Is joining Venice & Cinque Terre a good idea?

I dare say no better choice for those who want to have fantastic Italian experience: Venice + Cinque Terre, an amazing, rewarding holiday in the magical land of culture and great landscapes!

And the combination works even better if, after Venice ,we join a sojourn in Manarola, which is said the most intellectual one of the five villages on the Liguria coastline, or in Monterosso, the liveliest of the five.

Venice plus Cinque Terre are really a great travel suggestion for many of you looking for romantic, educational, relaxing, amusing and unique places:

•  couples willing to celebrate their love
•  for families with children willing to show new generation beauty at its best
•  for singles travellers wishing to find a place on their own
•  for friends who want to hike and explore, enjoy good wine and excellent food
•  for honeymooners and couples looking for a place where to celebrate their wedding and honeymoon

See at the bottom of this article a special offer package, Best of Italy, for visiting Venice & Cinque Terre.

 

Manarola Hues from La Lampara Apartment

During our last family trip to Venice, before going back to Cinque Terre, we had such a fantastic time and, staying with our kids in a comfortable apartment, we felt like being part of the town and would like not to leave it… Churches, Museums, Parks, Bridges and Calli where all around us and we felt like being inside them, in a total community of feelings and enjoyment.

Basilica La Salute

Our Apartment was located in the famous historical mansion Cà Contarini Fasan, right in front of La Salute Church and close to San Marco Square. Even though the apartment, with one twin and 1 double bedroom, had no view on the Canal Grande, but only on the inner garden of the palace, we felt so happy of  having the chance of living in such and historical landmark (the house it is the own that legend says belonged to Shakerspeare’s Desdemona).

Each day we steped down on the streets below we felt the privilege of being so close to all the most beautiful places that Venice can offer: San Marco, Palazzo Grassi, Roalto, Campo Santo Stefano and also all the most glamorous stores in the world (Gucci, Prada, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Bulgari,…).

Traghetto S. Maria del Giglio, close to our apartment

Garden Facade of Cà Contarini Fasan

Garden View

Our Apartment was lovely, elegantly furnished and well equipped, and even families with up to 2 children would stay at ease in have kitchen facilities so to reduce costs for food and restaurants; nice take away pizzeria are to be found close to the apartment, so even if you are not keen on preparing your own meals, you can still save the day bringing home pizza for all!

I Gondolieri, always smiling and ready to take you around for a memorable trip, starting from 80 eur

If it’s clear do not miss going up to the bell tower, the view will leave you breathless, but, when the the bells start…close your ears!

and if the the rains comes and water level goes up on San Marco, strange and amusing could be taking unusual reflections pics…

Art will be all around you, in and out of the museums…

And shopping, well, if your pocket is full of money, you just have the embarass of choice

And then, when last Ciao has been given to Venice…

It was time go down to Cinque Terre  where we live, but where we keep seeing our villages everyday with new eyes, discovering always new corners and unexpected spots.

Manarola and Monterosso as top destination villages and a good choice for a seaside holiday after visiting Italian cultural towns…

Train trip from Venice takes less than 6 hours with changes in Florence and La Spezia, cost around 53,00 eur Second Class and 72,00 eur First Class, but things might be slightly different next Summer when Trenitalia will publish new timetable (Spring Summer edition usually  starts from April 1st).

By car it takes about 5 hours.

Let’s have a quick look at both villages, both lovely and charming but with main differences so that all tastes can be satisfied:

- Manarola has rocks and cliffs and a small marina where boats arrive and connect it to the other four hamlets of the Cinque Terre and to La Spezia. It is served by train and can also be easily reached by car, from the highway passing through La Spezia and taking the panoramic road called “Litoranea” (coastal route). Public car parking is small and when parking spots are full you have to park at additional spots along the main road, served anyway by the National Park shuttle buses.

- Monterosso has long, equipped beaches and it is split up into two areas, Old Village and Fegina, connected by a pedestrian tunnel along the promenade. In Fegina we have the train station, while in in the Old Village we find the boat pier. Both areas can be accessed by separate roads and have larger car parking areas (even though now, after last October flash flood , the car parking area in the Old Village cannot be used and access by car is suggested from Fegina)

One cannot but fall in love of Manarola lovely village, either one arrives in Winter or in Summer…

Lovely Decoration of one of the old Manarola houses

Cute Window Decorations

Manarola is home of the famous, biggest Mario Andreoli Nativity with hundreds of characters on the hill lit up by thousands bulbs

But Manarola is also a fantastic holiday village, where people enjoy staying a week at least but even a whole month or a year…

View from Manarola La Lampara Bedroom Window

La Lampara terrace, so inspiring for writers and painters and…lovers, of course!

As far as Monterosso here some interesting views and pics of a lovely apartment we suggest to everybody for its comforts and closeness to beaches, Sciachetrà apartment 
First of all its’ a ground floor unit with a patio, so that going to and from beaches is easy (Monterosso buildings have no elevators).

Waves Curls in the Kitchen

Sciachetrà Sitting room sea inspired details

Monterosso playground

Cinque Terre Coastline

So, strong of our experience, since we personally tried all these options on a family trip, we want to propose  BEST OF ITALY offer for all those who want to join the two destinations:

Venice + Cinque Terre 14 nights

1 week in Venice