We're looking for a place that rents Vespa.
Has anyone heard of a place in Monterosso or nearby ?

Thanks,

Bert - Gent Belgium

Hi Everyone,

We are visiting Cinque Terre and staying in Monterossa in July 2008.
We were kinda hoping there would be a Vespa Rental nearby ?
Has anyone heard about such a place ? Doesn't really matter if its a bit further (like Genoa for example ???)

Thanks

Bert