Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence with Optional Hiking
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Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence with Optional Hiking
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
Safety measures
13 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Good for avoiding crowds
Overview
Experience the UNESCO-listed Cinque Terre in one day with a guided tour through the five idyllic fishing villages of old-world Italy. Following the walking trails along the cliffs of the national park, you will see glorious views of this unspoiled stretch of the Italian Riviera. Check out the highlights and learn about the area as you complete a 3.4-mile (5.5-km) route with your guide. If you choose the tour option without hiking, the train will be used instead to move between villages.
- Guided trip to Cinque Terre from Florence
- Spectacular coastal views along the Cinque Terre
- Soak up the old-world atmosphere as you explore Cinque Terre villages on foot
- Visit areas inaccessible by car with a guide
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
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Your journey from Florence to the Cinque Terre starts by coach, where you can relax as your guide shares stories about the area. You'll hear tales about the Tuscan city of Lucca and its famous resident Puccini, before learning about the Cinque Terre and its five fishing villages—Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Monterosso and Riomaggiore—that form the national park.
After a short, two-hour drive, you'll begin your hike through the Cinque Terre on the hills above Manarola. With your guide to help lead you, you'll follow a scenic trail to Corniglia, which culminates in a steep climb of some 382 steps. Note: This charming region is natural and untouched, so there are no hand rails or safety rails, and paths often cut close to the cliff's edge. (if you choose the tour option without hiking, the train will be used instead to move between villages).
Once in Corniglia, you'll enjoy some free time where you can relax and refuel with these spectacular views, before continuing your journey with a hike to Vernazza, where you'll pass terraces of olive groves and colorful bars and cafes. Take a dip in the bay before heading to Monterosso by train, where you'll have free time to explore the beaches, wine shops and artisan goods famous to the village.
The final portion of your journey will include a boat ride (or train ride, depending on weather) to Riomaggiore, a village known for its candy-colored houses, as well as a final hike back to Manarola. Your day trip from Florence to the Cinque Terre ends with a coach ride back to the city.
After a short, two-hour drive, you'll begin your hike through the Cinque Terre on the hills above Manarola. With your guide to help lead you, you'll follow a scenic trail to Corniglia, which culminates in a steep climb of some 382 steps. Note: This charming region is natural and untouched, so there are no hand rails or safety rails, and paths often cut close to the cliff's edge. (if you choose the tour option without hiking, the train will be used instead to move between villages).
Once in Corniglia, you'll enjoy some free time where you can relax and refuel with these spectacular views, before continuing your journey with a hike to Vernazza, where you'll pass terraces of olive groves and colorful bars and cafes. Take a dip in the bay before heading to Monterosso by train, where you'll have free time to explore the beaches, wine shops and artisan goods famous to the village.
The final portion of your journey will include a boat ride (or train ride, depending on weather) to Riomaggiore, a village known for its candy-colored houses, as well as a final hike back to Manarola. Your day trip from Florence to the Cinque Terre ends with a coach ride back to the city.
Itinerary
Built in the valley of the torrente Groppo, until 1950 the stream which runs through the town was completely uncovered and 11 stone bridges allowed the people to cross from one side to the other. Over the next thirty years the stream was gradually covered over.
The ancient village was destroyed by Saracen pirates (in 849) and the surviving people fled in land to live. When the seas were made safe again in the 11th century, people came back to settle here under the protection of the Republic of Genova.
By the 1200's cultivation of vines was not only established but the wine they produced was sought after. The church of San Lorenzo was begun in 1338. The patron saint is celebrated on the 10th of August with a procession through the streets carrying a statue of him.
The castle which protected the town from pirates is now a private home, you can see the garden from the panoramic walk, it is on the rock immediately above the port.
Manarola is now famous for its Christmas nativity scene which is the biggest in the world. Figures outlined in thousands of lights cover the hillside. Also an Easter scene is made.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Free
The middle town of the five, Corniglia is the smallest town and sits at 90 metres above sea level.
The name derives from the huge spur of rock on which the village sits. Population of about only 200.
San Pietro church from the fourteenth century on the site of an eleventh century chapel. San Pietro's day is 29th June and as part of the celebrations, there is a procession through the streets. A special savoury tart is prepared with rice, eggs and cheese and is shared among the people who take part in the procession.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Free
These ancient trails are rough but manageable. Be prepared for the hiking – although the path is open to everyone, remember that the ground can be slippery, uneven, and in places steep and narrow. The charm of the area is that it is natural and unspoiled, do not expect hand rails or safety rails when steps are steep or when the path is close to the cliff edge. Because of the nature of the hike, we are unable to accept small children or anyone with walking difficulties.
Duration: 8 hours
Admission Ticket Free
Vernazza is unique in the Cinque Terre because of the small port that was built allowing ships to land in the protected bay. It was already a fortified village and efficient maritime base in the earliest records available from the eleventh century. Today there are traces of the military defences built by the Genovese in the thirteenth century such as traces of the old walls, ramparts and the look out tower.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Free
There was a castle here before 1200 and some ruins of it can still be seen. The community of Monterosso was founded in 1214.
The church of San Giovanni Battista, built-in 1220 has a bell tower built in 1400 as a lookout tower.
The church of San Antonio di Mesco was built in 1335.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Free
The new town is called Fegina and is linked to the old part of Monterosso by a pedestrian tunnel. Statue of Neptune built into the rock, but made of concrete so badly deteriorated, was built by an architect in the 1920's.
The sandy shelf provides the ideal habitat for seagrass which acts as a lung for the waters of the Cinque Terre and provides a beautiful beach for us. The whole area is a marine protected area, like the sea version of a national park.
2007 Forbes magazine called Monterosso the sexiest beach in the world....whatever that may mean.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Free
At Riomaggiore, centuries ago, the distinctive tall, colourful houses known as Genovese tower houses arranged in rows connected by alleys, arches and steps provided a defense against pirates.
House colours are regulated by the comune. You can't just paint them any colour you like!
Houses have two entrances, one at the front and one at the rear on the higher road, so that when they were attacked by pirates, the people could escape.
At the end of the eighteen hundreds the railway came along the coast and Riomaggiore, along with the other towns of the cinque terrre came out of their historic isolation, even though a road wouldn't reach them until the 1970's.
Language, lingua ligure, the villages were so cut off even from each other that they spoke different dialects of the same language.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Free
Traveler Photos
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Traveler Tips
- "The hiking trail can be a bit challenging, especially in the rain, so be prepared for a significant hike over very rocky terrain." See review
- "Wear good shoes and bring a water bottle as well as a camera." See review
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Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence with Optional Hiking
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