Cinque Terre Day Trips from Florence
These colourful and picturesque villages hanging from cliffs overlooking the sea will add a special touch to your trip. Here's how to visit them
Cinque Terre coastal landscape | ©Richard Mortel
Cinque Terre is an idyllic coastal area on the Italian Riviera, 170 kilometres from Florence. This region encompasses five picturesque villages, perched on breathtaking cliffs: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.
Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence
Travel comfortably to Cinque Terre with a professional guide
Discover the picturesque villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore on a bus trip from Florence accompanied by a professional guide.
With this excursion to Cinque Terre from Florence, you will visit one of the most beautiful natural areas of the Mediterranean, home to the villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, located approximately 200 kilometres from Florence.
On this bus tour from Florence, you will be accompanied by a professional guide who will tell you all about the history and architecture of each town. You also have the option to include lunch in the tour, so don't hesitate! It's a trip not to be missed.
The best time to travel to Cinque Terre is in the warm months to enjoy the beaches, but keep in mind that in July and August there is a lot of tourism.
Recommended if... This is a must if you are travelling to Florence, especially if your trip coincides with the spring and summer months - a natural paradise!
The best excursions to Cinque Terre from Florence
The Cinque Terre area is easily accessible from Florence and there are organised excursions that take you there and back in the same day.
My favourite option is the Cinque Terre Getaway from Florence - from £51
Cinque Terre from Florence
With this 12 and a half hour day trip to Cinque Terre from Florence, you will get to know the four most important towns that make up Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Monterosso and Vernazza in one day.
You will be accompanied by a guide who will tell you all about the history and architecture of these beautiful villages, but you will also have time to explore the narrow streets of Riomaggiore, the olive groves of Vernazza and the medieval relics of Manarola on your own. In addition, you have the option to include both a typical local lunch in a restaurant overlooking the ocean to recharge your batteries along the way, and all transport by bus, train and boat.
A tip: bring your swimming costume and you can swim in the turquoise waters of Monterosso's beaches!
What's included in this tour
- Return transfers by fully equipped bus.
- Visit to Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore.
- Lunch (optional).
- Trains and boats in Cinque Terre (optional).
Itinerary
- Manarola
- Riomaggiore
- Monterosso
- Vernazza
Private tour of Cinque Terre with visit to Manarola, Vernazza and Corniglia
Enjoy the most beautiful villages of Cinque Terre in a more exclusive way is also possible, with this private tour from Florence to Cinque Terre. A private vehicle will pick you up from your hotel in Florence and take you to discover the wonders of Manarola, Vernazza and Corniglia. Along the way you will stop to see the famous Carrara marble quarries.
This option is ideal if you prefer to invest in a more exclusive experience without having to share the day with other travellers, this is the best option. The best thing about this tour is that you can also include an additional stop in the Tuscan city of Pisa, which I highly recommend for you and your companions to see the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Why I like this tour
If you prefer to invest in a more exclusive experience without having to share the day with other travellers, this is the best option. The best thing about this tour is that you can also include an additional stop in the Tuscan city of Pisa, which I highly recommend for you and your companions to see the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
What this tour includes
- Private day trip to the villages of Manarola, Vernazza and Corniglia
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off and drop-off at the accommodation within the city of Florence
- Private transport in minivan or air-conditioned car
Itinerary
- Manarola
- Vernazza
- Corniglia
- Carrara marble quarries on the road to Cinque Terre
- Possibility to stop in Pisa
Why it's worth visiting Cinque Terre
On your excursion to Cinque Terre from Florence you will be amazed by the colourful facades of the old houses. This is probably the best known and most remarkable aspect, but not the only one. Made up of four Mediterranean villages, Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore, and one inland village, Corniglia, the Cinque Terre is an unforgettable place dotted with natural landscapes, unique architecture, exotic beaches, hiking trails, exquisite gastronomy and cultural sites of interest.
Manarola
Manarola, situated on a hill that stretches down to the sea, is the most famous town in the Cinque Terre. It has a pleasant harbour, where you can eat in one of the many restaurants and take home souvenirs from the local shops, and a bathing area called Marina di Manarola.
Among its attractions are its medieval relics, the Church of San Lorenzo and a viewpoint that surrounds a cliff towards Corniglia and from where you can get the best photos of the area, especially at sunset.
Riomaggiore
Known for its local wine, cobbled streets and pastel-coloured houses stretching down to a charming little harbour, Riomaggiore is one of the prettiest villages in Cinque Terre due to its exceptional setting on a steep mountainside above the valley of the Maggiore River.
This town, which dates back to the 13th century, has an interesting historic centre with the Church of San Giovanni Battista, the Castle and the Church of the Confraternita dell'Assunta. For the best souvenir of Riomaggiore, go down to the harbour and look for its stone jetty, from where you will get postcard-perfect photos. Want to take the opportunity to go for a dip? Follow the small path leading from the jetty, which will take you to a pretty little rocky beach.
Monterosso al Mare
Located in a small natural gulf, Monterosso al Mare is the largest town in Cinque Terre and the best place to stay as a base of operations if you are thinking of staying there, as it has a larger hotel offer and therefore more affordable prices than the other towns.
If you like beaches, you will love Monterosso, as it has the longest beaches in the area, bathed by crystal-clear waters. Also interesting is its historic centre, with highlights such as the statue 'Il Gigante', emblem of the town, the Aurora Tower and the Church of San Giovanni Battista.
Vernazza
Vernazza, surrounded by terraced olive groves said to produce some of the best olive oil in Italy, is a hilltop town of narrow, colourful streets that can be reached on foot and is a beautiful, if somewhat arduous, walk from Monterroso al Mare.
Among Vernazza's cultural sites are the church of Santa Margherita d'Antioch, built on a pleasant square, and the Doria Castle, from whose tower you can admire the best views of the town.
Corniglia
You can't get to Corniglia without first climbing its Lardarina, a flight of 382 steps leading up to the 100-metre high hill where the only inland village of Cinque Terre and the smallest one stands. Surrounded by terraced vineyards and olive groves, the town's tourist attractions include the churches located in its main square, Piazza Largo Taragio.
The best beaches in Cinque Terre
One of the best things to do on this trip to Cinque Terre from Florence is to enjoy the beautiful beaches and swim in the turquoise waters of the Ligurian Sea. Among the various beaches in Cinque Terre are:
- Vernazza. The beach of Vernazza is made of gravel and rocks and is hidden behind a cave.
- Guvano. This natural and wild beach with crystalline waters is in Corniglia and is one of the most beautiful in Cinque Terre.
- Fegina. It is the only sandy beach of Cinque Terre and the biggest and most frequented.
Hiking in Cinque Terre
If you also like hiking and take advantage of your trips to do trekking routes, Cinque Terre is going to make you fall in love with it because it is one of the best areas in the country to practice this sport thanks to its landscape full of cliffs, postcard villages, vineyards and olive trees.
Cinque Terre has a famous 12 kilometres route, the Blue Trail, which is wonderful because it takes you between the five villages in the area by the shortest and easiest way. To do any of the sections of this trail you should buy the Cinque Terre Card, which costs less than €8, and be equipped with water and comfortable clothes and shoes.
Other interesting activities in Florence
If you found this article on how to visit Cinque Terre from Florence useful, you may be interested in my guide to the Cinque Terre from Florence. Tours and Daytrips from Florenceor my guide on Pisa Day Trips from Florence. If you are interested in getting to know Florence in depth, you cannot miss the Duomo and the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries. Here are the links to their guides so you can organise your visit: Florence Duomo Tickets and Tours: how to buy, prices and schedules, Uffizi Gallery Tickets and Tours in Florence: how to buy, prices and schedules y Accademia Gallery Tickets and Tours in Florence: how to buy, prices and discounts.