Colourful seaside villages in Liguria, one after another by train: the view of Manarola, the harbour of Vernazza, the beach of Monterosso.
Five fishing villages clinging to the Ligurian coast, between the sea and terraced vineyard hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997 along with Portovenere and the islands. You don't drive between villages: leave your car in La Spezia and take the train, which runs through tunnels and stops at each village in just a few minutes. You'll see three of the five villages: Manarola in the morning, Vernazza for lunch, Monterosso in the afternoon, then the train takes you back to La Spezia.
Long half day: leave early or skip one visit.
Times are a guide: driving times are worked out without traffic, then come the visits and ten minutes at every stop to park. In summer towards the coast and at rush hour allow extra time.
Manarola is the village of photographs: the coloured houses stand on a spur of dark rock above the sea. The finest view is from the path towards Punta Bonfiglio, where there's also a small park with benches. Up above is the church of San Lorenzo, from the fourteenth century. On the hill opposite, at Christmas, one of the world's largest illuminated nativity scenes lights up, made with hundreds of figures.
Free.
Vernazza has the only true harbour in the Cinque Terre, with a little square by the sea surrounded by coloured houses. On the harbour stands the church of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia, with its octagonal bell tower and apse facing the waves. Above the village is the tower of Castello Doria, the lookout against pirates: from the top you can see the whole coast. In 2011 a flood filled the village with mud, and the inhabitants rebuilt it.
The harbour and church are free; the castle tower has a small admission charge.
Monterosso is the largest village and the only one with a long beach. On Fegina beach stands the Giant, a large statue of Neptune from 1910 carved into the rock, which once supported a terrace. The old village, beyond the tunnel, has the church of San Giovanni Battista in black and white stripes and alleyways full of shops. Here the poet Eugenio Montale spent his summers as a boy, and this coast appears in many of his poems.
Free. Monterosso anchovies, salted or fresh, can be bought in the village shops.
How long it takes from each town, the drive back included. Tap a town to see the plan from there.
Almost every old town has a limited traffic zone (ZTL) with cameras: park outside and walk in. The fine reaches your home, abroad too. ZTL and car parks town by town
Romagna Transfer picks you up at your hotel, drops you in front of every stop and brings you back: no parking, no ZTL, and the wine is yours to enjoy.
The centre on foot in the morning, the sanctuary of San Luca, the Certosa and the Arca di San Domenico in the afternoon
10 h 30 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The Ducati Museum in Borgo Panigale, the Lamborghini Museum in Sant'Agata Bolognese, then Maranello and the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena.
10 h 50 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The UNESCO World Heritage Cathedral and Ghirlandina tower, the Albinelli market, a vinegar cellar and the Ferrari Museum in Maranello.
9 h 25 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The Roman Arena, Piazza delle Erbe, Juliet's house and the Scaliger Tombs in the morning, San Zeno and Castelvecchio in the afternoon.
10 h 15 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
Mantegna's Camera degli Sposi, the squares and Leon Battista Alberti's Sant'Andrea in the morning, Giulio Romano's Palazzo Te in the afternoon.
10 h 00 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The Pilotta with the Teatro Farnese, the Cathedral with Correggio's dome and the pink Baptistery in the morning, the castle in the prosciutto hills in the afternoon.
10 h 25 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The Duomo with the Piccolomini Library and Duccio's Maestà in the morning, Piazza del Campo, the Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia in the afternoon.
10 h 50 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The Duomo with the Piccolomini Library and Duccio's Maestà in the morning, Piazza del Campo and the Palazzo Pubblico in the afternoon, and on the way back the walled village of Monteriggioni.
11 h 50 from Lido degli Estensi Long half day
The plan
The Scaliger Castle, a boat trip and the Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione in the morning, the walled village of Lazise on the Verona shore in the afternoon.
10 h 15 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The Rocca Scaligera, a boat trip and the Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione in the morning, Lazise and Bardolino, the wine town, on the Verona shore in the afternoon.
11 h 35 from Lido degli Estensi Long half day
The plan
Medieval towers, the frescoed Collegiata and views over the Val d'Elsa, then the walled village of Monteriggioni.
10 h 45 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
Piazza dei Miracoli with the Tower, the Cathedral and the Baptistery in the morning, Lucca with its tree-lined walls, Piazza dell'Anfiteatro and Torre Guinigi in the afternoon.
11 h 35 from Lido degli Estensi Long half day
The plan
Piazza dei Miracoli with the Tower, the Cathedral and the Baptistery in the morning, the centre with Piazza dei Cavalieri, Borgo Stretto and Santa Maria della Spina on the Arno in the afternoon.
10 h 45 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The Rocca Sanvitale in its moat with Parmigianino's little room, the fortress of the Meli Lupi princes, then the lands of Giuseppe Verdi.
11 h 25 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The medieval village with the Rocca Viscontea, the walled town among the vineyards, then the fairytale village built by the Visconti di Modrone
11 h 25 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The Torrazzo, the Cathedral and the Violin Museum in Cremona in the morning, the Gonzaga ideal city of Sabbioneta in the afternoon.
11 h 05 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The Teatro Olimpico and Basilica Palladiana in Vicenza in the morning, Palladio's wooden bridge and grappa in Bassano in the afternoon.
9 h 45 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
Take the funicular to the old town: Piazza Vecchia, Santa Maria Maggiore, the Colleoni Chapel and the walls, then the Accademia Carrara
11 h 15 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The Legend of the True Cross and Piazza Grande in Arezzo in the morning, Cortona on the hill above the Val di Chiana in the afternoon.
11 h 30 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The plan
The castle where the emperor begged the pope's forgiveness, the red fortress of Rossena, then the mountain mentioned by Dante.
10 h 45 from Lido degli Estensi Full day
The planTrips written by our editors from the facts of our monument pages and the official sites. Opening days and hours change: the note under every place tells you what to check before you leave. No prices: you find them on the museums' sites.
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