The villages of Cinque Terre are unlike any other in the world. With colorful buildings built into the cliffs overlooking the ocean, this area along the southern coast of Italy dates back centuries. When visiting this area of Italy, you won’t want to miss seeing these unique villages.

One of the best ways to view the villages of Monterosso al Mare in the north all the way to Riomaggiore in the south is from a boat on a Cinque Terre day trip. A Cinque Terre tour offers time for swimming and snorkeling as well as amazing photo ops.

There are wonderful Cinque Terre boat tours available, so which sounds the most fun or relaxing for you? If you’re looking for a private boat ride, Cinque Terre day trip tours are a perfect choice. Take a look at these 5 top Cinque Terre boat trips and decide for yourself!

Be sure to see our reviews of Florence Wine Tours, Tuscany Day Trips From Florence and Chianti wine tours from Florence.

Best Boat Rides in Cinque Terre

	Cinque Terre Boat Tour From La Spezia	Cinque Terre Sunset Boat Tour Experience	Cinque Terre Lunch Boat Tour
Location:	HopHop Boat dock, La Spezia	Sea Breeze Boat Tours, Monterosso	Molo dei pescatori, 19016 Monterosso al Mare
Start:	2:00 PM	4:30 PM	11:00 AM
Duration:	4 hours	3 hours	4 hours
Includes:	Round-trip transportation by boat, experienced captain, opportunity to swim and use of snorkel gear	Prosecco, white wine, aperitif with tasting of local products, stop in the village of Vernazza, masks and snorkel available	Wine and/or Prosecco and/ or Beers and/or Limoncino throughout the tour, appetizer and lunch onboard, masks and snorkels provided
	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking

---

Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Cinque Terre Boat Trips For 2024

1. Cinque Terre Boat Tour From La Spezia
2. Cinque Terre Sunset Boat Tour Experience
3. Cinque Terre Lunch Boat Tour
4. Cinque Terre Private Boat Tour
5. Cinque Terre Sunset Tour by Boat

---

Best Cinque Terre Boat Tour Reviews

1. Cinque Terre Boat Tour From La Spezia

There’s nothing quite like spending a full day out on the water off the southern coast of Italy. However, wouldn’t it be even better if you spent that day on a restored fishing boat with an expert and knowledgeable local captain?

On this boat trip, Cinque Terre will come alive as you travel along the coast. With a stop in Monterosso to savor wonderful local cuisine, you’ll enjoy a sample of several light, southern Italian appetizers. Foods include focaccia bread, vegetable pies, and pesto crostini paired with a glass of local wine.

While enjoying your Cinque Terre boat trip tour your captain will tell you all the history of the towns and give you the locals guide on where to go in the towns.

Before heading back to port along the Gulf of Spezia, feel free to take a swim in the aqua colored water or use the snorkeling equipment on board. There is no better way to take in the sights of beautiful Cinque Terre and it’s several cliff-side villages in bright, beautiful colors.

What else could you want from a Cinque Terre boat tour?

Tour Information & Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

---

2. Cinque Terre Sunset Boat Tour Experience

Your experienced skipper will take you along the southern coast of Italy, past several of the Cinque Terre villages. You’ll see Riomaggiore and Punta Montenero as well as Punta Mesco. The coast and these cliffside villages are part of the Cinque Terre National Park.

Drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, are offered throughout the 3-hour Cinque Terre boat trip. Enjoy your beverage of choice as you take in a beautiful, coastal Italian sunset.

Enjoy some time to take a dip in the clear waters of a secluded bay off the Ligurian Sea. If you’d like to tour the underwater scenery of the Cinque Terre National Park as well, masks and snorkels are provided complimentary.

With stunning views of the Cinque Terre cliffside villages, plenty of time to go for a dip in pristine waters, and a few samples of traditional Italian appetizers… the only thing missing are beautiful views of the sunset experienced while aboard a comfortable boat.

Tour Information & Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

---

3. Cinque Terre Lunch Boat Tour

On this 4-hour long boat trip, Cinque Terre National Park offers sights of the most beautiful villages, bays, and islands within the area. You will also be able to enjoy drinks as well as food prepared right onboard your tour boat.

You’ll start out by heading to Vernazza, on the other side of the Ligurian Sea. View the beautiful beach at Guvano as you pass by two more stunning cliffside villages, Corniglia and Manarola. Your appetizer consists of local, traditional light fare as well as wines made in southern Italy.

As you explore more of the national park on your Cinque Terre tour, you’ll have a chance to swim in the fresh, crystal clear waters near the islands of Tinetto and Tino as well as Palmario. Snorkels and masks will be available onboard if you want to see the beauty below the water just as you have that above it.

Your lunch will be prepared by an experienced crew on your tour boat. Enjoy freshly made entrees with either an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage as you continue to sail through the beautiful Cinque Terre coastal area.

Tour Information & Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

---

4. Cinque Terre Private Boat Tour

If a tour of the southern coast of Italy, and more specifically the Cinque Terre National Park, is on your must-do list, you may want to take a private boat ride. Sightseeing with just your group in your boat to spend time on the sea is a truly unique way to see the villages.

You’ll meet a professional captain at Mirabello Port dock. Once onboard, you will listen to your local captain tell you the history of these beautiful villages.

Head up the southern coast of Italy and through the Cinque Terre National Park at your leisure, taking time to snap photos and enjoy the stunning, colorful villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso.

Before you back to port, take a swim in the aqua blue waters and if you are feeling more adventurous do some snorkeling and see the reef and the colorful fish.

This tour is guaranteed to give memories of a once-in-a-lifetime experience on your Cinque Terre boat tour.

Tour Information & Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

---

5. Cinque Terre Sunset Tour by Boat

This restored fishing boat is ideal for a sunset tour of the Cinque Terre National Park and surrounding areas. Your appetizer, consisting of local specialties are all prepared right on your tour boat.

After leaving port, you’ll head through the Portovenere channel into the national park. Once there, you will have stunning views of the unique and quaint cliffside villages. These include locations from Riomaggiore in the south to Monterosso al Mare in the north.

There are stops at beaches and in calm, beautiful bays along the coast to allow for a swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Cinque Terre National Park. If you would like to take in the underwater sights as well as those of the quaint villages, snorkels and masks are available on board.

While you relax aboard a beautiful, restored boat and enjoy your Cinque Terre day trip along the coast, you’ll be able to swim and snorkel on top of enjoying freshly prepared appetizers. What else could you ask for when spending a relaxing day in southern Italy?

Tour Information & Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

---

Your Guide to Florence & Cinque Terre Italy

If you’re planning a vacation to Florence, Italy you should know what airport you’ll be flying into, the best accommodations available, what restaurants to stop by, and more. In this travel guide, we give you all the information you’ll need to get started planning your vacation. Have you been to Florence and want to suggest a tourist stop or restaurant? Comment below!

• Airports & Entry
• Planning Tips
• Restaurants & Eating Out
• Nightlife & Entertainment
• Getting Around
• Accommodations
• Weather
• Attractions

Airports & Entry

There is a small airport in Florence, the Florence Peretola. It was previously known as Amerigo Vespucci Airport. However, you will most likely fly into the Galileo Galilei International Airport in Pisa. This is a much larger airport so long-distance, foreign flights are most likely to land here.

Your passport will need to be valid for at least six months past your intended date of departure. If you’re planning on an extended stay, you can stay in Italy for up to 90 days without the need for a visa, so long as your passport is valid.

Planning Tips

Visiting Florence can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, it’s important to plan and prepare for your trip properly. Here, we have our top 5 tips for those planning a trip to Florence, Italy. Have you visited and have a tip of your own? Leave it in the comments down below!

Tip #1: Don’t be Afraid to Spit

When wine tasting in Italy, it is common for the taster to swish the wine around in their mouth to get the full profile of flavors, and then spit the wine out. This is so that you can taste many more wines without becoming intoxicated. It may feel a bit uncomfortable to spit out your drink in public, but it’s actually the cultural norm for this country.

Tip #2: Eat Light

You’ll find that even entrees featuring meat and pasta are smaller in portion size than what we see here in the US. Most of the time, meals consist of lighter fare including crostini, cured meat, and cheeses. Do not be surprised at the smaller portions of heavy meals and the abundance of lighter snacks.

Tip #3: Explore Florence on Foot

Not only is walking the preferred method of getting around in Florence, but it is also the easiest. While you may be walking with many other tourists, walking allows you to see more of the city. It may even take longer to wait for a taxi or bus than it would to walk to your destination. You will also most likely be walking at many of the attractions. Be sure to bring a pair or two of comfortable walking shoes.

Tip #4: Prioritize Your List

It would take months, if not years, to visit and explore every museum, gallery, eatery, and other important location within the city of Florence. Be sure to prioritize the list of places you’d like to see based on the length of time you’re spending here. Many of the attractions have estimated wait times based on the time of year and time of day you are visiting. This makes it easier to plan out your sightseeing.

Tip #5: Take Those 500 Steps

The Cathedral in Florence, called the Duomo, is the 4th-largest cathedral in the world. It took nearly 2 centuries to complete. Be sure to save at least one day to explore it. If you’d like to reach the highest point in Florence by hiking the 463 steps to the cathedral’s cupola, you’ll need to make a reservation. However, you won’t be disappointed.

Restaurants & Eating Out

It seems even the food vendors at every corner and in front of every attraction have some of the best food available. These vendors also make it very quick to grab a bite to eat while on your way from one destination to another.

If you’re looking for some of the best gelato in Florence, you want to check out Carapina. The flavors of gelato available will change based on the season, and the number of choices is limited on purpose, but if you’ve ever thought of trying gelato with either olive oil or parmesan, this is the place.

The Borgo san Jacopo is one of the most exclusive restaurants in Florence. There are just four tables on a small terrace, but this terrace offers breathtaking views of the Ponte Vecchio. The star chef, Peter Brunel, offers mouthwatering entrées. Save room for the purple potato sorbet with various toppings, including gold leaf, for dessert.

A popular stop for many tourists is La Menagere. La Menagere is home to both a café and cocktail bar, but you’ll also find beautiful bouquets in the flower shop as well as quality Italian homeware in the store. Dinner entrées can include everything from spaghetti with squid to beef with pears.

Nightlife & Entertainment

While it’s common to stop for a cocktail in the evening before turning in, nightlife in Florence is relatively calm. In fact, one of their most popular bars offers cappuccino and pastries in the morning, a light lunch in the afternoon, and a buffet dinner as well as cocktails in the evening. This bar, known as Caffe degli Artigiani, is in the center of the artisan district.

The La Casa del Vino is a popular wine bar near the center of town. If you’re looking to try some of the top wines in the area of Tuscany or even find some less common wines from all over the country, you’ll want to stop by. To go with the extensive wine list, there is a menu of light snacks that includes meats, cheeses, crostini, and salads.

Getting Around

Getting around by car in the city of Florence is nearly impossible. Much of the city is off-limits to drivers. Of those streets that are drivable, many are narrow and might even be one-way. If traveling by car is necessary, you’ll want to take a taxi. However, taxis are quite expensive. The best way to get around Florence is on foot. In fact, it’s possible to walk from one side of the city to the other in less than an hour. If your feet are getting tired or you have a longer distance to travel, a bus system is available. You can find tickets at local convenience stores.

Accommodations

If the city of Florence had a theme, it would be luxury. From the historical sites to the most modern hotels, from street food vendors to well-known eateries, Florence is the epitome of luxury. If you’d like to experience that firsthand, be sure to research your accommodations. If you’re familiar with the Four Seasons brand, you may know what to expect from the Four Seasons Florence.

However, Florence is home to some very unique accommodations as well. The Palazzo Vecchietti features just 12 bedrooms and suites along with two apartments. Each is named after famous Italian artists. This 16th-century Palazzo has been turned into a luxury bed-and-breakfast of sorts, with meals being served in a common area on the top floor. A luxury Florence hotel with more of a retro feel is the Continentale.

Weather

You may want to avoid July and August when planning a trip to Florence. January is usually the coldest month with temperatures in the low 40s, Fahrenheit. While the average temperature in July is in the mid-70s Fahrenheit, the humidity can make it feel unbearably warm. The best times to travel to Florence are in the spring and fall.

Attractions

You’ll find the attractions in Florence mostly based on the history and food of the region. While the Statue of David is arguably one of the most popular sights to see in Florence, getting in to see Michelangelo’s famous artwork can take some time. Lines are usually very long, but it’s worth it.

You may also want to stop at Piazzale Michelangiolo, a terrace overlooking the city. The skyline of Florence seen from this terrace is the same often seen on postcards. Late afternoon or early evening are ideal times to visit as the crowds have died down.

There is no shortage of museums to visit while in Florence. Gucci Museo, or the Gucci Museum, is quite fun and a bit different than most other museums in the area. An archeological museum, the Museo Archeologico, features much of the regional history prior to the Medicis. The Galleria dell’ Accademia is home to the Statue of David and other popular exhibits such as several Stradivarius violins and famous paintings.

Enjoying the Wine That Makes Florence Famous

While one of the most popular tourist activities in Florence is wine tasting, be sure not to miss out on the beauty and history of the city itself. Florence may be a small city compared to some, but the experiences had during even a short vacation here will last a lifetime.

If you’re headed to Florence, what are you looking forward to the most? Let us know!