Experience the UNESCO-listed Cinque Terre in one day with a guided tour through the five idyllic fishing villages of old-world Italy. Following the walking trails along the cliffs of the national park, you will see glorious views of this unspoiled stretch of the Italian Riviera. Check out the highlights and learn about the area as you complete a 3.4-mile (5.5-km) route with your guide. If you choose the tour option without hiking, the train will be used instead to move between villages.

Guided trip to Cinque Terre from Florence
Spectacular coastal views along the Cinque Terre
Soak up the old-world atmosphere as you explore Cinque Terre villages on foot
Visit areas inaccessible by car with a guide

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, this active tour lets you explore unspoiled Italian Riviera landscapes by foot.

What's Included

A fun and professional guide who is there to lead you through the day
Transport between Florence and Cinque Terre by coach plus all other transport for the day
Entry tickets to the Cinque Terre National Park
Boat ride along the Riviera (weather permitting)
Time to explore the Cinque Terre villages on foot

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

Piazza della Stazione
Piazza della Stazione, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
Check-in: 7.15am - Your guide will be holding a WALKABOUT sign, right by the taxi stand at Santa Maria Novella train station across from the outside McDonald's

Start time

07:30 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Your journey from Florence to the Cinque Terre starts by coach, where you can relax as your guide shares stories about the area. You'll hear tales about the Tuscan city of Lucca and its famous resident Puccini, before learning about the Cinque Terre and its five fishing villages—Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Monterosso and Riomaggiore—that form the national park.

After a short, two-hour drive, you'll begin your hike through the Cinque Terre on the hills above Manarola. With your guide to help lead you, you'll follow a scenic trail to Corniglia, which culminates in a steep climb of some 382 steps. Note: This charming region is natural and untouched, so there are no hand rails or safety rails, and paths often cut close to the cliff's edge. (if you choose the tour option without hiking, the train will be used instead to move between villages).

Once in Corniglia, you'll enjoy some free time where you can relax and refuel with these spectacular views, before continuing your journey with a hike to Vernazza, where you'll pass terraces of olive groves and colorful bars and cafes. Take a dip in the bay before heading to Monterosso by train, where you'll have free time to explore the beaches, wine shops and artisan goods famous to the village.

The final portion of your journey will include a boat ride (or train ride, depending on weather) to Riomaggiore, a village known for its candy-colored houses, as well as a final hike back to Manarola. Your day trip from Florence to the Cinque Terre ends with a coach ride back to the city.

Walkabout Tour Pick Up

Check-in and departure point

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Borgo Storico di Manarola

Built in the valley of the torrente Groppo, until 1950 the stream which runs through the town was completely uncovered and 11 stone bridges allowed the people to cross from one side to the other. Over the next thirty years the stream was gradually covered over. The ancient village was destroyed by Saracen pirates (in 849) and the surviving people fled in land to live. When the seas were made safe again in the 11th century, people came back to settle here under the protection of the Republic of Genova. By the 1200's cultivation of vines was not only established but the wine they produced was sought after. The church of San Lorenzo was begun in 1338. The patron saint is celebrated on the 10th of August with a procession through the streets carrying a statue of him. The castle which protected the town from pirates is now a private home, you can see the garden from the panoramic walk, it is on the rock immediately above the port. Manarola is now famous for its Christmas nativity scene which is the biggest in the world. Figures outlined in thousands of lights cover the hillside. Also an Easter scene is made.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
Suitable walking shoes are mandatory for those doing the hiking – no flip-flops. Suggestions: walking boots or sneakers, closed toe shoes with non-slip soles.
If you want to swim during free time, please remember to bring your own towel and swimwear.
On rare occasions the boat ride will stop operating due to bad weather or strong winds. It is beyond our control so no refunds or discounts will be issued.
In case of unexpected closure of the paths for unforeseen events, alternative routes will be taken instead for those doing the hiking
A large amount of walking is involved for those doing the hiking. You must be of average fitness and be able to keep up with the rest of the group.
Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking difficulties, below average fitness, or young children.

Minimum age is 8 years.
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

about cancellations.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Q:What is the policy on sanitization during Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence with Optional Hiking?

A:The policies on sanitization are:

Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Gear/equipment sanitized between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized

Q:What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence with Optional Hiking?

A:The policy on staff health & safety is:

Guides required to regularly wash hands

Traveler Photos

Traveler Tips

The hiking trail can be a bit challenging, especially in the rain, so be prepared for a significant hike over very rocky terrain.

Wear good shoes and bring a water bottle as well as a camera.

Reviews

5.0

5,269 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 5,269 reviews

Tour guides were very...

Monique_W, Sep 2022

Tour guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. It was a hot day overall but the views were worth the hike.

3 travelers found this review helpful

Cinque terre trip

Brian_S, Sep 2022

Our guide Ado was amazing. Best guide I ever had. Cinque Terre was wonderful! Ado gave us amazing stories and history Of many towns on the way. He should train all guides for a day!

Emma and Franchesca were...

Mike_F, Sep 2022

Emma and Franchesca were great!! I really had a great time visiting Cinque Terre and the whole day was run well.

1 traveler found this review helpful

Wonderful experience for...

David_R, Sep 2022

Wonderful experience for a day trip, hiking and taking the boat back at the end of the journey. Tour guides were great. Ado, Kia, Chris all did a wonderful job organizing the group and getting us to all 5 towns in one day. Highly recommend this trip with Walkabout Tours, the operator aligned with Viator.

Awesome views, worth the hike but felt rush

angelica_q, Sep 2022

The hiking tour was excellent! Our tour guide Chris was very personable, engaging and professional. However, this hike is very time constraint and only got to see the towns for about 20-30 minutes. We felt rush.

1 traveler found this review helpful

Breathtaking

Michael_C, Sep 2022

Emma and Ginevra did a great job and we’re very knowledgeable, patient, and helpful the entire time! Everything went smoothly and the views were incredible!! We had some free time at all the places and I was even able to take a dip in the sea!

Rushed, disorganized tour

Miles_S, Sep 2022

This tour was very tiring but fun. There was a good amount of explanation from the tour guides at each stop, but I wish the itinerary was sent via email or some other means instead of verbally communicated. It was also difficult to fully enjoy each stop when you only get on average 30-40 minutes at each location. I would suggest staying the night in Cinque Terre instead of doing a day trip from Florence.

1 traveler found this review helpful

A once-in-a-lifetime experience

Kimberly_L, Sep 2022

Wow. Words can’t describe how breathtakingly beautiful Cinque Terre is. This day tour is fast-paced, but it’s well worth it—you’ll visit all 5 of the fishing villages that compose Cinque Terre and learn about the history as well. We went with the hiking option, which was actually quite intense so be prepared with plenty of water and the proper footwear. If you don’t want to hike, one of the tour guides will take you on the bus instead. It is a long day - it’s a 2 hour bus ride from Florence, followed by a series of short train rides to visit the different towns. We left our hotel at 7 am and weren’t back until 9:30 pm. But what a way to spend a day! Our guide Chris was enthusiastic and did a great job corralling the whole group.

Best Excursion Ever!

Chris_H, Aug 2022

My husband and I absolutely loved this trip! The scenery is simply breathtaking and worth the entire day of exploration. Our guides Chris and Ado were positively fantastic!!! They knew so much about the villages, including the best places to go for food and drinks. They were funny, friendly, organized—everything you need in a guide. My husband and I had at least 10 different guides for various excursions during our Italy trip, and Chris and Ado were far and away the best! There is a lot of transportation involved in the trip, but you have to expect that to be able to see 5 villages in a day. It was totally worth it in my opinion. We did the hike, and it is fairly hard, but also worth it if you are able to do it. Overall, I highly recommend this trip!

1 traveler found this review helpful

Smaller group would have been perfect, but overall an excellent day.

Zaheer_S, Sep 2022

It's a long day but a great way to see Cinque Terre if you don't have 2-3 days to spend there. It was very well organized and the tour guides Francesca and Anna were fun, friendly and helpful. The itinerary was a little rushed at times but you can't avoid this if you're going to cover all 5 towns in a day. There is a lot of getting on and off trains and it was a big group, so it got a bit irritating having to wait for people or watching the tour guide have to babysit some people. That is the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. If the group was smaller it would have been perfect. The hike was good. Pretty much at your own pace. Spectacular scenery. You don't need to be an Olympic athlete but don't try to do it if you're a couch potato. Tip: Go for the lunch option. I thought it might be a tourist meal but it was excellent and good value for money. Plus, the stop for lunch is pretty short so it was really helpful to have something prearranged so they could get you in and out quickly.

Good but rushed

Tanya_G, Sep 2022

This was our 3rd excursion and Ado was amazing. We had 2 tour guides but Ado definitely stood out as he was friendly, accommodating, and easy to understand. I gave 4 stars because his counterpart wasn’t as friendly and very hard to understand. The other reason for the 4 stars is 5 islands is a lot to see in one day and it felt very rushed.

Unforgettable!

Kathryn_N, Sep 2022

I really love to hike and so I definitely wanted to visit a national park while in Italy. This excursion seemed like a good way to visit Cinque Terre and combine my interest in hiking. Our two guides, Chris and Ado, were very knowledgeable about the Cinque Terre area. They told us exactly where and where not to go and let us have a lot of flexibility if we didn’t want to stay in the group. They were experts in timing so we did get to see all 5 Terre and have time to explore them even with a train strike causing delays. Wow! Hats off to them.

Great day!

Erika_E, Sep 2022

A must-do if you didn’t get to see the Almafi coast on your trip and if you’re into hiking with spectacular coastal views. We also really enjoyed the appetizer and lunch for an extra 15€ (bring cash!). Ado and Alisha were our tour guides and were great. Ado told us cool things about places we were passing on the way there. We did two WALKABOUT tours and would highly recommend. Very organized. The bus that transports you is air conditioned and comfortable. It was about a 14-hour day but the tour guides never lost momentum. They even walked down the bus aisle at the end of the day to see how your day was and if you had any questions about anything in Italy. One of the villages had a beautiful beach with the best water I’ve ever swam in. My only suggestion for the day would be to provide a map to the attendees. It was hard to picture which of the 5 villages you were in. They had a map on the other tour we did with a little blurb about each and it was super helpful. It also included “meeting spots” so you would know where to find your group throughout the day.

Great day trip

JACQUELINE_V, Sep 2022

My husband and I had a great time with Chiara and Marco as our guides. They were so friendly and hit the perfect balance between guided information and allowing free time to explore on your own.

Exhaustingly long rushed day, But Amazing Views!

Marelis_G, Sep 2022

By far the best scenery you will ever experience, but be prepared for an exhaustingly long rushed day. Our tour guides Chris & Giny we're lively and informative. I asked about the hike and was given the impression it was "doable" only to be faced with about 45 minutes of what felt like endless stairs, & being rushed to a boat which only cause us to not be able to even experience Riomaggiore. The hike was challenging but those views were just breathtaking, so worth every painful step. If I could change 1 thing it would realistic time management and talking to the group, I'm sure if we would have known that if we took the boat we wouldn't see Riomaggiore at all most if not all would have chosen a quick train ride.

1 traveler found this review helpful

A lot to get done in one day.

Dharm_P, Sep 2022

Be prepared for a long day. We went on a very very crowded day and the experience was not as enjoyable. However, it’s a must see world heritage site. The guides do their best to make it a pleasant day but it’s a lot to get done in one day.

Long hard and fantastic

John_S, Sep 2022

The hike was very challenging for a 78 year old but it was well worth the effort. My guide Ginny was absolutely the best part of the tour. I have never met a more pleasant and knowledgeable guide on any tour I have taken. All five stars belong to her.

Amazing day in cinque terre

Elaine_M, Aug 2022

Ado, Marco, and Emma were wonderful! Made the day amazing. Enjoying the hike with the lemon slush stand at the top!

1 traveler found this review helpful

Great day tour

Elaine_S, Sep 2022

Our guides for the day Franchesca and Emma were very good and the trip well organised. It was a long day, but very much worth it. Cinque Terre is beautiful. We got to visit all 5 villages, I enjoyed the hike and the boat ride to Riagiammore was also a highlight. I would recommend taking the lunch option, the food was very good and also good value for money. All in all a very good tour.

Amazing Tour

Keith_W, Sep 2022

Cinque Terre is absolutely one of the most beautiful places in the world. Our guide Emma was amazing and kept us all on time and was extremely personable. She has a wealth of knowledge and takes the time to get to know you. I would highly recommend this tour.

2 travelers found this review helpful

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Product code: 5070CINQUE

Attractions in Firenze, Italy

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Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence with Optional Hiking

From $55.80

Select Date and Travelers

Overview

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

What's Included

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

Start time

End point

What To Expect

Additional Info

Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

Traveler Photos

Traveler Tips

Questions?

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