Want to get great views of the ocean from Italy but are on a budget studying abroad as a student? This post is all about how to go on a Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence as a study abroad student! Cinque Terre, meaning “five towns”, is a great place to visit while in Italy and is comparable to Amalfi Coast. This will cover costs and ways of getting there, what to do and where to go, as well as where to eat and more!
Day Trip From Florence
How to Go to Cinque Terre from Florence
Staying in Florence wondering how to go to Cinque Terre from Florence? I’ll share with you so many options to take your trip to Cinque Terre! Get Your Guide is a great place to start to look for bookings for a Cinque Terre tour. Read the comments carefully, and make a decision based on your preferences for how you’d like your visit to go!
Bus from Florence to Cinque Terre
Getting to Cinque Terre from Florence is the easiest and fastest. If you’re living in Florence studying abroad, there are TONS of Cinque Terre day tours you can take with a guide. My family and I took a bus trip with a guide to see all 5 towns, complete with guidance through train rides between towns, and a boat ride between our last two towns, and a meal. It was a great experience, and you got to see all 5 towns without worrying about how to go from one to the next.
Train to Cinque Terre from Florence
Of course, if you want, you can always take a train from Florence and then visit the towns on your own, however you’ll need to book train rides between the towns to travel from one to the next. There is a day pass for the trains available! It is TOTALLY possible to see all 5 towns in one day, however, you’ll want to make sure you map out your day accordingly and make sure you hit the favorites early before they get really busy!
The Florence to Cinque Terre train time is about 2.5-3.5 hours, and the bus option is also around 3 hours. The train to Cinque Terre from Florence is only possible through a regional train, not the high speed trains. You will also likely have a few transfers to make along the way, so if you choose this option make sure you give yourself enough time between trains! The Florence to Cinque Terre train cost is around 18 Euros one way, or around 36 Euros round trip!
Cinque Terre Day Tours
If you want to travel with ease through Cinque Terre from Florence, I’d take a day trip with a bus and a guide! This is what my family and I did while visiting and it was a great way to see Cinque Terre. There are so many options through Get Your Guide, or other travel sites. I’ve found that this is the best if you’re wanting to get through all of the towns and not get lost. Great option for solo travelers! Click HERE to find one of the best tours to book! This option includes an optional hike and lunch add on if you select it, otherwise you can choose where to go for lunch when you’re in Cinque Terre.
SIDE NOTE: This day tour is a very LONG day trip, and you’ll need to be up early but it is SO worth it! Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
Cinque Terre Villages
1. Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore is a GREAT place for photos in the Cinque Terre Villiages. This is one of the best towns to see the colorful buildings and the ocean behind it! Also a great place to take a boat from, as it is easy to walk to the coast from and get a great scenic view of the town! While at Riomaggiore, there is a church you can visit, the church of San Giovanni Battista of Riomaggiore. There is no entry cost, and it will take about 20 minutes at most to look through! SO worth taking the time to check out!
There is also a castle to see at Riomaggiore, Castello di Riomaggiore. Close by this, there is a beautiful view of the ocean from up high that you won’t want to miss out on!
Riomaggiore tends to get very busy later in the day, so the best time to visit this one is early on in the morning before the crowds come in. However, later at night if you’re looking into a boat ride, this would be a great place to be for the views from the boat!
2. Monterosso al Mare
Wondering what to do in Monterosso al Mare? Monterosso is a unique town to visit complete with a beach and ocean views. Known for its white wines, grapes, and olives, and beach like aesthetic, Monterosso is a nice spot if you’re looking to relax and enjoy your time at Cinque Terre. There are also many great hikes you can do from here as well, keep reading to find some of the BEST hikes you can get in here!
3. Manarola
Manarola is one of the towns to get the best views of the colorful buildings on the coast. There is a great bridge to walk to take some great photos! You’ll also get to look out into the ocean and see boats and walk close to the water if you desire! The walking trail from the main part of the town goes far enough that you can see just the ocean and boats around! It’s a neat area, and a great starting point for hiking excursions! Manarola is also known for its sweet dessert wine, Sciacchetrà.
Manarola is also home to another beautiful church that you can visit, the church of San Lorenzo, dating back to the 13th century. Along with the church, you do not want to miss the Via Dell’Amore, a walking pathway you can take. The pathway that begins/ends in Manarola and Riomaggiore. If you’re looking to do two really great towns and a good walk during the day, this is perfect for an early morning activity. The entire walk is at most 30 mins. if you stop to enjoy and soak in every bit of the views while you’re there.
4. Vernazza
Vernazza is another one of the best Cinque Terre Villiages! There are great spots to sit and enjoy the view of the town and the boat dock. This is a great place to take a boat from to go around Cinque Terre. This villages colorful buildings surround it’s small marina filled with smaller boats. Many people enjoy sitting and hanging out at the marina, and it’s a great place to sit and enjoy lunch! The views of the town are unique and you can even see the trains go by while sitting at the marina. Vernazza is also a great place for hiking trails. See more below on hiking trails in or from Vernazza!
If you’re looking for the most photo worthy towns to visit, Vernazza is one of the best ones. With the elegant housing and colorful landscape, you’ll surely get some beautiful photography of this town in Cinque Terre.
5. Corniglia
Corniglia is another one of the best Cinque Terre villages to check out. Here you’ll get even more great views of the colorful landscape. Corniglia is home to the Parish of San Pietro, Oratory of Santa Caterina, and some great hiking trails. Corniglia is connected to the train station by 300+ steps, so this is a hike to get to but isn’t bad at all. It’s so worth it though! Corniglia is actually an ancient Roman village, known for being rich with agriculture.
Places to Stay Cinque Terre
If you’re wanting to spend more than 1 day in Cinque Terre, I’d recommend staying in Corniglia. This website recommends great bed and breakfast places! Corniglia is a great place to stay if you’re looking to start visiting towns right away, and if you’d want a great view of the sea from your room. Corniglia is a great place to hike to and from as well! See below to read more on hiking options from Corniglia.
Because Corniglia is located in the center of Cinque Terre, it is a great starting point to get anywhere you’d like whether you’re hiking or taking the train. It’s not too far to get from one place to another. Here you can start a lot of hikes, or take boats to get to any of the other 4 towns. It is also a nice and quiet place to stay relative to the other towns.
Cinque Terre Map
If you’re in need of a visual map to see where things are located in Cinque Terre, look no further! This will serve as a guide to give you a bit more spacial awareness as to where things are located.
Cinque Terre Hiking Trails
One of the BEST ways to visit Cinque Terre is by taking advantage of the great hiking trails it has to offer! Some even decide to do a day hiking trip around a few of the towns. There are SO many hiking options to choose from, so I’ll provide some great resources for you to choose from. If you’re feeling really adventurous, you could hike all across Cinque Terre, but it’ll very much so be split into a few days or one incredibly long day.
Below are some of the hiking options that start from Corniglia and links to more info about the path:
Cinque Terre Hiking Trails Map
If you are looking for a Cinque Terre hiking trails map, look no further than the map provided below from the official site!
Cinque Terre Trekking Card
If you are planning on doing a day filled with hiking at Cinque Terre, you will for sure want to take advantage of the Cinque Terre trekking card. This pass lets you in to all of the hiking trails for a one time price valid for the entire day. The day pass costs 7.50 Euros for and adult for 1 day, or 14.50 for 2 days. These can be purchased at the train stations! For more detailed information such as kid’s pricing and other helpful tips, follow the link HERE!
This post was all about how to take a Cinque Terre day trip from Florence! I hope this helped you in planning your trip to Cinque Terre and gave you great recommendations on where to spend your day! It is totally worth visiting all the towns, be sure to take advantage while you are there.
