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Table of Contents:
How to get to Lerici from Genoa
How to get to Lerici from Milan
When to travel to Lerici
Lerici is a lovely resort town located between such famous tourist destinations as Portovenere and La Spezia. The famous Cinque Terre National Park is also nearby. Lerici is famous for its parkland, sandy beaches and relaxed resort atmosphere. On average, there are fewer tourists here than in neighboring towns, and this is what makes Lerici a unique place for a relaxing holiday without crowds of tourists, but with many authentic attractions and excellent beaches. The latter, by the way, is very rare for the Ligurian shore.
After some research, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Lerici. I figured out how to get to the town, where to stay & what to see there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Lerici.
The swimming period lasts in Lerici from June and until late September, sometimes even until mid. October. This is the time when the weather is sunny and the sea is warm enough to swim in it. July and August are considered to be the warmest months of the year and the best time for swimming and sunbathing. To my mind, the other time of the year lasting from October until May is good for sightseeing, hiking, trying local gastronomy and visiting museums.
How to get to Lerici
Where do you fly into to get to Lerici? To relax in Lerici, you first need to get to the nearest major city in Italy. This could be Genoa, the administrative center of Liguria, or neighboring Milan. The current flight timetable can be checked via specialized online services such as Aviasales and others. Further, Lerici can only be reached via La Spezia, because there is no railway station in the town.
How to get to Lerici from Genoa
By train: Direct high-speed trains run between Genoa and La Spezia throughout the day, starting at 5 am. Trains in Genoa depart from Brignoli Train Station. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. Then from La Spezia you can take a taxi from the railway station or take a bus #S to get to Lerici.
By taxi: You can order a taxi to Lerici directly from Genoa; the distance between the cities is just over 100 km. The travel time is about 1.5 hours. You can order a taxi at Genoa airport, or in advance via different online services such as Kiwitaxi and others. This option is especially useful when arriving at night. I did some research and I can say Kiwitaxi has quite a lot of positive reviews, so I can recommend it. For sure, there are a lot of other taxi services available at the airport.
By rented car: The other option is to rent a car in Genoa to travel around on your own. To rent a car you need to have a passport, a driver`s license and a bank card. You can also book a car in advance via various online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and some others. Based on my experience, both online services are good. Genoa and Lerici are connected with #A12/E80 motorway. The distance is 110 km. The travel time is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes (see on the map).
How to get to Lerici from Milan
By train: Direct high-speed trains run between Milan and La Spezia throughout the day, starting at 5 am. Trains in Milan depart from Central Train Station. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. I use Raileurope quite often when planning upcoming trips and it helps me a lot so I can definitely recommend using it. Then from La Spezia you can take a taxi from the railway station or take a bus #S to get to Lerici.
By taxi: The distance between Milan and Lerici is about 230 km. The route to the resort is similar to the route from Genoa. You can either take a taxi directly from Milan, or take a train to La Spezia, and then make a change to a taxi to Lerici. The travel time is about 3 hours 20 minutes. You can order a taxi at Milan airport at the information desk, or in advance via international transfer services such as Kiwitaxi and other similar ones.
By rented car: As an option, travellers often hire a car in Milan to travel around on their own. It is a very popular variant to move around and there are a lot of car rental offices in Milan. You can find them either at the airport or in the city area. To rent a car you need to have a passport, a driver`s license and a bank card. You can also book a car in advance via different online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. I would recommend comparing both online services to find out the best available options. Milan and Lerici are connected with #A1 and A15/E33 motorways. The distance is 230 km. The possible travel time is 2.5 hours (see on the map).
Where to stay in Lerici
In Lerici you can find hotels of all-star categories, as well as bed and breakfast hotels without stars. Since Lerici cannot be reached by public transport, the availability of parking spaces at the hotel is important for many travelers; otherwise, it is difficult to leave the car anywhere on the narrow streets of the medieval fishing town.
Hotel Florida Lerici 3* has a convenient location; there is a beach across the road. The hotel has a bar and a rooftop terrace. Guests can stay in single, double or triple rooms. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Public parking is provided nearby for an additional fee. The front desk is open 24 hours a day and offers luggage storage and currency exchange services;
Doria Park Hotel 3* is located a few steps from the historical center, and its rooms offer views of the Gulf and the castle. The beach area is within walking distance from the hotel. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I found out that Doria Park Hotel offers its guests an outdoor terrace, free parking and a buffet breakfast included in the room rate;
Hotel Del Golfo 3* is located in the historical center of the town, 150 meters from the beach. There is a restaurant, a lift and free private parking on site. The hotel has rooms of various categories. Wi-Fi is available at the hotel. The front desk offers luggage storage;
Hotel Italia 3* is located within walking distance from the beach and has its own restaurant on site, as well as a free private parking area. The restaurant serves local cuisine and has a cellar with a large selection of local wines. Wi-Fi is available at the hotel. The front desk offers luggage storage;
Albergo Serena 3* is a family-run hotel which is located in the closest surroundings of Lerici, in the fishing village of Cherry. The hotel is situated on a mountain hill, and the nearest beach is 10 minutes away by car. Free private parking is available on site. Wi-Fi is provided at the hotel. The front desk offers luggage storage.
What to see in Lerici
Lerici is a small resort town, mostly famous for its sandy beaches. There are not many sandy beach areas on the Ligurian Riviera, but Lerici is lucky one. Among the attractions, the town is famous for several medieval monuments, as well as for natural landscapes and hiking routes suitable for walking around. For more varied leisure activities, tourists often go to neighboring towns; visiting the Cinque Terre National Park is especially popular.
The main historical attraction of Lerici is considered to be Castello di Lerici, or Lerici Castle, the construction of which dates back to the Middle Ages. Initially, the castle served as a sea fortress, but then lost its original significance. Now there is a museum inside the castle, which is open to tourists.
In the surroundings of Lerici there are several more notable settlements called Tellaro and San Terenzo. These villages are almost unknown to tourists, but they are of considerable interest, because there are medieval castles located here. I would totally recommend visiting them, if you have some more time.
Another popular entertainment in Lerici is boat trips. So, through the Gulf of Poets you can get to the shores of Portovenere; the trip to the Cinque Terre is a little longer, but it is also worth it. Traveling by land from Lerici is problematic unless you rent a car, since bus routes here are rare and their schedules are unclear. If you have a car, you can drive along the shore and explore not only nearby towns, but also more distant ones, for example, Rapallo, Sestri Levante, Camogli, etc. By the way, Lerici is the last town in a series of shore resorts of the Ligurian Riviera, behind which the Tuscan Riviera borders, so it is quite possible to visit its towns; the distance to them is short. In my point of view, the Tuscan Riviera is also definitely worth seeing.
The sandy beaches of Marinella, San Terenzo, Bocca di Magra and Fiumaretta are considered to be the best in Lerici. All of them are public, but you have to pay for the use of sun loungers and umbrellas. There are also several private beaches in the town. They are less crowded, and this is their main advantage, since in everything else (the quality of the sand, the gentleness of the entrance to the sea, the purity of the water) public beaches are in no way worse than the private ones.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Emlyn Stokes
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…