The best of Cinque Terre in 2 hours - Cinque Terre boat tour from La Spezia

Escape the crowds and live the charm of the Ligurian coast and Cinque Terre with this boat trip on a small yacht for maximum six passengers: an intimate experience that will allow you to get close to the shore of the protected maritime area.

Duration
2 hours

Available
Every day

Small Group
Max 6 people

Meeting Point
Port Mirabello
La Spezia

Start time
10:00am

Taking a boat tour in Cinque Terre is an experience you should not miss if you come to Italy: a land between the sea and high rocks and one of the most romantic and striking spots in the world. Escape the crowds and live the charm of the Ligurian coast with this boat trip on a small yacht for maximum six passengers: an intimate experience that, unlike the larger boats, will allow you to get close to the shore of the protected maritime area. Relax and enjoy a unique view of the five picturesque villages, declared a Unesco World Heritage Site for their beauty, admiring a side of the Cinque Terre that is not so easy for tourists to find.

Tour program of the Cinque Terre boat tour from La Spezia:

Meeting point at 10.00am at the port Mirabello of La Spezia and start of the boat tour.
The cruise starts sailing through the “Gulf of Poets”, passing by the charming village of Portovenere, the “gateway to Cinque Terre”. Continue along the picturesque coast of the Cinque Terre National Park. During the tour, enjoy a glass of sparkling Prosecco and the typical Ligurian “focaccia”.
The first town is Riomaggiore, a picturesque coast-side village with post-card perfect panoramas at every bend.
The tour continues to Manarola: the village is perched atop jagged ocean cliffs and surrounded by lush-green vineyards and it is the second of Cinque Terre’s five towns. It has an incredible spit of land where the most famous Cinque Terre Instagram photos are taken.
From Manarola, you will depart on a boat for Vernazza, the beauty queen of Cinque Terre: the most popular and the most photogenic one. Vernazza’s shoreline stands out because of the iconic colorful buildings along the cliffs and the beautiful church tower that looks out onto the bay.
Further along, you will see Corniglia: the smallest of Cinque Terre, built far above the ocean on the cliffs.
Finally Monterosso al Mare: the largest and most visited of the villages; admire its large beach, lined with colorful umbrellas and spiral up through the village.
The tour will end in Monterosso around 12.00am.

* Before booking the tour, contact us via chat or via e-mail, to make sure that there will be availability.

**This experience requires a minimum number of 4 travellers. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.

The price includes: Professional skipper – English speaking assistant – Snack (Typical Ligurian “focaccia”) – Welcome prosecco toast .

The price does not include: Hotel pick-up and drop-off.

Do not forget: Camera – Sun hat – Sunscreen.

Maximum: 6 people on board.

To know more about your boat trip...

La Spezia and surroundings

La Spezia is a beautiful Ligurian town overlooking the Gulf of Poets, not far from the Cinque Terre. Its location is perfect to explore the places of the Ligurian Riviera, to immerse yourself in colors and typical flavors and return home with eyes full of the most spectacular landscapes of Liguria. The two-hour boat tour to the Cinque Terre starts from here, to discover the best of this stretch of Ligurian coast. Departing from La Spezia you will pass by Portovenere, enter in the Gulf of Poets and admire the famous villages of Vernazza, Corniglia, Riomaggiore, Manarola and Monterosso al Mare.

Cinque Terre: what to see and where to swim

A day trip to Cinque Terre can be enough to discover the most representative places of the whole Ligurian coast. In two hours, with us, you can touch the highlights of the Riviera like the villages of Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore, you will admire the Corniglia cliff with its vineyards and the giant Neptune statue in Monterosso al Mare. Also, you will enter the bays that inspired poets and artists and that visitors from all over the world have defined as unmissable. The Cinque Terre are full of bays and coves with amazing beaches and crystal-clear waters where you can swim. In Monterosso al Mare there are two beaches: the Fegina beach, which is the only one with sand and fine gravel, and the beach called del Paese Vecchio, a stone’s throw from the train station and a beautiful sea. In Vernazza you can find two public beaches, impossible to reach by car especially in the summer months, which are located at the foot of the village. For lovers of nudism, in Corniglia there is a very small secluded beach, also this one is pretty difficult to reach by car: its name is Guvano Beach. Lastly, the Spiaggione in Corniglia, a pebble beach leading to a spectacular sea, when the weather allows it.

Gulf of Poets

The Gulf of La Spezia is also called the Gulf of Poets because this land has always been loved by artists and poets of the 19th century such as Byron, Shelly, Petrarca and Montale. This name appeared for the first time on August 30, 1910 during the funeral oration that the playwright Sem Benelli dedicated to Paolo Mantegazza, physician and science communicator who lived near Lerici. The Gulf of Poets is located in the final stretch of the Ligurian coast and goes from Portovenere to Lerici, one of the most beautiful places of the Levante Riviera. What makes the Gulf of Poets particularly fascinating is the presence of its colorful seaside villages, its small beaches and beautiful castles overlooking the sea.

Riomaggiore: the village that was born from the river

The view of Riomaggiore from the sea is unlike anything else in the world. The Genoese-style houses overlooking the sea and following the course of the ancient river Maggiore that ran through the village, make this cove very special. Its marina is dotted with colorful boats docked at the wharf and sheltered by the natural cove, easily accessible through one of the two ways down to the sea. The valley of Riomaggiore has the Mount Verugola in the background; it reaches out towards the sky with its three peaks, the same that gave life to the symbol of the city of Riomaggiore. A picture taken from here is a perfect postcard.

Manarola

The most instagrammed village of the Gulf of Poets is certainly Manarola and that’s because it looks like a small gem. Its tower-houses seem to come out of the rock and the impression one gets is to be in front of a crib by the sea: it is no coincidence that from December 8 and throughout the Christmas period, the largest luminous crib in the world in installed on the hill overlooking Manarola. Manarola, like Riomaggiore, is spread around a river that called Groppo. The village is also famous for the beautiful path called Via dell’Amore (“way of love” in English), that connects Manarola to the first village of the Gulf of Poets, Riomaggiore. Speaking of poets, here you will find also a memorial plaque for the poet Eugenio Montale and a monument to the Genoese singer and songwriter Fabrizio De Andrè.

The spur of Vernazza chosen by the New York Times

If the New York Times recommends Vernazza among the 46 must visit cities in the world, there must be a reason! Vernazza is the perfect summary of the Ligurian village with its colored tower-houses, narrow streets full of craft shops and the way down to the clear sea. Here, terrace cultivations and vineyards are typical, so much that there are about 7,000 kilometers of drywall terraces built over time and that provide the perfect setting for the landscape. This breathtaking place with its rocky spur overlooking the sea is a real natural wonder to discover.

Corniglia, the land of excellent wines

Boccaccio mentions Corniglia in his famous Decameron with reference to wine; here indeed, far from the sea, you are surrounded by vineyards and good smell. Corniglia is the smallest town on the Ligurian coast but it holds many peculiarities: like a legendary staircase of 377 steps and a Genoese rose window made of Carrara marble. Despite being far from the sea, from Corniglia it is possible to access the so-called Spiaggione (“big beach” in English), a coastline of 700 meters of public beach.

Monterosso, the most westerly village of the Cinque Terre

Among the most visited villages, Monterosso is located to the west of the Gulf, you will recognize it by the gigantic statue of Neptune that dominates the long beach. The second hallmark of Monterosso are the nineteenth-century dwellings that embellish the traditional urbanism, made by the pastel-colored Genoese houses perched on the rock.

Why taking a boat tour to the Cinque Terre?

Visiting the Cinque Terre is like leafing through a colorful book, each page is a characteristic village overlooking the sea. In many cases visiting the Cinque Terre by car will not allow you to fully enjoy the landscape: some villages, for example, do not have parking lots where you can easily leave your car. Instead, choosing to visit the Cinque Terre by boat is certainly a better solution to avoid traffic and take in amazing views reviewed all over the world. Depending on the amount of time at your disposal, you can choose the perfect tour for your needs. This two-hour boat tour to Cinque Terre will show you the most important villages of the Gulf of Poets with a route that touches real natural spectacles.

What is the typical aperitif in the Cinque Terre?

If you are in the Cinque Terre you can’t not taste the typical Ligurian focaccia: it is a type of flat bread served with various seasoning. The traditional focaccia is stuffed with anchovies from the Ligurian Sea. On board of our boat you will be served a typical Ligurian aperitif with focaccia and prosecco while admiring one of the most photographed and reviewed Italian coastlines in the world.

Will there be any stops for a swim in a beach in the Cinque Terre?

Yes, this boat tour includes a short stop on a beach. The beach will be chosen according to the weather conditions, so as to guarantee the best stop for a good swim. If you want to make more stops, instead, we suggest you to choose the Food & Wine Experience – Cinque Terre boat tour from La Spezia.

How long is the Cinque terre boat tour from Monterosso?

The Cinque Terre boat excursion from Monterosso lasts around 2 hours

Can I choose the departure time?

Yes, you can choose to leave at 12:30am or at 14:30pm depending on availability. It’s important to write the preferred time in the notes when making the reservation.

Are there toilet breaks during the tour?

On board there is the opportunity to use the restroom.

What is included in the boat tour?

In the boat excursion it’s included a typical “Focaccia” tasting and a welcome prosecco toast.

Will the tour be cancelled in case of heavy rain or rough sea?

Yes, in case of bad weather/sea conditions the tour might be cancelled. In case of cancellation we are happy to offer our customers the choice of an alternative date or, in case of inability to rebook, the full refund.