Hello everyone, I am frantically trying to get ready for our trip on the Grand Princess from Rome to Athens. My husband and I are experienced cruisers and travelers so we are planning to do most of the ports on our own. Earlier, I found a discussion of Cinque Terre on your own either here or on European Port Reviews -- it sets out all the train schedules... fabulous and thanks to whoever put it together! At any rate, my question is whether purchasing a Cinque Terre park pass is MANDATORY in La Spezia or can I go ahead and purchase train tickets in advance from Livorno all the way to Riomaggiore without having to hop off in La Spezia to buy the pass.

Thanks to anyone that can answer this question...

Wendy E. in Salinas