This was a great tour! Tanya picked us up in Montecatini Terme right on time. We had a bit of a drive to meet up with others in Lucca. But on the way, Tanya pointed out some of the scenery we were passing, such as the Carrera Marble Quarry and Factory (they offer a tour to that as well, wish I'd known!). Anyway, we proceeded on to Cinque Terre, with more commentary in our van about the villages, the wine production, history, etc.
When we got out of the van at the parking lot, Valerie was our tour guide. She led us up, down and all around three villages, on the boat, the train, and didn't lose anyone. She is a skilled cat-herder, as well as super knowledgeable about the history of the villages, restaurants, and how to get from point a to point b to point c and back again, despite the rough sea and the return boat being canceled because of that.