Escursione di un giorno alle Cinque Terre da Firenze : bus di andata e ritorno guidato

Sandro Was our guide, he was very knowledgeable full of energy and very welcoming. I would definitely recommend him.

I wanted to add a follow-up to my daughter's original review yesterday because after taking another tour the next day — and after reading the company’s public reply to that response — I feel even more strongly that our experience was handled poorly. The following day, we took another excursion with a much larger group of approximately 50 people. Our guide, Fabi, clearly explained that because the destination is a UNESCO-protected area, buses cannot simply drive directly into the villages. Instead, transportation takes guests to the closest accessible location, and from there travelers continue by train or other means. That simple explanation immediately made the logistics make sense. We were not given that explanation the day before when we arrived at La Spezia and were left to figure out the train system ourselves. Even more importantly, the following day’s guide offered guests an upgrade option if they wanted to stay with the guided group instead of navigating independently. That was with a group of around 50 people. On our Cinque Terre tour, there were only about 10 people total, and only 3 of us had selected the independent option, yet no such alternative was offered to us. We were shown where to purchase a Cinque Terre train ticket, but that is not the same as being given adequate instructions. We were not clearly told which train to take, which platform to use, which village to begin with, or how to navigate the route. We also never received the map that the tour description specifically stated would be provided. The guide could have spent a 5 minutes explaining the unfamiliar train system or walking the three of us to the correct platform, showing us the appropriate train, and explaining how to start our independent day. This could have changed our day drastically. We were not asking to be guided through every village. We specifically chose independence. But independent travel should begin after guests are given enough information to safely understand where they are going. Unfortunately, the weather then became extremely severe. There were strong winds, flooding, fallen trees, waterspouts, and major train disruptions. We later learned that one of the trains we were stranded on had reportedly been hit by lightning and experienced electrical failure. The train completely stopped operating, and at one point it appeared that passengers might need to be evacuated. It eventually moved again and then stopped once more. Because of the weather and train breakdowns, we were stranded in the rail system for more than seven hours. We spent essentially the entire day inside trains, were unable to stop for lunch, and ultimately never saw Cinque Terre at all. I want to be very clear: I do not blame the tour company for lightning, severe weather, fallen trees, flooding, or failures within the Italian railway system. Those circumstances were outside of their control. What was within their control was the level of preparation, communication, and support provided when things went wrong. When our train became stuck, I contacted the company through WhatsApp at approximately 2:23 p.m. (14:23) explaining that we were stranded because of electrical problems. I followed up at 14:24, 14:25, and 14:26, explaining that we were near Genova, that a station employee had directed us onto the train we had taken, and that we had been told the delay could last two hours or more. The company has since publicly stated that their Operations Office responded to us by WhatsApp “as soon as” we contacted them. My screenshots show otherwise. Those messages were left without a response in the WhatsApp conversation. I have the screenshots showing exactly what was sent and when. My complaint was also never that the company should have held an entire bus indefinitely for us. We understood that other travelers needed to return on schedule. We contacted the company precisely because we knew the severe train disruption could prevent us from reaching the return meeting point in time and we were asking what alternatives were available. Could we meet the van somewhere else? Was there another route? Was there another transportation option? What should we do if the railway remained shut down? Instead, we were essentially left to solve the situation ourselves. At one point, the suggestion was reportedly to get off near Genova and take a taxi back toward La Spezia. Considering the extreme weather, widespread rail disruption, flooding, fallen trees, and the fact that we were already stranded, this did not feel like meaningful or realistic assistance. Because of the unforeseeable weather and train conditions, we ultimately missed the return van in La Spezia. We finally managed to return to La Spezia Centrale at approximately 6:20 p.m. (18:20). At that point, we had to purchase another direct train ticket back to Florence ourselves. Our day had started at approximately 6:30 a.m. (06:30) when we arrived at the tour check-in point. We did not arrive back at our hotel until approximately 11:00 p.m. (23:00). So from 6:30 in the morning until 11:00 at night, we spent almost the entire day dealing with transportation issues, trying to figure out where we were supposed to go, becoming stranded during severe weather, and eventually figuring out how to get ourselves back to Florence. And after all of that, we never actually saw Cinque Terre. The company’s response emphasizes that this was an “independent” option. I understand that completely. My concern was never that we were expected to explore the villages independently. My concern is that independent does not mean unsupported. Showing someone where to buy a train ticket and then leaving them at an unfamiliar station without the advertised map, basic route information, clear orientation, or meaningful assistance when an emergency develops is not the level of organization I expected from a paid excursion. Seeing how professionally the logistics were explained on our next tour made the contrast even more obvious. That guide clearly explained why direct access was not possible, explained how transportation would work, and gave guests options if they preferred to remain with the group. Those simple explanations and options could have made an enormous difference the day before. I also think it is important for future customers to know that when the company publicly states that they responded immediately to our WhatsApp messages, I have screenshots of the actual conversation showing my messages about being stranded and the electrical failure without a response from them in that chat. Again, the extreme weather and train failures were not the company’s fault. But sending unfamiliar tourists into a transportation system without sufficient orientation, failing to provide the advertised map, offering very limited assistance when conditions became dangerous, and then publicly stating that immediate WhatsApp assistance was provided when my message history shows otherwise is why I continue to consider this experience unprofessional and irresponsible. We booked a Cinque Terre excursion. We started our day at 6:30 a.m., returned to our hotel around 11:00 p.m., spent more than seven hours stranded in trains, had to purchase additional transportation back to Florence ourselves, and never saw Cinque Terre at all. That is why I stand by my my daughter's original review.

Not Worth the Price Unfortunately, I would not recommend this tour unless you choose the option that allows you to remain with the guided group. We paid approximately $70 per person, and after experiencing the tour, I am genuinely confused about what that price was supposed to cover beyond transportation by van/coach from Florence to La Spezia and back. We chose not to include lunch because we are picky eaters and wanted the freedom to choose where and what we ate. There were only 10 people total in our group, and only 3 of us did not choose the lunch option. Once we reached La Spezia, the three of us were essentially separated from the group and told that we needed to purchase our own Cinque Terre train tickets and navigate the villages independently. The problem is that we were not given enough information to do that successfully. Our guide did not clearly explain which train to take, which platform to use, which destination to look for, or which town we should begin with. We were also not given the map that the tour description specifically says would be provided. The guide could have easily walked the three of us to the correct platform, pointed out the exact train, told us where to get off, and then left us to explore independently. That would have taken only a few minutes and still allowed us to have the independent experience we wanted. Instead, we had to find a station employee ourselves and ask for help. We followed the directions we were given and ended up on a train toward Genova rather than the Cinque Terre towns we were trying to visit. Unfortunately, the weather was also bad and we experienced major train problems that day. Two of our trains became stuck or severely delayed. One had electrical issues and completely stopped working. At one point, it appeared that passengers might have to be evacuated. The train eventually started moving again, only to stop again later. I completely understand that the weather, electrical issues, and train delays were unforeseeable and outside of the tour company’s control. However, because of those conditions, we ultimately missed the designated return meeting point for the van. That is where the lack of support became even more frustrating. Once our train was stuck and delayed, we contacted the tour operator because we knew there was a strong possibility we would not make it back to the meeting point on time. We did not consistently receive a response, and when we were finally able to communicate with them, we were essentially told that there was nothing they could do to help. No alternative meeting point, transportation option, or other solution was offered. Again, I understand that the tour company could not control the weather or the train breakdowns. But when customers are stranded during a tour and are actively reaching out for help, some level of assistance would be expected. Even helping us identify another return option, suggesting a different place to meet the van, or giving us guidance on how to get back would have made a huge difference. Because of the combination of unclear instructions at the beginning, lack of guidance at La Spezia, the train issues, and the lack of support once things went wrong, we ultimately did not get to see Cinque Terre at all. That is the most disappointing part of the entire experience. We paid for a Cinque Terre day trip and never actually got to experience Cinque Terre. Another issue is the way the transportation is advertised. The listing says “Round-trip transport from Florence to Cinque Terre.” Based on our experience, that is not accurate. The van transportation was from Florence to La Spezia, not directly to Cinque Terre. Once we arrived in La Spezia, we were required to purchase separate train tickets and arrange our own transportation into the Cinque Terre villages. That distinction matters. Saying “round-trip transport from Florence to Cinque Terre” gives the impression that transportation to Cinque Terre itself is included, when in reality the included transportation stopped in La Spezia. The description also says this experience is for travelers who want independence “with the comfort of organized logistics—we handle transport; you explore.” We interpreted that to mean that transportation logistics would be organized and that we would then independently explore the towns. In reality, they handled transportation from Florence to La Spezia, and from that point forward we were expected to purchase an additional train ticket and figure out the rest ourselves. The listing should be much clearer and say something like: “We will transport you by bus from Florence to La Spezia. Once in La Spezia, depending on the tour option selected, you will either navigate Cinque Terre independently and purchase an additional train ticket, or you will be guided through the towns with the group.” That would give travelers a much more accurate understanding of what they are actually purchasing. I also don't understand the $70-per-person price for the independent option. If I had known I was essentially paying $70 for transportation from Florence to La Spezia and back, then purchasing separate train tickets to actually visit Cinque Terre, I would not have booked this tour. We could have taken a train directly from Florence for less money, with roughly comparable travel time, and organized the entire day ourselves. We weren't expecting someone to guide us through every village. We chose the independent option because we wanted independence. But independent travel does not mean guests should be left without basic directions or support when something goes wrong. A map, a suggested route, the correct platform, the name of the first village, and showing us the correct train would have been enough. And once the unforeseeable weather and train problems caused us to miss the return meeting point, simply responding and helping us understand what alternatives were available would have made a major difference. Overall, between the $70-per-person price, additional train tickets, lack of clear instructions, failure to provide the advertised map, misleading wording about round-trip transportation to Cinque Terre, lack of support when contacted, and poor communication, this experience was extremely disappointing. The weather and train failures were outside of the company’s control, and I do not fault them for those issues. My concern is how little guidance and support we received before and during those problems. Most importantly, we booked and paid for a Cinque Terre tour and did not get to see Cinque Terre at all. If I had understood beforehand exactly how little assistance the independent option included, I would have skipped this tour completely and taken the train from Florence on my own.

We had a wonderful experience with CAF Tours. The entire tour was very well organized, comfortable and enjoyable. A special thank you to our tour guide, Martha, who was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and passionate about the places we visited. She shared fascinating historical insights, kept the group engaged throughout, and was always happy to answer questions with a smile. Our driver, Diago, was equally exceptional. He drove safely and smoothly throughout the journey, making us feel comfortable and secure at all times. His professionalism and courteous nature were truly appreciated. Together, Martha and Diago made the tour memorable and stress-free. We highly recommend CAF Tours and would happily travel with them again. Thank you for a fantastic experience!

I originally booked a similar tour through Viator, however, the CAF company directly sent me a WhatsApp saying that the tour was not going to happen and that I needed to cancel. At first I thought it was very sketchy, to be honest, but then they offered me other options and I did some research on the tours they have. My friend and I decided to book the small tour to Cinque Terre through their website and all the time I was able to ask questions to the person wha was sending me the WhatsApp’s about the tour. The day of the tour, check in was very easy and they were very kind. Our guide was Faby and I can’t even describe how wonderful she was. The way she spoke to the group was always with kindness and patience. Our driver, Daniele, was also very polite. Navigating the trains and the ferry was super easy thanks to Faby, and that gives us the opportunity to enjoy fully our time in Cinque Terre. I will highly recommend this tour to my friends that are thinking of visiting Florence this summer.

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Marta was incredible! Very knowledgeable, thoughtful, and kind. It truly is an appetizer of these great and beautiful villages.

If you don’t take the full package with the Tour Guide, you get left at the train station. At the train station, we experienced a harassment from one of the other people that were on the tour a guy and his mother apparently. They didn’t have money to take the train into the towns and they were lounging towards us while we were buying our train tickets. They had asked us if they could travel with us because they didn’t know the area however we could hear them speaking Italian so they would’ve been more familiar than us when we returned. Their name wasn’t called out on the list at the end of the day, the guide Martha told us that they were part of the tour, but they were waiting up close to the bus . We felt like they were trying to pickpocket us or use us for free transportation, and they followed us around. We took pictures of the guy. He had a New York Yankees hat on and when we told Martha about it, she dismissed us saying they were just Tourists but clearly they were not. We felt by not taking the total package. We were left in an unsafe situation with not much information and left at the hands of people who were dangerous.

My trip today with Constantino and Fabio was pleasurable and educational. They were the quintessential professionals. Fabio’s navigational skills and maneuverability of the narrow bends of the road was magnificent. Constantino’s historical knowledge of Cinque Terre was one for the books , as well as his patience for some in the group who disregarded his orders. Complete professionalism exhibited.

Trip organized by Biancoviaggi by coach Florence medgiugorie and was realized a search for inner peace already from the same trip arrived on the place you perceive the humility of simple and helpful people as it was once with us 60s we realize that we do not need much to find serenity and peace nature and people

Many thanks to our guide Marta and our driver Giovanni for this beautiful discovery of the five lands. As Marta says, this excursion is a perfect "appetizer" to discover the five lands and make you want to return. Marta is a guide who clearly makes the difference: smiling, available, pleasant, good advice she knew how to contribute fully to the kon unfolds this day. Despite many people on the 3 different villages visits, we were able to appreciate the beauty of the place. And congratulations to Marta for these few notions in French 😉

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