The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour
Traveler rating
3.4/5
Based on 9 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour worth booking?
The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour is a 10-hour experience in Florence, Italy, from $624 per person. It scores 43 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 3.4/5 rating across 9 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 43 / 100
- Rating
- 3.4/5 (9)
- Duration
- 10 hours
- From
- $624 per person
An authentic earthly paradise just around the corner. A place suspended in time, 5 villages hanging between sea and land, one of the most amazing and enchanting landscapes in the world, celebrated by such Romantic poets as Lord Byron and Shelley!
What you get
About this experience
An authentic earthly paradise just around the corner. A place suspended in time, 5 villages hanging between sea and land, one of the most amazing and enchanting landscapes in the world, celebrated by such Romantic poets as Lord Byron and Shelley!
What's included
Included
- 10 hours chauffeur driven hire
- Possibility of adding a scenic boat ride from Monterosso to Riomaggiore at an additional cost
- Free time in the Cinque Terre National Park
- Pick up & drop off at your hotel
Not included
- Guided visit of Cinque Terre National Park
- Entry tickets to churches or landmarks
- Lunch
- Train tickets
What you'll see and do
Florence
Your private, English speaking driver will pick you up directly from your accommodation in Florence in a luxury Mercedes Benz vehicle, and you will be on your way! Enjoy the comfort of private transportation as you admire lovely views of the Tuscan countryside heading westward towards the gem of Liguria: Cinque Terre! The drive will take about two hours.
120 minutes here
Riomaggiore
On this private tour, you can spend your day as you prefer! Anytime you need your driver, he is only one call away and happy to help with any recommendations catered to your personal interests. However, with limited time, this is how we recommend you spend your day: First, your driver will bring you to the breathtaking town of Riomaggiore. The brightly colored homes suspend unbelievably upon the striking cliffs. As you stroll through the alleyways towards the natural port, the smell of fresh focaccia and pesto will overwhelm your senses, and you will undoubtedly begin falling in love with Cinque Terre! Spend as much time as you would like admiring the panoramic views over the cobalt-colored water and taking plenty of memorable photos.
120 minutes here
Vernazza
Whenever you are ready, your private driver will take you to Vernazza, a tiny fishing village. Make your way through the ancient streets towards the small harbour. You will see the local fishermen returning in small, blue boats from their morning fishing trip. This one of the most photographed spots in Cinque Terre, as it is truly a place frozen in time. The views of the brightly colored homes, joyous children in the sea, and emerald water are enchanting! Dip your toes into the water as you relax in the harmonious atmosphere.
120 minutes here
Monterosso al Mare
Next, your driver will bring you to Monterosso, famous for its wide, white sand beach with crystal clear water. Indulge a delicious lunch of seafood or pasta and pesto in one of the many family-owned restaurants, or grab a takeaway snack to eat on the sunny beach. Then, enjoy simply relaxing under the Italian rays and swimming in the sea! Then, stroll along the cobblestone paths and choose some memorable souvenirs before your driver meets you to head back to Florence.
120 minutes here
Florence
After a memorable day in the colorful coastline of Cinque Terre, you can enjoy the comfort of a private, air conditioned Mercedes vehicle. You will be dropped off directly at your accommodation in Florence in the early evening.
120 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers.
Options you can book
Private tour in Spanish
Pickup included
Private tour in Italian
Pickup included
Private tour in English
Pickup included
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en, it, es
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 8 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Ciao Florence Tours Srl
Know before you go
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- The pick up will be directly at your hotel/apartment in Florence - please send us an e-mail at fit@ciaoflorence.it in order to notify us of your accomodation in town. Should you wish to leave 30 minutes prior or after the published departure time, please get in contact with us via e-mail.
- Please note that your private driver will be at your disposal for the entire day. However, there is no time to visit all the 5 villages, we strongly suggest the following itinerary: free time in Riomaggiore, Vernazza and Monterosso. Should you wish to customize your itinerary, send an e-mail at fit@ciaoflorence.it
- We regret to inform that this tour is not suitable for guests with wheelchairs or with impaired mobility.
- A moderate amount of walking is involved.
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 9 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
8 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Food and drink
4 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Photo opportunities
3 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Value for money
2 mentionsTravelers feel they got more than they paid for.
Traveler reviews
9 verified traveler reviews for The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
An adventure in Cinque Terre
Learning to navigate the trains. Beautiful views from the coast. Disappointed that we couldn’t take a boat cruise due to cloudy and rainy weather. Our driver, Christian, did a great job and provided suggestions for us to best utilize our time.
via Viator
Don't Waste Your Money - Take the train.
Good news, bad news. Bad news first: The description is a complete exaggeration of a “tour” and way over-priced for what we got. We spent $830.00 on a driver. That’s it. We should have just walked 5 minutes to the Florence train station, taken the train to La Spezia then train up and down the Cinque Terre villages. What we got: A nice driver, Osvaldo, picked us up at our Airbnb at 8am. He pointed out a few things on our 2 ½ hour drive to the first village of the Cinque Terre (CT), Riomaggiore. At 10:30 am, he dropped us off at the top of the hill and said, “Ciao see you at 3:30pm in La Spezia.” What? I thought the word “tour” meant we would get some information along the way through the villages. Minimally, a strong recommendation, some tips or something! All we got was a recommendation to see 2, no more than 3 villages in the time allotted. The “Mercedes” reminded me of an old Dodge Caravan we had back in the 1990’s. No, ours was more comfortable. No water (fortunately, we brought our own), and the air conditioning did not work in the back seat. The tour company made a lunch reservation for 1:00pm at an over-priced, not-friendly servers, and no-air-conditioning restaurant. It was supposed to have a view, but all we saw was the side of a white van parked across the street. We should have just picked our own or “winged it.” At the end of a hot day, we could not find our driver at the La Spezia train station. He did not tell us where the meeting point was, and we couldn’t reach him through WhatsApp. We were frustrated and hot and were dropped off at our Airbnb. I communicated that the air conditioning was not working in the back, and he just shrugged. It was coming out where he was sitting, but not where I was! Cost: A rip-off. We could have trained from Florence to La Spezia for $16.00/per, then bought a Cinque Terre train card for $8.00. Oh, $16.00 to return. Good news: Osvaldo was very nice…just doing his job. We tipped him generously.
via Tripadvisor
Horrible experience with Alejandro
Our guide, Alejandro (Jorge) Videla was horrible. From the moment he picked us up he had a bad attitude. He required my elderly relative to wear a mask when he himself wasn't wearing one, and never put one on. He said the mask was required because otherwise the police would pull him over and fine him 3000 euro. Everything he commented on during the 2 hours drive to Cinque Terre was either political, a complaint or a political complaint. He began by saying how much he hasted American tourists, so maybe he should not be working in tourism. He then proceeded to make homophobic comments about the Pride flag at the US embassy. He also expressed his support for two communist dictators, one of which destroyed our own country of origin. He also brought up the war in Ukraine for the sole reason of saying the worst thing about it is how it has affected him and especially his gas expenses. He acted like him dropping us off where the tour description specified was a huge favor, which he repeated several times to us. These are just a. few of the comments he made. Cinque Terre was lovely but the drive to and from made the trip very difficult to enjoy.
via Tripadvisor
Cinque Terre didn't disappoint
The customer service went about and beyond our expectations. It was my husband's birthday, and Valentina was extremely helpful in organizing a special day for us with reservations, information, etc. Our guide/driver, "Mr. T." was so friendly and helpful, made our traveling a breeze. I couldn't recommend this team enough. Many, many thanks for making this a very special experience!
via Tripadvisor
Private tour cost to worth the expense !
The private boat taxi we paid extra at the dock. We paid almost $900 US Dollars for a very friendly driver to drop us off at 9:45 am and pick us up @ 4:30 and do the scenes in our own.
Response from the operator: Hellothank you so much for your feedback.We are really sorry to read your words of disappointment regarding one of our most loved and appreciated excursions to Cinque Terre, one of our favourite places on earth.Since your feedback means so much to us, we have thoroughly investigated the matter, speaking directly to your private driver.He confirmed that he took you first to Le Grazie, a hidden gem located just before the Cinque Terre National Park, where you could appreciate the peace of the ancient borough where time seems to have stopped. Then, he took you to Portovenere, another amazing village characterized by pastel-colored houses overlooking the Ligurian sea. He then suggested you to take a boat from Portovenere to Cinque Terre, and you accepted this offer. The boat is indeed the best way to appreciate the 5 villages, and also the fastest one. So with €15 extra per person you could add this incredible experience to your package, saving a lot of time since Cinque Terre are set between sea and mountains and reaching them by van takes a lot of time. Anyway your private driver was at your complete disposal and if you felt not comfortable taking the boat you just could tell him so that you would have continued the private tour by minivan.Also, when you met him again in Monterosso, the last of the 5 villages, he took you to Levanto as well, adding even more value to your experience. In any case, we highly value your feedback and we will treasure it in order to improve even more our services.Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review, we wish you all the best
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 10 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $624 to $1,090
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 3
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Who runs this experience
Operated by Ciao Florence Tours Srl, who run 68 experiences we rank across 9 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 61.8 and 1 in the 90+ Club.
See everything Ciao Florence Tours Srl runsWhy this scores 43
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Florence.
How much does The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour cost?
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Prices start at $624 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Florence usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour take?
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Plan for about 10 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Florence is not rushed.
Is The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 43 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (3.4/5 across 9 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Florence, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 10-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour?
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Around 3 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Florence can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Florence and add a light layer if any part of the 10-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Florence within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Florence?
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On Outty we rank every Florence experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include The Best tour in Florence: Renaissance & Medici -by a storyteller, Small group Tuscan Wineries, Olive Oil & Gourmet Lunch or Dinner, Florence Pizza or Pasta Class with Gelato Making at a Tuscan Farm. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Florence?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Florence?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour?
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Included: 10 hours chauffeur driven hire; Possibility of adding a scenic boat ride from Monterosso to Riomaggiore at an additional c; Free time in the Cinque Terre National Park; and Pick up & drop off at your hotel. Not included: Guided visit of Cinque Terre National Park; Entry tickets to churches or landmarks; Lunch; and Train tickets. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered for every traveler from 355 listed pickup locations in and around Florence. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour offered in?
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It is offered in English, Italian and Spanish. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller; Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap; Specialized infant seats are available; and We regret to inform that this tour is not suitable for guests with wheelchairs or with imp. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour if the weather is bad?
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It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Florence. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
What do travelers say about The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour?
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Across 9 reviews averaging 3.4 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, food and drink, photo opportunities. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
What booking options are available for The pearls in the gulf of poets: Cinque Terre private tour?
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There are 3 options to choose from, including Private tour in Spanish, Private tour in Italian, Private tour in English. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.
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