In this blog, I’m going to share my experience exploring Pisa and Cinque Terre! Pisa is a small city in the Tuscany region in Italy and the capital city of the Province of Pisa. This city is best known for the iconic leaning bell tower. What I didn’t know prior to this trip is that the leaning tower is actually one of the four structures that make up the Cathedral Square at Campo dei Miracoli (Fields of Miracles).
I also decided to take a day trip to visit the Cinque Terre (The Five Lands), located along the coast of Liguria. It takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes from Pisa by train. It has became a famous tourist attraction over the years and for good reasons, as I’m sure anyone who’s been there will tell you it is truly a remarkable place. Here is how I spent my last two days in Italy exploring Pisa and Cinque Terre.
Pisa
With just under an hour train ride from Florence, I arrived at Pisa Central Station. I stayed at a nice little Airbnb called “Orange Tree Room“, which I highly recommend for any travelers looking for affordable and convenient accommodation.
Campo dei Miracoli (Fields of Miracles)
Pisa Cathedral (Duomo di Pisa) and the leaning bell tower (Campanile)
Back in 1063, the Pisans decided to attack the city of Palermo (a city in Sicily). The attack was successful and they returned with many treasures. Thus, to show the world that Pisa is an important city, they used the treasure to build the Cathedral Complex, Fields of Miracles.
The Cathedral complex is made up of four structures. The Cathedral (Duomo di Pisa) was the first that was built back in 1092. Next came the Baptistery. Then the bell tower (campanile) began its construction in 1173, which we all know it as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. They eventually finished building it in 1372, after the cemetery (Camposanto) was built.
Although the bell tower was built to be standing straight, the tower started leaning by the time the builders were building the third story due to soft ground and shifting soil. After the tower was completed, they found out it wasn’t just leaning. It was slowly falling at the rate of 1 to 2 millimeters every year. Thanks to the restoration work over the years, the tower has been leaning for over 800 years.
Tickets
It is free to walk around the complex. However, if you wish to enter the monuments, you need to purchase tickets. If you plan to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you may need to purchase ticket in advance if it is during high season. They only allow 50 people at a time inside the tower, and you will receive an entry time slot when you get your ticket. Click here for more info on ticket prices and purchase.
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre (The Five Lands) consists of the five villages along the coastline in Liguria: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. The colourful fisherman cottages have attracted many visitors over the years. Each village is unique in their own way, but they are all beautiful to visit. You will find a lot of fishing boats parked near the harbor, and many restaurants offering fresh seafood dishes.
Getting there from Pisa
From Pisa Central Station, I took a train to La Spezia station, which took just under an hour. From there, there is a Cinque Terre train route that will take you to each of the five villages.
The Cinque Terre Route is as follow: From La Spezia –> Riomaggiore –> Manarola –> Corniglia –> Vernazza –> Monterosso –> Levanto (Last station)
From La Spezia, it took me 15 minutes by train to get to the first village, Riomaggiore. Each village is only 5 to 10 minutes apart by train so this is a very convenient and efficient way to visit the villages in a short amount of time. I managed to visit 3 out of the 5 villages (Riomaggiore, Manarola and Vernazza) because I wanted to spend more time in each village instead of rushing to see all five.
Another way to explore Cinque Terre is by hiking. The villages are all connected by trails and many visitors trek between the villages. This is an option for those who have more time. Click here for information for the hiking itineraries.
Train tickets/Prices
A train ticket is 4 euros each time and it adds up quickly. Many people consider getting the Cinque Terre Train Card instead. It costs 13 euros/day during low season and 16 euro/day during high season. (Low season: from November 4 to March 15. High season: from March 16 to November 3.) The pass allows you to travel freely within the Cinque Terre train route and it also allow you to access the hiking trails. You can also just buy the Cinque Terre Trekking Card if you only plan to hike. You can do the math based on your itinerary. Click here to see prices and details of the the two cards.
It is important to remember to validate your train ticket with the validation machines!!! Otherwise, your ticket would not be valid even though you purchased them. The machines are green and oval-shaped and you’ll see them everywhere in the stations.
Manarola
Out of the five villages, Manarola was the one I was looking forward to visit the most. I walked along a short path along the coast to capture this classic shot of the village. I was worried that morning because it was very cloudy and was actually starting to rain. Somehow, after I got off the train at Manarola, the sky cleared and the weather was gorgeous. The water is sparkling from the sun. I remember just wanting to kept staring at this view.
Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore would be the first of the Cinque Terre you see if you are visiting the villages in order from La Spezia. Just like the other villages, the people there make their living mostly from producing wine and olives. I can imagine the tourism industry has contributed a lot as well. I also noticed cacti growing everywhere in the village, which I don’t get to see back home in Canada.
Vernazza
To see this iconic view of Vernazza, you have to do a short hike up a trail. I remember looking for the start of this trail, but had trouble finding it. Luckily, I met a group of hikers and they were also planning to walk up the trail. The entrance to this trail is not obvious and it is located close to the harbor area.
If there was one thing I regret from this trip, it would be not being prepared for hiking as I did not know about the trails. I only had one day to explore the Cinque Terre, so I’m glad the train made it possible for me. I tried a short hike along the mountains but it was also challenging without proper footwear. If you have the time, it would be an amazing experience to spend a few days hiking the trails and staying in the villages at night.
This concludes my 2 days in Pisa and Cinque Terre. I was traveling alone during this portion of the trip and I almost decided not to visit these places on my own. But in the end, I’m glad I decided to have 4 days (including Florence) to myself to be in places I never thought I would get to visit so early on in my life.
Click here to read about my 3 day itinerary in Rome and click here to read more about the food blog post in Rome!
What was your experience traveling alone? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Janice