The Ideal One-Week Cinque Terre and Tuscany Itinerary
Heads up: This article may contain affiliate links.
Few countries hold more iconic destinations than Italy, and Cinque Terre and Tuscany are two of them. Is it possible to explore them both in just one week, without feeling stressed? Absolutely. Read on to find my self-tested one-week Cinque Terre and Tuscany itinerary to see how!
Italy is a country that has followed since early childhood. And even though there are few countries I have been back to more times, the list of places I want to see never shorten.
Cinque Terre has sat at the top of my bucket list for way too long. So, when my partner and I started planning a trip to celebrate my big 40 in October 2025, we figured it was finally time to make it happen. For some rural charm and a few more World Heritage sites for my UNESCO project, we added Tuscany to the itinerary. And the output could simply not have been better!
Affiliate Disclosure:
This article may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support Heritage Wanderlust and allows me to keep creating free travel guides and helpful travel content.
Itinerary: Combining Cinque Terre & Tuscany in One Week
This one-week itinerary is perfect for those of you who are looking for an active holiday mixed with scenic landscapes, dreamy towns, beautiful sunsets (and sunrises), interesting history and great food and wine.
Summary of my ideal Cinque Terre and Tuscany itinerary:
- 3 nights: Cinque Terre
- 2 nights: San Gimignano, Tuscany
- 2 nights: Pienza, Tuscany
As you can see, Florence is not part of this itinerary. If you want to add the capital of Tuscany, you either need to extend your trip with a few days or skip either San Gimignano or Pienza.
Continue reading for my recommendations on how to spend your time in the different destinations.
Want more Italy inspiration? Check out this day trip to Spello and Assisi from Rome.
Some Practical Details
Before we dive into the different parts of the itinerary, let’s first get some practicalities out of the way. This trip isn’t difficult to plan, but as the destinations are very popular and there are some distances, you need to prepare wisely.
Arrival and Departure
The most convenient airports for this itinerary are Pisa and Florence. We opted for Florence because of direct flights from our home airport, but Pisa is a bit closer to Cinque Terre.
Do You Need a Rental Car?
Yes, for this one-week itinerary, you need a car. If you don’t want to hire a car, I recommend combining Cinque Terre with Florence instead. You can book day trips from Florence to see more of Tuscany.
The Best Time to Visit Cinque Terre and Tuscany
Both Cinque Terre and the Tuscan towns listed in this itinerary are major bucket list places, and there is no secret that they can be quite busy in high season. And while you can visit year-round, the weather may be cold and wet during the winter months, and some restaurants and other facilities close between November – February/March.
Hence, the shoulder season, March to mid-June and September – October, is perfect. This time of year, you can experience fewer crowds and milder temperatures which are ideal for an active holiday. We visited late October, and it was t-shirt temperature (even shorts in Cinque Terre) during the day. Needed a jacket in the evening and early morning, but still ate all our meals outside.
Day 1- 4: Picturesque Cinque Terre
Upon arrival to Italy, pick up your rental car and head straight towards the Ligurian coast. I recommend parking the car in La Spezia, the nearest larger city to and on the railway line that connects the 5 villages that make up Cinque Terre. And much easier driving into than any of the other. Levanto, on the western side of Cinque Terre, is another alternative, but further from Tuscany.
Cinque Terre means “the five lands”, referring to the five, traditional fishing villages nestled between the steep terrain and the azure sea. It’s famous for its beauty as well as the hiking trails connecting the towns. It’s been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997 because of its exceptional cultural and ecological assets.
If you physically can, hiking between the towns is the best thing to do here. More on that a bit further down. If you can’t walk, it’s perfectly fine using the train as a hop on – hop off alternative to get around.
Get my 9 best tips for visiting Cinque Terre for the first time here!
Where to Stay in Cinque Terre
While it’s possible to stay in La Spezia and explore the region from there, I recommend choosing one of the five towns as a base instead. Because we arrived late, we spent the first night in La Spezia, and it definitely doesn’t have the same atmosphere as the colourful towns you see on all the pictures.
The five towns consist of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. I was back and forth a lot about where to stay and ended up with renting an apartment in Riomaggiore.
After visiting all of them, I’m sure I’d be happy in any of them. Still, if I was going back now, I’d opt for either Manarola, Vernazza or Riomaggiore again. Monterosso al Mare is a bit larger than the others and has a bit more modern feel to it, even though it has a new and an old part. This is where to stay for the best beach.
Corniglia is probably the most authentic and where you’ll furthest from the crowds once the day-trippers have gone home. Why? Because it’s located 33 flights of stairs up from the train station and just as far from the sea if you want to go for a swim.
How to Spend Your Days in Cinque Terre
With this itinerary, you have 2 full days in Cinque Terre. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to see and do most of the must-do’s.
As mentioned before, hiking between the towns is the most popular thing to do. The trails are signposted and easy to find, and while it’s possible to walk the full length of the Cinque Terre in one day (if you’re in good physical shape and steep, uneven trails), I recommend splitting it into two.
Riomagiore – Manarola – Corniglia (via Volastra) one day, and Monterosso – Vernazza – Corniglia one day. Take your time to enjoy the magnificent views and make use of the cosy places to stop for lunch or a drink along the way.
The train going between the towns is frequent, fast and easy. Buy day passes if you want to use it a lot, or just pay per journey if you, like us, only plan to take it to and from hiking.
Another must (that we unfortunately missed), is seeing the towns from a boat. You can either take the ferry that connects the towns or book a private boat trip. Next time, I’m going for a sunset cruise.
And speaking of sunset. You can’t miss watching the sun set in the Ligurian Sea. Manarola and Riomaggiore are both excellent spots to do this.
Being by the coast, swimming is of course also possible. While there are small beaches in Riomaggiore and Vernazza and the quay in Manarola is a popular bathing spot, Monterosso is the main beach town. This is where you find beach clubs and proper facilities.
Day 4-6: Medieval Vibes in San Gimignano
After a couple of days surrounded by steep mountainsides, the sparkling sea and colourful villages, it’s time to move on. Now, it’s the green, rolling hills of Tuscany’s turn. Take the train back to La Spezia in the morning, pick up your car and put San Gimignano into the GPS.
As the drive is only just over 2 hours, plan a scenic lunch stop along the way. We stopped in Volterra, a typical Tuscan hill-top town and supposedly the oldest city in Italy. Another option is stopping in Pisa to see the famous leaning tower.
In San Gimignano, I can’t recommend staying at B&B La Cornice enough. It’s a small, boutique, family-owned bed and breakfast with the loveliest garden facing the old town.
Things To Do in San Gimignano
San Gimignano is known for its unique, medieval skyline. The 14 towers sure is an impressive sight today, and I can only imagine what it looked like when all its 72 (!) towers where still standing. No wonder why it’s nicknamed Medieval Manhattan!
Following this one-week Cinque Terre and Tuscany itinerary, you have one full day in San Gimignano. And I recommend spending the day exploring the countryside, before heading into the old town in the afternoon and evenings.
There are lots of activities to join in the area, from bike tours to wine tasting. We spent an hour on a horseback riding tour with Il Vecchio Maneggio, and the rest of the day just strolling around the scenic farm roads.
In the afternoon, when the day trippers from Florence have left, it’s time to explore the medieval streets. Enjoy an aperitivo in one of the squares, dinner at one of the excellent restaurants in the alleys and climb the 54-metre-tall Torre Grossa for epic sunset views.
The optimal one week itinerary for Slovenia!
Day 6-8: Renessaince Perfection in Pienza
From San Gimignano, it’s time to go south and explore a different part of Tuscany. Pienza is a small, UNESCO World Heritage listed hilltop town in the region of Siena. We opted to stay here for small town charm and proximity to nature, instead of in Siena itself.
The drive from San Gimignano to Pienza is approx. 2 hours, and just like the previous day – you should make a stop along the way. We decided Siena needs more time than just a few hours’ stop and saved it for another trip. Instead, we stopped in Montalcino. Home of the exquisite Brunello wine.
In Pienza, we parked the car and found our beautiful apartment in the middle of the old, renaissance town, before heading straight out for an aperitivo along the old city walls. The city is overlooking the beautiful Val d’Orcia and believe me when I say that the sunsets here are nothing but formidable. And if you’re an early bird, make sure to get up to admire the sunrise as well!
Explore Val d’Orcia
Pienza was completely rebuilt in the mid-15th century using human urban planning principles and is known as the “ideal city of the Renaissance”. However, it’s quite small and seeing the main sight doesn’t take long.
So, on your full day here, you should get out and see the valley. Where Pienza was built as the ideal city, Val d’Orcia was modelled after the ideal landscape. Chances are small that you haven’t seen photos or movie scenes (hello Gladiator!) from the cypress lanes of Val d’Orcia. So of course you should check it out. Either by bike or a combination of car and foot.
The Chapel of the Madonna di Vitaleta is another popular attraction, and, although small, a pretty sight standing alone in the middle of the large fields.
Free Spa at Terme San Filippo
Did you know that Tuscany has hot springs? I didn’t before I started researching for this trip. Bagni San Filippo hot springs are located only about 30 minutes’ drive from Pienza and worth spending a couple of hours at. At least as long as you don’t expect too much.
It’s a natural hot spring and visiting is free of charge. However, there are no facilities there so make sure to stop along the way if you might need a toilet. It also seemed like large parts of it had dried out, and most of the pools were not even lukewarm.
The large, white limestone called the White Whale and the pools just beneath it is where you find the hot water.
Find photos and travel tips for Rome here.
Time to go home
After spending 2 nights in Pienza, your Cinque Terre and Tuscany adventure is coming to an end. What you do on your last day depends on your departure time. The fastest route from Pienza to Florence airport is approx. 1 hour 45 minutes, and the airport in Pisa is 2,5 – 3 hours away.
If you have a late flight, make the most of your time and stop along the way. We spent a few hours wandering around Montepulciano, yet another scenic hilltop town. And closer to Florence, we took a small detour and stopped in Fiesole for a coffee.
Hopefully you have better luck delivering your rental car than we did. A huge demonstration led to traffic chaos outside the airport and 300 metres from the car rent, a taxi hit our car…
Final thoughts on the One-Week Cinque Terre and Tuscany Itinerary
Are you ready to book your Italy adventure yet?
As with all my itineraries, this one is quite flexible. I find that it’s most important to find fitting destinations to use as a base and get an idea of what to do there. Booking exact activities and restaurants can come later.
Staying 2-3 nights in each place gives a sense of peace instead of moving every day. With a rental car, you can easily get around and see more of the area anyhow.
What about Florence? Is a trip to Tuscany even complete without stopping there? Off course. The heart of Tuscany isn’t the capital, but the countryside and medieval hilltop towns.
However, I’m not saying you shouldn’t visit, I’ve been to Florence before and it’s such an interesting city. Just don’t try to squeeze in a day there using this itinerary. If you can spare 10 days instead of one week for your trip to Cinque Terre and Tuscany, adding Florence is perfect!
