Other Tourist Scams in Cinque Terre, Italy

How it works

Travelers who drive to La Spezia and park at or near the La Spezia Centrale train station car parks before taking the train to Cinque Terre frequently return to find their vehicles broken into, with luggage, electronics, and documents stolen from the boot. Thieves use electronic jamming devices to prevent the car from locking properly — the driver hears a click but the car never fully locks. This is a well-documented pattern across Italian tourist gateway cities and has been reported specifically at La Spezia for years.

How it works

The Cinque Terre rail line operates both regional slow trains (on which the Cinque Terre Card train component is valid) and faster InterCity or Intercity Night services that require a separate full-fare ticket. Day-trippers — particularly those arriving from Florence or Milan — sometimes board the wrong train category at La Spezia or mistake a passing express for the local service. Trenitalia conductors issue on-the-spot fines of €100–200 for boarding without a valid ticket for that service, and some travelers report conductors being inflexible even when the boarding was clearly an honest mistake.

How it works

The paid bagni (private beach clubs) along Fegina beach in Monterosso al Mare — the only substantial sandy beach in the Cinque Terre — charge €20–35 per person for a sunbed and umbrella, with prices that are set individually by each operator and frequently not posted. Some operators have been reported as quoting one price verbally then charging a different rate at checkout, adding charges for towel rental, locker use, or "beach service" not mentioned upfront. A small number of operators have refused to rent to foreigners when the beach was busy, instead reserving spots for Italian customers — a practice that is illegal but difficult to challenge in the moment.