Where should I stop between Cinque Terre and Florence?

Without traffic, it takes around 2 hours to drive from Florence to Cinque Terre. Renting a car allows you the flexibility to move around on your own schedule—you can stop in Pisa or charming Levanto on the way. In Levanto, two great lunch options are Pizzeria La Picea or Da Tapulin, if you are in the mood for seafood.



When traveling between the Cinque Terre and Florence in 2026, the most rewarding and popular stop is the city of Pisa. Most regional trains from La Spezia to Florence require a change at Pisa Centrale anyway, making it incredibly convenient to store your luggage in the station's lockers and spend 2–3 hours walking to the Piazza dei Miracoli to see the Leaning Tower, the Duomo, and the Baptistery. For those who have already seen Pisa, the medieval city of Lucca is a spectacular alternative. Lucca is famous for its perfectly preserved Renaissance-era city walls, which have been converted into a wide, tree-lined pedestrian and cycling path that circles the entire historic center. Another hidden gem is Pistoia, which was named Italy’s Capital of Culture in 2017; it offers a much quieter, less crowded experience with stunning Romanesque architecture. If you are driving, a detour into the Montecarlo wine region (not to be confused with Monaco) provides an excellent opportunity to taste world-class white wines and enjoy a traditional Tuscan lunch in a hilltop village before reaching the "Cradle of the Renaissance."

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Day trip to Cinque Terre from Florence: everything you should know. A day trip to Cinque Terre from Florence is a great way to spend a day, and the opportunity to add this famous destination to your trip to Italy. It's so beautiful and unique that has been turned into a National Park in 1999.

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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.

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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.

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La Spezia is a bit of a hidden gem as it is not as touristy as its surroundings and offers beautiful panoramas of the gulf and Apuan Alps as well as fascinating museums, a historic city centre, great markets and streets lined with lovely cafes and restaurants.

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September-October The shoulder season of September to October is the best time to visit Cinque Terre.

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Discover Pisa and the picturesque Cinque Terre on this day trip departing from Florence. Snap a photo with the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa before heading to the coast to see the seaside villages of the Italian Riviera. There, travel through the pink- and yellow-hued towns of the Cinque Terre, a World Heritage Site.

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The easiest way to get to the towns of the Cinque Terre from Florence is to take the train. You have direct options to the nearby city of La Spezia in Liguria, from where you can transfer to the Cinque Terre Express train that will take you to the actual 5 towns.

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1. Florence, Italy. It'll take around ten minutes and just half a mile of walking to get a look at Florence's main attractions. The Ponte Vecchio, the city's famous Duomo and the Uffizi Gallery are basically within touching distance of each other.

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Three days in Florence isn't a huge amount of time. While the city may be small in size, there are countless fantastic things to do, including several huge museums where you could easily spend an entire day alone.

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Unless your flights are both in the middle of the night, stay only one night in Pisa and spend the rest of the time in Florence. Pisa is a nice little town. Florence is one of the most wonderful cities on the planet.

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