Can you visit Portofino and Cinque Terre in one day?

But outside of those times the 5 Terre towns can be a real joy and on a day trip you can easily visit the 4 seaside towns by trains that trundle between them constantly or in season by boats that serve them - if you have time and energy do a hike between a couple of them.



Technically yes, but it is not recommended as you will spend most of your day in transit rather than enjoying the scenery. Portofino and the Cinque Terre (five villages) are in the same region of Liguria, but they are about 1 to 1.5 hours apart by train. To attempt this, you would need to start at dawn in the Cinque Terre, visit only one or two villages (like Monterosso and Vernazza), then take a train to Santa Margherita Ligure, followed by a ferry or bus to Portofino. You would only have about 2 hours in Portofino before needing to head back. A better one-day itinerary is to pick either the Cinque Terre loop (using the train/ferry to see 3-4 villages) OR a Gulf of Tigullio day (combining Santa Margherita, Portofino, and Camogli). Trying to "see it all" in 10 hours results in a rushed experience that misses the "dolce vita" charm these locations are famous for.

People Also Ask

If you do decide to day-trip, the big but easygoing town of La Spezia is far closer than Genoa or Pisa, with just a seven-minute commute to the closest Cinque Terre village, Riomaggiore, and around 15 to 25 minutes to the farthest village, Monterosso.

MORE DETAILS

Vernazza: Located to the north of the Cinque Terre, Vernazza is probably the most beautiful and picturesque fishing village of Cinque Terre, where its colourful houses hang above the sea level on rugged cliffs. It has a charming natural port and an old castle, built to protect the area from pirates.

MORE DETAILS

Less than a three-hour drive from Portofino, you'll find beloved Lake Como, Lago di Como, as it's known regionally.

MORE DETAILS

Visit some of the villages Choose to visit two or three of the villages, for example Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore. You have to skip Corniglia situated on top of a cliff 100 metres above sea level. If you are limited on time, take the train between the villages.

MORE DETAILS

You can walk the entire route in about six hours, if you take short breaks—although many hikers prefer to spread the route out over a few days at a strolling pace, stopping to enjoy the towns along the way. You can start from either direction (Monterosso, heading south, or Riomaggiore, heading north).

MORE DETAILS

This town is worth visiting for two to three days. La Spezia is a port city that's located near Cinque Terre. It has a maritime museum and an old town with restaurants and shops. For visitors who choose not to stay in Cinque Terre, it makes a convenient base for exploring the area.

MORE DETAILS