Cinq Terre travel

[critch]

Hi Funsters, we are hoping to visit the Cinq Terre in September, we are starting at Calais, and would appreciate any guidance on the best, and cheapest route as google maps goes through the Mont Blanc tunnel which is quite expensive,

 

[2657]

We have used the Col de Lauteret into Italy if you want to go via France, near Grenoble,or I think the St Gothard tunnel from Switzerland is included in the Swiss motorway vignette but it is awhile since I researched that one.

We were not impressed with Cinque Terre, very crowded, very pretty on the pictures taken from the sea, which is probably the best place to see them.

 

[Augusta08]

We went over the Col De Frejus because at 3mtres tall the tunnel cost is exhorbitant.

 

[Loveshack]

We did Hull -Zeebruge, so quite a bit different. Went via Schlumpf museum and Ronchamp. From Mulhouse to Italy via St Bernard tunnel, 43euros+40 euros vignette, in 2016.
Enjoyed Cinque Terre, south on train returned by boat. Campsite in Cinque Terre area at Levantine, Acqua Dolce. Very crowded in May.
Campsite at Camping Monte Branco near Acosta (Acsi) very good and nice restaurant in village.
Enjoy yourselves, everywhere pretty will be very busy, we all want to look at pretty Italian villages.

 

[Lazyboy]

If you have enough time you could travel via Belgium, Luxembourg (fill up with diesel), Metz, Mulhouse. Into Switzerland (don't forget the vignette), Gotthard pass (should be OK at that time and it is possible to stop at the top if you wanted to). That gets you into Italy with very little expense on tolls. Then work a route out to somewhere near the Cinque Terre. As said it is very crowded but quite pretty. My advice would be find a campsite in the right area and use that as a base and then visit by train. Before you get to the Cinque Terre, Portofino is worth a look. Very small but again quite pretty. We visited by boat from Sante Margherita. Enjoy your trip.

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[peterc10]

Quickest and cheapest is to head for the Swiss border at Basel. You can do that by using the French autoroutes or the bumpier but free ones through Belgium and Luxembourg.

Pay for a vignette (or pass if over 3.5t) at the border. It will still be valid for your return trip. Then hammer through Switzerland on their excellent motorways via the Gothard tunnel and cross the border into Italy at Como. Don't buy anything in Switzerland as it will probably be more expensive than anywhere else in Europe.

After that head South on the Italian motorways (even bumpier than Belgian) , staying clear of Milan if you can, until you hit the coast.

We loved the Cinque Terre. Buy a day pass for the train. Also make sure you walk at least one section of the coastal footpath that used to be the only way to access them. We did the most westerly section. The views were fabulous. But it may seem to be quite short, but be aware it goes up and down a lot.

 

[jongood]

I agree with peterc10 above, definitely the cheapest route. But you need to check how much of Cinque Terra is open as parts of it regularly fall in. Lovely area though.

 

[peterc10]

By the way, we stopped at Camping Acqua Dulce in Levanto and used the train from there to access the villages. Levanto is to the West of the villages and is a nice little Italian seaside resort in its own right. DO NOT try to access any of the villages with the motorhome.

 

[mitzimad]

i had to google and got this https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/...est-alternatives-to-the-crowded-cinque-terre/

 

[Janiemou]

Totally agree with peterc & Lazyboy - Basel, St Gothard and Milan - the vignette covers you for the full year. We've visited Cinque Terre several times and we always stay with Danilo, at Fossa Lupare campsite (ACSI 3128). There's a bus almost outside of the campsite which takes you to the train station at Sestri Lavante. There is a special ticket allowing you to get on & off at each town. Our favourite town is Corniglia as the cruise ships can't get in there.

If you are going to Portofino, we stay at Miraflores campsite in Rapallo - again, there are buses near the campsite and, again, you can get to the train station. On the recommendation of the campsite owner, we visited Camogli earlier this year - it's a little gem and far less touristy than Portofino. It's about a ten minute train ride from Rapallo.

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[Janiemou]

..... one more important consideration - if you travel from Milano to Genova, make sure you use the A7 (E62) Autostrada. This will bring you out just beyond where the bridge collapsed. The new crossing should be open in 2020.

 

[critch]

Thanks to all of you for the information, it will be very helpful to us