Only one free day? · Day trip from Florence
Venice or Cinque Terre?
| Field | Venice | Cinque Terre |
|---|---|---|
| Travel time | 2 h 14 direct Frecciarossa to Venezia Santa Lucia; regional trains take 4 h 11 | 2 h 33 to La Spezia Centrale; Monterosso is 3 h 12 from Florence |
| Transport | High-speed train | Regional train via Pisa |
| Self-guided | € 55.80–124 | € 53.80–66.80 |
| Tour | € 120 | € 41.65 |
| Time needed | 8–10 h | 7–10 h |
| Closed | None; on Sundays and holy days the basilica opens to visitors at 14:00 | None; the Cinque Terre Express timetable and card prices run 14 Mar-1 Nov |
| Best time | Weekdays outside Carnival and summer weekends; basilica 9:30-17:15 Mon-Sat | May, Jun, Sep, early Oct, on weekdays |
| Verdict | Better to sleep there | Better to sleep there |
Our verdict
Venice: direct train, more hours there.
For one long day far from Florence, pick Venice. The Frecciarossa is direct in 2 h 14, against 2 h 33 to La Spezia with a change at Pisa and 3 h 12 to Monterosso, so you get close to 10 hours in Venice and about 7 on the coast. Venice costs € 55.80 to € 124 depending on how early you book. Cinque Terre stays at € 53.80 to € 66.80 because regional fares are fixed. Pick Cinque Terre if you are booking this week, want sea and walking, or prefer the coach at € 41.65 against € 120.
Last checked: · Train times and fares from Trenitalia's journey planner for Wednesday 7 October 2026, bus times from Autolinee Toscane timetables valid from 5 October 2026; opening days and prices from each attraction's official site.