Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio operates boats further north on the Ligurian coast, serving Portofin

The best way to see the unique and beautiful coast of Liguria Levante is an excursion around the Cinque Terre, Levanto, Portovenere, Lerici, and La Spezia area. Down below are PDF links with prices for Gulf of La Spezia / Cinque Terre Boat / Ferry Schedules for Summer 2014 covering the period starting June 7, 2014. Or click the photo for the most popular tour timetable. We also have an article for Mobile. Link: Quick Schedules for Mobile QR
To see other time periods around the Gulf of La Spezia / Cinque Terre area, use these links: SPRING 2014 Timetables (March airline travel websites 26 to June 6, 2014) or AUTUMN/FALL airline travel websites 2013 Timetables covering September 9 to November 3, 2013.
Why Old Schedules? The schedules for the boats based around the Gulf of La Spezia are only available when the boats are running. So we've created archives of the recent schedules including the price (in pdf format). These timetables are for planning, and may vary from the official information available during the season and found here: Gulf of the Poets Maritime Consortium .
The schedules are similar from year to year, so you can use them to figure out your next vacation, but be sure to verify before you travel if your schedule is time sensitive. The boat service is cash only and subject to cancellation due to weather and wave conditions, which is uncommon in summer, infrequent in spring, but a distinct possibility in autumn.
There is Service to Portofino on Mon./Wed./Fri. from La Spezia, Lerici, Portovenere, the Cinque Terre, and Levanto on the high Summer schedule, which in 2014 started July 2. There are timetables below.
Are the Cinque airline travel websites Terre hiking trails open? Unequivocally yes. While a few trails might be closed at any given point, there are always plenty of trails open. Use this link Cinque Terre National Park Trail Status to check. Famous trails will often be crowded - for energetic hikers with a car, consider this wonderful hike in the Apuan Alps a few miles away: The Via Vandelli . For occasional hikers (like us) consider a neat hike on the other side of the Gulf near Lerici: The Forgotten Villages of the Gulf of the Poets .
Also written Cinqueterre, these are five small villages on the dramatic Ligurian coast. The villages are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. All have train service, and all except airline travel websites Corniglia have ferry service. The area is known for it's wonderful hiking trails, pretty scenery, and its popularity . Since the trails are often steep and sometimes rocky, using the boats appeals to many, and it's a beautiful way to see the area. Consider hiking in one direction, and taking the boat or the train to return.
Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio operates boats further north on the Ligurian coast, serving Portofino, Rapallo, Santa Margarita Ligure, Sestri Levante, Chiavari, Lavagna, San Fruttuoso, and Cinque Terre.
Golfo Paradiso Trasporti Marittimi operates boats yet further north, serving Genoa, Nervi, Bogliasco, Sori, Recco, Camogli, Punta Chiappa, San Fruttuoso, Portofino, Cinque Terre, and Portovenere. They have nighttime cruises and a whale watch cruise as well.
Renting A Car in Italy If you drive in urban areas at home, you can drive in Italy. Be sure to educate yourself on a site like this: Slowtrav Driving Intro . Car rental is not cheap, but beware of low price come-ons by companies without a discoverable track record. Many frequent renters swear by AutoEurope: Auto Europe Link .
Our goal is to help travellers forget bucket airline travel websites lists, and travel slowly and knowledgeably. Want to explore a beautiful small Italian city that isn't your tour book? Try our story, Exploring Pontremoli - Ten Things to Do .
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We have visited and explored Italy from Ameglia - where Liguria meets Tuscany - for over 20 years. We came as photo professionals wanting a home base, and kept coming for love of Italy, Italians, the land, and the food.