I love this place. It's as pretty as it is in pictures…read more Short story: Woke up at 6am to catch the 7am train to Cinque Terre and guess what?! The train conductors decided to go on strike that day. People at the station said all regional trains are canceled this morning. I was about to cry because the #1 thing I most looked forward to was visiting Cinque Terre on this trip. Everything happens for a reason, right? Somehow at 9am, a train decided to take off going to Pisa, which connects to Cinque Terre. We got to Cinque Terre around 11:30am. Late start to the day but I finally got there. I visited and walked all 5 towns. Each one is special in it's own way. The five towns are called Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Most people would say Manarola is the prettiest, not going to disagree with that but I actually love Corniglia the most. Maybe because you have to climb a few (a lot) steps to get there. It's small and charming once you get to the top and you can see Manarola. I had the best gelato there and I have eating a lot of gelato during my 2 week trip in Italy. Each town has their own special food too. A lot of street food which was awesome. When I do visit again, I would stay a night at least to do the full hike and enjoy all the towns a little more. I cant wait to get back.

Cinque Terre translated into English is roughy "5 Lands" but it is more like "5 Villages."…read more Daniele was a great tour guide! He is very knowledgeable and passionate about his village of Manarola... And the other 4 "Cinque Terre!" The villages are only accessible by local trains from La Spezia train station or Levanto. It takes about 15min to arrive to Manarola from la Spezia (but take an earlier train because Italian trains are often very late and crowded!) We did the morning tour, meeting Daniele close to the marina at 9:45am. There were 12 of us on the boat (all Americans so communication was easy). Daniele speaks almost perfect English so the tour went very smoothly. He drove us past the Cinque Terre giving a very nice history of how his forefathers turned a very steep/rock facade into a fertile farming area. Fighting off pirate attacks and later becoming fishermen. Cinque Terre has a very deep and amazing history that Daniele tells as you pass some of the most beautiful scenery! Daniele stopped the boat for two separate swims in the Mediterranean Sea! Daniele was very helpful as to where to swim and not to. How not to use your legs (avoiding kicking the rocks) and how to climb the rocks without slipping! We dove off rocks, took a refreshing shower in a natural waterfall and swam the clearest of blue water! I cannot say enough of Daniele and his 2.5hr tour! He provides beer, water, wine, sodas. He was considerate to the children on our tour who began feeling a little sea sick. Bring sun screen!!!! There is no room on his boat for your luggage; we left ours in a "Left Luggage" for $9 euro (3 bags) at La Spezia Train Station. Hotels are NOT easy to find in Cinque Terre so make reservations far in advance or stay outside in La Spezia.

The most amazing boat tour in the CT. This is a 4 hour ride where you get to see the entire coast…read moreand all 5 villages from the water. Unlimited prosecco, apps, and food. Our guide was really sweet and funny and they provide snorkel masks and swimming noodles. We got to stop to swim twice which was a lot of fun. This was worth the bit of extra money as we had a long, wonderful day on the water. Our boat also only had 5 people on it (me and my boyfriend and 3 older people) so we basically had the boat to ourselves and could sit wherever we liked.

Definitely the best tour of our vacation. Angelo is the best…read more My husband had read about Angelo's Boat Tours prior to leaving on vacation, but he was worried they would not be up and running because we were there early in the season. During our trip my husband wrote to Angelo, and imagine our pleasure when we found out the sea was going to be calm enough to go out on the boat. Angelo is a dear as is his wife Paula. We met the boat at the dock at Monterosso and were quickly greeted and helped onto the boat. Angelo took us on a leisurely evening trip to show us all the towns, while giving us an explanation of the local flavor of each town. Angelo is very charming and provided us with proseco to drink while on the boat. We then stopped at a marvelous restaurant with Angelo, Il Porticciolo in Manarola before heading to view the last town of Riomaggiore. A great time was had by all. Paula had made us dinner reservations in Vernazza, which was definitely the best dinner of the trip. Make sure when you are going to Cinqueterre that you plan to spend time on Angelo's boat. You will be delighted, as we were.

We stayed in a lovely apartment rented by Cinque Terre Riviera in Monterosso al Mare in January…read more2025. However, we give this apartment rental company a low rating because they gave us a non-existing address to go to at first. We only found out after walking, with several suitcases, for about 20 min. on a cold winter day with stress from the LA wildfires threatening our home. We then had to call the company for instructions and walk 20-25 min. back the same way! We got to the apartment, where the heater did not work. We were instead given a FABULOUS apartment with a view, so that was great, but the initial troubles were a lot. We tried to check out early as our home was located very close to the Los Angeles wildfires, but were only told "safe travels". No understanding. No response to simple request to mail forgotten glasses to a local address. Company NOT recommended. Go with another reputable one.

The Cinque Terre Riviera is comprised of 5 beautiful small coastal towns nestled between the…read moremountains connected by hiking trails, train stops,and boat ferry stops. I highly suggest the train as its quickest if you wish to see all 5 towns in 1 or 2 days but if you have a couple days, I highly recommend the hiking trails as you can catch some beautiful mountain views of the towns and work off all that amazing Italian food! It takes between 3-25 min to get between each of the towns via train. Trains leave about every 30 min. Here are my rankings of the 5 small coastal towns from least favorite to most favorite: #5 Corniglia is the smallest town of Cinque Terre. She's built far above the ocean on the cliffs so it's a bit harder to get any good scenic photos of this location unless you can snag a shot from a distant hiking trail. To arrive in Corniglia you've gotta huff up the 365 steps to reach the center of town. If you have excessive luggage my advice is to not stay here. However, you should come here if you want to get away from it all. #4 Riomaggiore has one main street, a small harbor, a rocky beach, a castle, a church, a pharmacy, and a handful of restaurants. It is the closest to the main city of La Spezia where you can catch the train and has plenty of train connections to the different towns. #3 Vernazza is the beauty queen of Cinque Terre. She's incredibly photogenic! From the hiking trail you can get an amazing shot of Vernazza surrounded by water. Vernazza is a one-street town with a church built on the water. It has a castle, the remains of the old wall that protected against pirates, and a gorgeous waterfront piazza. #2 Manarola is the second village, just north of Riomaggiore. It is also a one-street town, with a small cove in the harbor where you can swim. It is where the most famous Cinque Terre photos are taken from with a view of the cliffs and the water. It's very similar to Riomaggiore, but has a more grown-up, chill vibe. This is by far my favorite town as I loved the feeling of the one street leading directly to the water with its cobblestone streets, small vendors and colorful homes clinging to the cliffside. #1 Monterosso al Mare is the northernmost village of Cinque Terre. She's the biggest kid in the family, and has many streets and even a few cars driving around there. Monterosso is made up of an old town, a new town, lots of sandy beaches, some larger hotels and a long seaside promenade suitable for strollers too. If you want to avoid stairs and have a more resort feel to your vacation, then you should stay here. Cinque Terre has a national park, is considered as a protected waterway,a Unesco World Heritage site, and vehicle traffic is restricted inside the villages. There are no big hotels in any of the 5 towns, only small inns, bead and breakfasts and rentals. If you're in Italy and love hiking and quaint walkable unspoiled small Italian towns, Cinque Terre Riviera is a must see!

The great thing about Camogli is that you dont know about Camogli....not many Americans...and thats…read morea good thing if you want an authentic Italian town Amazing views Great seafood Ubiquitous gelateria Gorgeous weather Stunning beach

Cute little town on the Italian Riviera. For the ambitious, a great place to serve as terminus for…read morea hike across the rocky countryside from Portofino. Not sure what it would be like to overnight, but it's an easy train ride to Santa Margherita Ligure so it could serve as an authentic alternative to SML or Portofino.

We were unable to have our walking food tour in Genoa because of heavy rains. Via telephone, our…read moreguide confirmed we would be refunded. Do Eat Better now refuses to even respond to our requests for refund. Now that we are 5,000 miles away, they must know that we have little recourse. Beware that once they have your money they are likely never going to give you a refund, regardless of circumstances. In our case, they provided nothing in the way of services, yet kept our money. This is not the way ethical and legitimate businesses operate.

We wanted to travel to Genova for a day trip. We have always found food tours a great way to…read moreexperience the culture and personality of a city rather than just visiting a whole lot of historic locations and The Do Eat Better experience was exactly as we'd hoped. We ate some great street food, perhaps too much and saw many fantastic things in this beautiful city. However, it was our guide's insights into Genova and its people that really made this tour amazing. Genova is only just starting to embrace tourism and this is a great way to get under the skin of the city. We loved walking with a local "friend" explaining us the curiosity of the city!!

Amazing place to visit, hike, drink eat etc…read more I hike most of the trails between the 5 towns and they are spectacular. You can even take the train or a water taxi between them depending. The highlight for me was the final hike from the most southern town Riomaggiore all the way to Portovenere....8 miles 2500 feet of elevation gain and stunning view after stunning view. You even pass by a monastery great little outdoor restaurants etc. Bucket list item

The most beautiful walk of my entire life. Be sure you understand the route - easy to get lost!read more

Such an amazing experience! Leonardo was fabulous. He made our trip. He led us around Golfo del…read morePoeti and was so helpful and friendly! Cannot say enough good things!

OUTSTANDING! Our group of 8 had a fantastic time riding a…read morehop hop boat along the coast to Cinque Terre. Capt. Marta was a wonderful mix of fun and knowledge. The stop to swim in the perfect blue water was a joy. We were a bit nervous that we would be on a speed boat the whole time, but it was great and allowed us to cover so much territory. Book your trip now.

Costa Crociere, also known as Costa Cruise Lines, is the European branch of Carnival Cruise Lines…read moreand aims to embody the Italian dolce vita! Costa Cruise Line ships are big and bright, with Mediterranean-influenced cuisine, regional wines and warm, rich decor. The lifestyle onboard is "Italian vacation resort". Costa is one of the few cruise lines that offers rolling embarkation in Europe, with passengers embarking and disembarking at several ports on any one cruise. Costa Cruise Lines offer a European experience that is primarily geared toward Europeans with 15 different cruise ships that sail all over Europe. Ship Amenities 8/10 We sailed on the Costa Fortuna which pays tribute to tribute to ocean liners of the past. The public areas and restaurants are decorated with reproductions of advertising images of the roaring '20s and '30s which I thought was quite charming and nostalgic. The 13 decks of the ship are dedicated to international ports. The Costa Fortuna features 4 pools, one with a retractable roof, hot tubs and slide, open decks, casino, disco, and a theater! Ports 10/10 The primary reason we booked this cruise was the Itinerary: 1. Genoa, Italy (near Portofino) 9/10 2. Marseille, France 9/10 3. Tarragona, Spain 9/10 4. Palma de Mallorca Island, Spain 8/10 5. Ibiza Island, Spain 10/10 6. Olbia, Sardinia Island, Italy 8/10 Food 8/10 Unlike American cruises where you can find food at any hour on the ship somewhere, there were gaps of no food between 10am to 12pm, 3pm to 645pm, and after 9pm no food was available. It's probably best that I don't eat late at night but sometimes we get back from the port starving and have no food options for a couple hours and it can be rough. The food quality was pretty good with plenty of seafood options but I think I like the food on Royal and Norwegian better. For breakfast, I was able to still get the amazing salmon bagels so that was nice! I was very surprised that they charged extra for ice cream and crepes because they don't on most other cruises. More surprisingly, these 2 vendors always had long lines the entire cruise. Drinks 8/10 The banana coladas, strawberry daiquiris, Mai tais, pink panthers, and White Russians were amazing. However one of my favorite drinks, the caipirinha and the mojito, the bartenders just could not get right. The pool bartenders margaritas were pretty bad but I managed to find some great margaritas on the deck 4 bar made by a Honduran bartender who made the best margaritas on the ship. I was only disappointed that I did not discover this bartender earlier in the cruise! Crowd 7/10 On European itineraries, Costa attracts mostly passengers from Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Ukraine, Greece, and the U.K. while Americans are a minority. It was tough talking to a lot of fellow cruisers as many did not speak English. Service 8/10 Bartenders were pretty quick and friendly, dining servers were friendly, and the cabin steward was pretty friendly and managed to never wake us up but he did not make any towel animals on the beds like on other cruise lines. The mater d for formal dining was pretty grouchy with us as we changed dining times a couple times but that was because of various on deck activities and port arrival times. Norwegian and other cruise lines have more flexible dining options for sure. If you're looking to do a Mediterranean cruise and go to Ibiza and party in the late hours I definitely recommend this cruise as this is one of the only cruises that stays overnight in Ibiza. All the ports of this cruise are amazing and it's so nice to have 7 course meals and wake up at a new location without having to haul luggage around and take trains all across Europe and waste your day hours traveling sitting on a train. However, if you seek more English speaking fellow passengers and more flexible dining options I'd recommend Norwegian or Royal Carribean Cruise Lines over Costa Cruise Lines but you may not get the same great ports and it will cost you a good couple hundred more.

To whom it may concern: My wife and I have just returned from a Costa cruise which started in…read moreHamburg Sept 15th and ended in Savona Sept 29th.Unquestionably, it was our worst cruise experience ever. I will enumerate your deficiencies and our experiences in the following bullet points. *no internet available on board for "Americans" *arrived late for first sitting due to medical emergency concerning my wife. Was told to come back after second sitting was seated. Declined that offer. Went to pizza restaurant, ordered a pizza and had to pay for it!! When did you ever have to pay for food on a cruise ship?  *First breakfast on board was terrible. Ordered 3-minute soft boiled eggs which came nearly raw. Complained to Maitre D', he removed the eggs, offered an apology, never saw him again. *Sunday, Sept 17th, tour desk not open until 17:00. Unable to book Kristansand city tour. *Had to pay for a cup of tea in the lounge (3.10 euros plus .47 tip ) *Many times our waiter didn't know the items on the menu. Often times served the wrong items ordered. *QR code on the menu was useless. Hard to access and difficult to read. Most passengers used printed menu instead. *No pharmacy on boat. (ship medical center and staff were excellent.)  *Excursion queues on and off the ship were horrible. Very poor planning/organization. Recommend greater intervals between groups. *Tour bus pick-up in Lisbon left prematurely leaving us stranded (eventually took another bus back to ship). My jacket, with camera in the pocket was left on the bus and, to this day is still missing. When I reported the incident at the reception desk, I was treated with serious disrespect. I had to remind the young lady, that I was a guest and "I wanted to treated like one". *Charging passengers for shuttle service to and from the ship is unheard of. *Ordered swordfish for dinner one evening. Couldn't t eat it. Too salty (as was most of the food) *In general, the food, both in the dining room and at the buffet, was sub standard. (An opinion shared by our table mates). *At Marseille, paid $19 euroes for shuttle bus while free shuttle was available and unmentioned to us. *Bath water is too hot. Dangerous, potential scalding situation. Possible code violation. In closing, it was not a very enjoyable cruise experience. My wife and I would need some assurances that the above critique are resolved before we would ever consider another cruise with your line. It was a shame because the ship is beautiful. The wait staff, cabin crew, entertainment with few exceptions were all exceptional. Looking forward to your response, we are: Harry and Elena MacDonald                                                                      3 Carroll Road                                                                      Woburn, Ma. 01801                                                                       hmac917@comcast.net

Can't say enough positive things about Easy Touring and its owner operator Wolfgang. We met…read moreWolfgang by chance as he was our transfer arranged by a restaurant in 2013. Since then we have traveled with him for custom tours to Chianti, Bolgheri, montecarlo, and Montalcino as well as for many train station and airport transfers. He's the best. Professional, knowledgable, kind and very good at helping you coordinate your tour or transfer needs. A valuable resource for your trip in tuscany! He even planned transportation for our wedding, getting 75 guests to a hillside church outside of Lucca!

From the owner: I am a private-hire in Tuscany and can take you from your hotel to the airport for example but also…read morespend the day on a tour of your choice. I am fluent in English, German and Italian and like culture, history, good food and wines!

My friend and I did a private wine tour and both state it was the best we've ever been on. I have…read moredone wine tours in other areas of Italy, as well as in France, Croatia, Greece, and many areas of the US... none compare to the personable experience had with Stefano. He picked us up from the train station as predetermined and immediately started sharing information and points of interest on our drive to visit the town of Barolo. We toured the town, learned knowledge, he took our photos when wanted (hey we are women living in the age of Instagram), and bought us coffees and a bite to start the day. We visited 2 wineries in Barolo (as I requested when booking), with lunch in between at a restaurant with a stunning view and delicious food (cost not included in tour fee). The 2 wineries we visited were great, first a more modern family owned one and second a more homely own one. At both, Stefano and the winery owners gave us knowledge on the wines, the area, and food pairings. Stefano was very easy to speak with and it was fun asking his opinion on Italian and wine culture, etc.. as well as sharing ours. It was like spending the afternoon with a knowledgeable funny friend. I was insistent on not visiting a Babaresco winery as I am a HUGE Barolo fan but Stefano insisted we should try one if there is time (and luckily there was). We visited a winery owned by two sweet older men and tried over 10 wines there and sat chatting. I will forever remember this experience and 100% credit it to our wonderful guide. To know: The guide picked the wineries and restaurant based on the price point we wanted since that was an additional cost. Everything else was included in price (pickup/drop off, wine tasting at all wineries and snacks too). We visited: Pira, Cantina Stroppiana, and Grasso and also tasted (at additional fee) a tasting of Gaja wine at a shop while visiting the town of Barolo. In addition to the wineries we saw many sites and learned a lot of history not only about wine but the area. 100% recommend!

今次我们夫婦倆参加了這一個酒莊導賞團，實在是物有所值。雖然是短短一天的時間，但是Stefano(我们導遊，也是在酒业打滾多年)用他的車子接載我們 遊覧Piemont区內Barolo…read more及Barbaresco的地方，也帶我們去了兩個酒莊(都是家庭式的)，真是大開眼界。 STROPIANNA 酒莊和GRASSO 酒莊都是家庭经營，莊主很友好，不介意讓我們看他們釀酒的機器/酒桶，也很用心地解答我們的各種問題。我们在这兩酒莊內共試到15至16种酒，他們的售價也很合理。總括來说，我们对这ALBA WINE TOUR 十分滿意，也已經向朋友極力推介