What is the best way to visit Cinque Terre from a cruise ship?

La Spezia is the port of call, and the most rewarding approach to Cinque Terre is by sea. We took the Yellow Line route with Consorzio Marittimo Turistico Cinque Terre, stopping at Manarola and Vernazza. Arriving by boat gives you a perspective on the villages that no road approach matches. The train from La Spezia is a practical alternative, but the boat is the better experience.

Cruise: Best of Italy & Croatia - Magazine

Best of Italy and Croatia with Celebrity Cruises

If you’re looking for a relaxing and elegant way to explore Italy, Montenegro and Croatia, this route is a top choice. With beautiful stops and no need to pack and unpack every day, it’s a wonderful way to travel. Below, you’ll find a day-by-day review of each destination – with travel tips and cultural highlights.

Updated May 2026

Getting to your cruise in Civitavecchia

Civitavecchia is Rome's principal cruise port, roughly 90 minutes from the city centre or Fiumicino Airport depending on traffic. The logistics here are worth understanding in advance. Private transfers and taxis drop passengers at a designated zone outside the terminal, where a shuttle bus handles the final stretch to the ship. For anyone travelling with substantial luggage or with limited mobility, this arrangement costs time and patience. Factor it in.

We arrived a day early and stayed at Relais Castrum Bocchea, a countryside property. Dinner on the hotel terrace, a solid pasta, no crowds. It was a calmer start than central Rome would have offered, and in retrospect the better decision.

Cinque Terre from La Spezia

La Spezia is a practical port with a clear function: it puts you within reach of Cinque Terre without the long inland transfers to Florence or Pisa. We took a taxi boat with Consorzio Marittimo Turistico Cinque Terre, selecting the Yellow Line route to Manarola and Vernazza. Arriving by sea is the right approach. The villages reveal themselves from the water in a way no road approach can replicate, and the crossing is calm and unhurried.

Vernazza rewarded a proper lunch in a side street, well away from the harbour crowds. The train is a workable alternative, but the boat gives you the better experience.

Portofino

Large cruise ships cannot dock in Portofino, so we transferred ashore by tender. The crossing is short, and the views on the approach already justify it. On land, however, the reality is more complicated. The village is compact, which works against it on busy days. When multiple cruise ships anchor in the bay simultaneously, the narrow waterfront and the central square absorb more visitors than they were ever designed to handle. The climb to Castello Brown offers some relief and delivers a clear panorama of the harbour below, but the village itself felt more crowded than charming on the day we visited. Portofino has an undeniable setting. Whether the experience matches the reputation depends heavily on your timing.

A day at sea

A sea day aboard Celebrity Constellation is not wasted time. We used the break to recover before Naples. If you plan to use the spa, book ahead.

Sorrento from Naples

Naples is a port. We moved through it quickly and took a boat transfer to Sorrento, which suited the day better. Sorrento sits above the sea with views across to Vesuvius, and its pace is measurably calmer than the city we had left behind.

We walked through the Cloister of San Francesco, a quiet space of stone arches that earns its reputation, and visited the Museo Correale di Terranova, a villa-based collection of regional paintings, furniture and ceramics set with sea views. The artisan streets are worth an hour if you are looking for wood inlay work or handmade leather. For pizza, we ate at Café Latino in the centre.
© photo: Travel Magazine Belgium

Messina: Taormina or Mount Etna

Messina itself is not the reason to stop. The choice is between Taormina, roughly an hour away by private transfer, and a guided day on Mount Etna.

Taormina is the more accessible option. Corso Umberto is the obvious route through the town, and the Teatro Antico di Taormina, a Greek theatre set against both the sea and the volcano, is one of the stronger visual moments on the Sicilian coast. We consider it among the most compelling viewpoints in this part of the island.

Mount Etna is the alternative for those who have already done Taormina or who want something more demanding. Celebrity runs full-day shore excursions with expert guides included.

visiting Lecce, have lunch or dinner at Doppiozero

Lecce from Brindisi

Brindisi is a quiet port. We took the direct train to Lecce and found it fully justified. The city's Baroque architecture is the draw, most visibly in the Basilica di Santa Croce, a façade built over more than two centuries with a density of carved detail that takes time to read properly. The Roman Amphitheatre in Piazza Sant'Oronzo, a 2nd-century structure that once held 25.000 people, sits with surprising ease within the modern square around it. The Castello di Carlo V, built under Charles V in the 16th century, now serves as a cultural venue.

Tip: When visiting Lecce, have lunch or dinner at Doppiozero – popular with both locals and visitors. We had some great antipasti and pasta (see photo). © photo: Travel Magazine Belgium

Kotor

The arrival by sea is the correct way to understand Kotor. The Bay of Kotor, technically a submerged river canyon rather than a fjord, though the distinction rarely registers when the mountains rise to around 1.700 metres above you, frames an approach that is slow and theatrical. The ship takes its time.

The Old Town is enclosed by approximately 4 km of walls, parts of which date to the 9th century. The Venetian influence is clear throughout the architecture. Kotor has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 1979.

We booked a local guide for a 70-minute walking tour, which surfaced details we would have missed independently. The fortress climb counts around 1.350 steps and demands a steady pace, but the panorama over the bay is among the strongest views on this entire route. Afterwards, lunch on a quiet square with Njeguši cheese and cured meat was the right way to close the morning. © photo: Travel Magazine Belgium

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is heavily visited, and that shapes how you experience it. The Old Town delivers regardless. The city walls are the defining experience, roughly two hours at a measured pace with consistent views over the red rooftops and the Adriatic below. Dubrovnik Cathedral, rebuilt after the 1667 earthquake, holds a notable collection including works attributed to Titian. The Rector's Palace, a building that combines Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements, now functions as a city history museum.

We took the cable car to the mountain above the city. The view from there provides the full context that the streets inside the walls cannot give you, and the ride takes twelve minutes each way. It is not optional.

Split

Split is different from the other stops on this itinerary. It is a working city, and that is part of what makes it interesting. Diocletian's Palace, constructed in the early 4th century as Emperor Diocletian's retirement residence, forms the entire historic core of the city. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and unlike many protected zones, people still live in it.

We engaged a private guide for 90 minutes, which was the right decision. The layers here, Roman, medieval and thoroughly modern, are difficult to read without someone who knows the sequence. We also used the Split Card, which covers entry to several key sites and provides discounts across the city. The Split Information Center on the Riva promenade is the sensible first stop before you begin. © photo: Travel Magazine Belgium

Ravenna and Bologna

Our cruise concluded in Ravenna. Rather than flying directly home, we extended the trip with a day in Bologna, and it was the better choice. Bologna is underestimated. The 38 kilometres of covered arcades running through the city make it navigable in almost any weather. The medieval towers, the red rooftop skyline and the density of good independent restaurants reward proper time on foot. The university, founded in 1088 and the oldest in Europe, gives the city an intellectual texture that sits well with its architecture.

We had lunch at Hotel I Portici, whose terrace looks out over the park. The pasta is seriously good. If the schedule allows, staying the night makes sense and gives you a proper sense of the city rather than a day-trip impression. © photo: Hotel I Portici

Frequently asked questions about this Celebrity Cruises itinerary

Best of Italy and Croatia with Celebrity Constellation

Civitavecchia is roughly 90 minutes from central Rome or Fiumicino Airport, depending on traffic. Private transfers and taxis drop passengers at a designated zone outside the terminal. From there, a shuttle bus covers the final stretch to the ship. If you are travelling with heavy luggage or have limited mobility, allow extra time for this. We recommend arriving a day early and staying near the port rather than rushing from Rome on embarkation day.

That depends on timing. The village is compact, and when several cruise ships anchor simultaneously, the waterfront and central square become genuinely overcrowded. The climb to Castello Brown offers some relief and strong harbour views. The setting is undeniably impressive. The experience, however, varies significantly depending on how many ships are in the bay when you arrive. We would not rate it as the strongest stop on this route.

Walk the city walls. At a measured pace, the circuit takes roughly two hours and delivers consistent views over the Old Town rooftops and the Adriatic. We also took the cable car to the mountain above the city, which provides the full aerial context that the streets inside the walls cannot offer. The ride is twelve minutes each way. Both the walls and the cable car are, in our view, non-negotiable for a first visit.

Fully. The direct train connection makes it straightforward, and the city rewards the effort. The Baroque architecture, most visibly on the façade of the Basilica di Santa Croce, is exceptional in its detail and scale. The Roman Amphitheatre in Piazza Sant'Oronzo and the Castello di Carlo V add historical range. For lunch or dinner, we recommend Doppiozero, popular with locals and visitors alike. Lecce is one of the most underrated stops on this itinerary.

If you have not been to Sicily before, Taormina is the stronger choice. The Teatro Antico, a Greek theatre positioned against both the sea and Etna, is among the most compelling viewpoints on this part of the Sicilian coast. Mount Etna is the better option for returning visitors or those who want something physically more demanding. Celebrity Cruises runs full-day guided shore excursions to the volcano.