Fall is an incredible time to visit Italia but it’s especially lovely along the coast. Days are still plenty warm, regularly reaching 25C, the crowds are sparse and the prices for all services are lower. If you want to hike in Europe, hiking the Cinque Terre in the fall is the way to go! We explored western Italy for 2 weeks in October.
Here is our 12-day itinerary combining some epic sightseeing and moderate-level hiking throughout the Tuscany and Liguria regions.
Day 1: Fly from Canada to London to Pisa
Getting to Italia is relatively easy from Canada it’s just a matter of price and time. We chose a return flight for $500 per person (Deer Lake to London) and then paired it with cheaper inter-Europe flights for the rest. We landed in London at Heathrow and transferred to Gatwick for a cheap flight to Pisa. Within a day, we were out of cold, damp Newfoundland fall and into warm, sunny Mediterranean summer!
Day 2: Explore Pisa
On our first day in Pisa, we walked around the city centre exploring the old alleyways and city streets. We walked over 20 km and visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa three times. The Pisa tower is a busy spot and the main tourist hub so it is best visited early in the morning or after supper. We enjoyed our first gelato and the sunny 24° weather. Staying with Marco so close to the tower and train station gave us the central location we needed for our first few days in Italy.
D2 budget
breakfast $30
Airbnb $55
- fruit $9
wine $12.75
salad $15
gelato $10
total spent $131.75
Day 3: Pisa to Cinque Terre
We took the train from Pisa to Lucca and walked the old medieval city of Lucca. It is an incredible fortress with 12m high walls and it was very easy to walk the whole town centre in just a couple of hours. We then took the train from Lucca to La Spezia via Via Reggio.
D3 budget
- $10 for breakfast
- $47.10 on the train
- $10 for supper
- $45 for lunch
- $82.50 for hotel
- totalling $194.50
Day 4: La Spezia to Rio Maggiore and Hike to Biassa
We started the day with a morning walk around La Spezia. It is worth exploring the marina, checking out the big yachts and watching fishermen cleaning up after the morning’s catch. We toured of the castle of San Gregorio and enjoyed walking through the downtown. We caught a 3 pm train to Rio Maggiore then hiked Rio Maggiore into Biassa.
The hike was about 8km with 600m of elevation. The trails of the Cinque Terre are a lovely mix of stairs, paths through vineyards, and take you through tiny villages. Biassa is an incredible spot to base yourself in Cinque Terre for a fraction of the price. We loved staying in Casa Nel Borgo as it is a traditional Italian-style home nestled in the quaintness that is Biassa. Things are slower here, more laid back and yet all you need to do is catch the bus and head back down to the trail for a day hike.
D4 budget
- breakfast $15
- Sim card $15
- phone top up $15
- museum $16
- lunch $20
- train $12
- Airbnb $70
- supper $45
- day total $208
Day 5: Hiking Biassa to Campiglia
Today we awoke to church bells in Biasa. We had an easy morning of coffee and pastry in the village and then took a short hike to Campiglia. In Campiglia, we had coffee and quiche as well as a delicious plate of cheese and salami. We were able to talk to some hunters and ask them about the coyote sounds we heard last night. He said that was wild boar!
Fall is here on the coast of Cinque Terre as the leaves are just starting to turn and the chest nuts are falling to the ground. We had a lovely hike back to Biasa enjoying hiking through the woods with the church bells ringing. We spent the evening doing laundry and cooking a lovely dinner and enjoying wine on the patio.
D5 budget
- $70 for Airbnb
- $40 for lunch
- $27 for supper
Day 6: Hiking Monterosso to Biasa
This morning we had breakfast of espresso and Nutella croissants! Italians love their strong coffee and sweets in the morning. We caught the bus down to Rio Maggiore and then the train to Monterosso. Todays goal was to hike the whole Cinque Terre route, ending back in Biassa.
We hiked 3 km from Monterosso to Vernazza climbing from the seaside to a few hundred metres where the views are sublime! A picnic of cheese and salami in the shelter of a stone bridge as the skies poured briefly. We then hiked four more kilometres to Cornelia, using gelato as an excuse to take a break in this stunning village. We had to hike Corniglia to Biasa as a section of the main trail was under construction. Getting back to Biasa was about 12 km along the top of the ridge.
Tonight we treated ourselves to the local pizzeria in Biasa. It was exceptional as was the wine!
D6 budget
- $70 Airbnb
- $5 for the bus
- $15 for train
- $12 breakfast
- $45 pizza supper
- $22.54 Park pass
Day 7: Biasa to via Reggio
Today we had to leave Biassa. this sweet little mountain village is a place I would definitely return to. We had coffee, bananas and apple fritters at the church yard in town while we waited for the bus to La Spezia.
Lunch in La Spezia before catching our train to Via Reggio. We stayed at an incredible hotel right on the strip and spent the afternoon swimming in the Mediterranean. The beach was quiet even though it was a sunny beautiful day.
We walked the promenade in the evening and enjoyed seafood spaghetti for supper.
D7 budget
- coffee $2
- apple fritters $3
- bus tickets $4.50
- train $30
- something else was $19
- hotel $78
- supper $47
Day 8 – Via Reggio Beach Day
Today we explored via Reggio on foot, walking through the parks and downtown promenade. It was decided that we would stay again tonight and enjoy the beach for the day. We ran about 10km along the huge sandy beach, exploring old ruins and swimming along the way. The owner of our hotel was lovely and was able to help us plan a biking day for tomorrow.
We had dinner beside the sea, I had gnocchi with cheese and walnuts which was absolutely amazing but the Chianti Classico wine was especially delicious.
D8 budget
- $75 hotel
- $7.50 coffee
- $13.50 for caccia sandwiches for lunch
- $39 dinner for two
Day 9: Biking to the Foothills of the Aupine Alps
After breakfast at the hotel we wandered to the park to rent some electric mountain bikes. The hotel owner had helped us plan a route to do some sightseeing in the foothills of the Aupine Alps.
We cycled 11 km to Camaiore then picked up some hiking trails to Metato for about 6 km. We jumped back onto the switch back roads to ride to Montebello for about 5 km. The electric bikes made climbing the steep hills very easy. A steady climb took us for views from Santa Lucia. Taking the cycling path back to the via Reggio for 14 km was effortless after all the hills climbing!
D9 budget
- $70 for the hotel and breakfast
- $17 for lunch
- $18 for a snack and some wine
- $10.50 for supper
- $60 for the electric mountain bike rentals
Day 10: Via Reggio to Florence
After another delicious breakfast we were off to catch a train to Florence. Florence is bustling after being on the quiet coast. We dropped off our luggage and spent the day walking and exploring the core of Florence. The Duomo is very spectacular. We were able to see the piazza san Spirito, the piazza the Michelangelo, the area of san Nicolo and the san Leonardo.
D10 budget
- hotel $90
- lunch $25
- train $30
- sandwich $7.50
Day 11: Florence Sightseeing
Florence in October is still very hot and busy. With people out and about at all hours we did not sleep very well last night but today we were up early to do some groceries and spend the day exploring the city. We walked north and walked South covering the better part of 30 km today. It is worth spending some time in the Galileo museum, visiting the UNESCO site of Saint Nicholas, visiting Fort Belvedere, walking up to the Michelangelo lookout, enjoying some gelato and taking a nap in the late afternoon.
We woke again around eight and decided to go out to see what the nightlife was like. It is a lot cooler in the evenings and less crowded, perfect for watching the buskers and street artists while enjoying the sounds of pianos and accordions as we wandered the streets. The statues were all lit up at this Singnoria piazza and the artists in the street we’re absolutely incredible. We were back in bed by about 11 PM.
D11 budget
- $90 for hotel
- $16.50 for lunch
- $6 for coffee
- $4 for apple pie and to use the bathroom
- $4.50 for gelato
- $21 for kebab supper
Day 12: Florence to Rome
We took an early morning train from Florence to Rome and spent just the day exploring Rome on foot. Most of the main sites in Rome are all very close together and it is easy to walk around or to take the subway. The Colosseum is always busy and October is no exception. The day was a bit gray and rainy but that did not deter the mobs of tourists. We were not able to get inside any of the major attractions since everything was still so busy and we had not booked in advance. But that was OK, we were able to explore more of the city and get to the airport in time for our late night flight to Croatia!
Extra Travel Expenses
- Travel Insurance via World Nomads
- Flights 1) Canada to London, 2) London to Pisa, 3) Rome to Dubrovnik