Cinque Terre and Pisa Day Trip: Villages and Leaning Tower

Train through five coastal villages, then climb Pisa's tilted bell tower

A full-day tour from Florence combines Cinque Terre's five fishing villages with Pisa's medieval monuments. You travel by coach to La Spezia, then by train through Vernazzo, Monterosso, and Riomaggiore with free time to swim, eat, and explore each one. The afternoon moves to Piazza dei Miracoli and the Leaning Tower, with an optional upgrade to skip the line and climb to the top. An English-speaking guide leads the route and shares the region's history along the way.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. Piazza dei Miracoli1h
2. Leaning Tower of Pisa30m

Explore Cinque Terre and Pisa

• Depart Florence by luxury coach
• Travel to Cinque Terre via La Spezia
• Free time in Vernazza village
• Train ride to Monterosso village
• Relax and explore Monterosso
• Visit historic city of Pisa
• Explore Piazza dei Miracoli
• Optional climb of Leaning Tower
• Return to Florence by coach

The experience

Vernazzo arrives first, a village built into a harbor with narrow streets and pastel buildings stacked above the water. You get free time here to sit at a waterfront café, swim in the sea, or walk the tight lanes at your own pace. This is the stop where most people linger. Monterosso, the largest of the five villages, sits on a golden beach with a promenade lined with shops and wine bars. Again, the time is yours to use as you want. A short train ride connects the two, and the journey itself is part of the experience: the track hugs the coast and the villages appear one after another as you move south.

The coach carries you from Florence in the morning, and your guide talks through the Tuscan landscape as you drive: Lucca's history, the marble quarries near Carrara, how the five villages came to be. Once you reach La Spezia, the guide boards the train with you and walks you through the handoff so the transition feels seamless. Riomaggiore, the southernmost village, waits at the end of the line if you want to see it, though the itinerary centers on Vernazzo and Monterosso where the free time sits.

Pisa fills the afternoon. Piazza dei Miracoli is a lawn-covered square ringed by four medieval buildings (the Cathedral, Baptistery, Camposanto, and the Leaning Tower) all built in the same pale marble and all from when Pisa was a maritime power. The tower itself leans because the ground beneath it shifted centuries ago, and if you upgrade to the Leaning Tower ticket, you skip the line at the door and climb the 296 steps to the top, where you see the Arno River and the countryside spreading out below. The base ticket gets you into Piazza dei Miracoli. The upgrade is the climb. After Pisa, the coach takes you back to Florence as the day ends.

What’s included

• Round-trip coach transport from Florence in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• an English-speaking guide for the full day.
• entry to Cinque Terre National Park (Full Tour option).
• train travel between the five villages.
• free time in Vernazzo and Monterosso to swim, eat, and explore.
• Leaning Tower climb tickets if you select that option at checkout.

Options for this experience

2 options

Full TourGuide in English · 07:20This package covers visits to Vernazza, Monterosso, Riomaggiore and Pisa, and also includes train travel and entry tickets to the National Park.

Includes tickets to the Leaning Tower.Guide in English · 07:20Full tour with Leaning Tower tickets: a Cinque Terre and Pisa tour with pre-booked tickets to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The tour is conducted only in English.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 13h, runs every day at 07:20, from € 110 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:20

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (8 to 17 years) · Child (under 8): free

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Walkabout Florence Tours

Is this one for you?Book the Full Tour if you want the national park entry included and a straightforward all-in experience. Choose the Transport Only option if you already have a park pass or prefer to buy entry on arrival. The Leaning Tower upgrade is worth it if climbing to views of the Arno and countryside matters to you. Without it, you still see the tower and Piazza dei Miracoli from ground level.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (8 to 17 years); Child (under 8): free.

What do I actually do in Vernazzo and Monterosso during the free time?

Vernazzo and Monterosso are yours to explore at your own pace. In Vernazzo, most people sit at a café by the harbor, swim in the water, or walk the steep narrow streets. Monterosso has a beach, shops, and a waterfront promenade, so you can relax on the sand, browse for souvenirs, or sample local wine. The guide tells you when to meet back at the train, and you fill the hours however you want.

Do I need to buy a separate ticket to enter Cinque Terre?

Entry to Cinque Terre National Park is included in the Full Tour option. If you book the Transport Only option, the park entry is not included and you would need to purchase it separately. The Leaning Tower ticket is a separate upgrade you can add at checkout.

Can I actually climb inside the Leaning Tower, or just see it from outside?

The Leaning Tower climb is an optional upgrade. Without it, you see Piazza dei Miracoli and the tower from ground level. If you upgrade to the Leaning Tower ticket, you skip the line and climb the 296 steps to the top, where you get views of Pisa, the Arno River, and the Tuscan landscape around it.

Is there a boat ride along the Cinque Terre coast, or do I only see the villages by train?

A ferry boat ride along the coastline is offered weather permitting from late March through October, and it requires same-day confirmation and payment. The route shows all five villages from the water. If the weather doesn't allow it or if you're traveling outside that window, you explore the villages by train and on foot instead.

How long is the drive from Florence to Cinque Terre?

The coach journey from Florence to La Spezia takes most of the morning. Once you arrive, you board the train to reach the villages. The full day is 13 hours from start to finish, so you have substantial time in both Cinque Terre and Pisa, but the travel itself is a significant part of the day.