When we traveled to Italy with our children for the first time in August 2017, we divided the trip into three parts over the course of two weeks – four nights in Florence, seven nights in the Cinque Terre and three more nights in Florence. The week in the Cinque Terre was built-in as a vacation within a vacation. This break from city sightseeing gave us time to slow down and recharge. I searched online to find a location along the coast that is easy to get to from Florence and is breathtakingly beautiful. The Cinque Terre kept popping up in my search and after some digging around, I concluded that this region would provide the perfect blend of easy, relaxing and picturesque.
For those thinking about or preparing to spend time in this region, this family travel guide will provide insight into our week-long experience of relaxation. Our mission when planning all of our family vacations is to balance the needs and interests of the children and adults while also prioritizing safety, comfort and ease. For more on the basic parameters for planning and implementing a successful family vacation in general, take a look at my complete family travel guide.
GETTING TO THE CINQUE TERRE
This region along the Italian Riviera is easy to get to from Florence, especially for families new to traveling around Italy and seeking a relaxing location to enjoy the sun, sea and nature. The travel time by train from Florence to the town of Monterosso al Mare, our destination in the Cinque Terre, is about 2 1/2 hours. There are no direct trains but there was a quick and easy transfer at the Pisa train station. About six weeks prior to our vacation, I purchased tickets online for a family of four through ItaliaRail that cost a total of $147 for the round trip. This excursion with children ages 9 and 4, four carry-on suitcases and additional baggage was smooth sailing both ways. Trains were on time, clean, efficient, easy to locate and we experienced outstanding customer service throughout.
GETTING AROUND THE CINQUE TERRE
The Cinque Terre is just north of Pisa on the west coast of Italy and consists of the following five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. It is easy to move around this region where a local train (or hiking trails for those more adventurous and with older children) and boat service makes it easy to jump around these five villages. It is not recommended to rent a car to explore this region, as there is limited access and parking for cars around these towns. The low ticket cost and easy access to train stations and boat docks stood out and contributed to a relaxing week spent casually exploring these villages. The ease with which we moved around during our week-long stay enhanced our first seaside vacation in Italy.
| Cinque Terre vs Amalfi Coast We traveled to the Amalfi coast the following summer and in comparison, the Cinque Terre is easier and cheaper to navigate, especially with children. The Amalfi coast is spectacular but the towns are more spread out and to get around via taxi or water taxi is expensive. The time to get from one location to another on land is much longer because of the windy roads but when possible, we used water taxis because they were much fastest from point A to point B, however, costly. We did not use the local buses because we wanted to follow our own schedule. There are numerous benefits to visiting the Amalfi coast which I explore in a separate post but for families new to traveling around Italy and seeking a fairly easy and less expensive experience along the coast, I would suggest that they start with the Cinque Terre. |
WHERE TO STAY
Of the five villages, Monterosso al Mare is the largest town, has substantial beaches and seemed to be the most convenient and accessible. I used Hotels.com and TripAdvisor to select a comfortable, safe and beautiful place to call home for one week. Hotel Porto Roca is built into a cliff at the top of a hill just off of the old town. It offers stunning views of the sea and the vineyard terraces zigzagging up the hillside. We spent quality time swimming in the outdoor infinity pool overlooked the sea. The hotel also has a reserved area for guests of the hotel at the private beach located at the bottom of the hill, Beach Bar Alga, where chairs and umbrellas were included at no additional charge. The hotel provides a free shuttle that takes guests up and down the hill where at the bottom of the hill, one can access the beach, town center, train station and boat dock.
Hotel Porto Roca is an independent hotel that was a labor of love and feat of engineering for its original owner when it was completed in 1963. It is beautiful, clean, safe and convenient. We had breakfast every morning on a large balcony and had dinner in their restaurant on our last night. I would happily recommend and return to Hotel Porto Roca. The total cost for our seven night stay was $5,565 ($795 per night) and I booked this August 2017 stay at the beginning of February through Hotels.com.
WHAT TO DO
We had six full days to bask in the beauty of the Cinque Terre. There was plenty of time to relax at the beach in Monterosso al Mare and by our hotel swimming pool as well as to wander around the other towns. The beaches are not sandy but rocky and I would recommend water shoes for the kids. In Monterosso al Mare, we climbed up the hill on the new side of town and opposite from our hotel to the Church of the Capuchin Friars. We had amazing views along the way and this small hike rewarded us with a quiet visit to the church at the top. We then made way our down into the town to find lunch which we did at La Cantina Del Pescatore. There is a small café in the back of this shop that serves the best focaccia sandwiches. We had lunch here four times during our stay and I would happily go back to Monterosso al Mare just to eat here again. It is that good.
On some days, we explored other towns, such as Vernazza and Manorola, later in the afternoon to give us time to walk around and have dinner at a well-appointed restaurant overlooking the sea and where we were surrounded by the dazzling colors of the sky at sunset. Day trips to Riomaggiore and Corniglia were followed by a late afternoon swim at the hotel. Over the course of a relaxing six day schedule we were able to visit all five villages and became very familiar with the relaxed pace of life in Monterosso al Mare. For those with limited time, a shorter stay would suffice.
WHERE TO EAT
We went to the following restaurants recommended by our hotel’s staff who assisted with making the required reservations for dinner. It is important for those with young children to keep in mind that most restaurants do not start serving dinner until 7:30 pm. Dinner attire was casual throughout which meant my husband was able to wear shorts with a button down or t-shirt most evening much to his delight.
- La Cantina Del Pescatore, Monterossa al Mare. Small cafe in the back of a shop and best for lunch.
- Ristorante Belforte, Vernazza.
- Ristorante Miky, Monterosso al Mare, Via Fegina 104
- Ristorante L’Ancora della Tortuga, Monterosso al Mare.
- L’Osteria Ristorante, Monterossa Al Mare
- Trattoria dal Billy, Manarola
Our week of relaxation in the Cinque Terre was a perfect introduction to the Italian Riviera – a place that will always be special to our family. This excursion from Florence to Monterosso al Mare introduced us to the efficiency of the Italian train system and the general ease of moving around Italy as a family with young children. The following summer we traveled from Rome to the Amalfi Coast. The Cinque Terre gave us the confidence and desire to expand our travel portfolio as a family.
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