Best Hikes In The Cinque Terre
For centuries, walking trails were the only way to travel between the villages of the Cinque Terre and often provided the only link to the outside world. Hiking here is done in the constant company of the sea, but it also offers wonderful glimpses of unique terraced farms and coastal forests.
Since the 2011 floods, many of Cinque Terre’s walking paths have been in a delicate state and prone to periodic or permanent closure. Always check with the Cinque Terre National Park office before you set out. Between May and September, park guides host daily guided walks.
Manarola Is Where To Stay In Cinque Terre For The Best Views
Manarola is one of the most well-known towns in Italy. Although you may not know it by name, chances are you have seen it in a painting, postcard, or photograph somewhere in your life.
If you are looking for where to stay in Cinque Terre that is picture-perfect, then choosing a hotel in Manarola will be the best option for you. Manarola is known for its wine production and the way the buildings are built as if they were sliding down off the cliff that hugs a cute inlet.
Unlike Riomaggiore, Manarola has fewer shops and bars and nightlife so if you are looking for a quieter experience, this is where to stay in Cinque Terre for you. This village books up fast so you should make your reservation as early as possible if this is the hotel you want to stay at during your visit!
If you are looking for the best views that dont require lots of hiking, choose Manarola when searching for your Cinque Terre hotels. There is a wonderfully easy loop that takes you from the town along the Ligurian Coast so you can experience a scenic and peaceful walk. Manarola is one of the best places to stay for photographers and nature lovers due to its proximity to postcard-worthy views.
Upsides: Picture-perfect village. Good location in the center of Cinque Terre. Quaint and authentic Italian feel. Easy hiking and easy to walk around.
Downsides: Fewer nightlife and bar options. Hotels book up quickly so you must book well in advance.
Best Manarola Vacation Rentals By Price
Ivory House
Suggested Tours In Cinque Terre
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Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight:
We love using CheapOAir, Kayak, and Kiwi to search for the best prices on flights. We love using these search engines because they search the web for airlines all over the world to ensure you get the best deal! In addition to flights, you can also find great hotel prices on Kayak and Kiwi.
Book Your Vacation Package:
If you want to book an entire vacation package, then we suggest using Expedia. We love how easy Expedia is to use and we always find good deals on entire vacation packages on their site.
Another great site for vacation packages is BookVIP. BookVIP offers super cheap vacation packages to incredible destinations. You are sure to save money using their site!
For full guided vacations including hotels, some meals, transportation, and guides, then we book with Trafalgar. Trafalgar is a trusted tour company that will meet all of your needs while ensuring that you have a great experience.
Trip.com allows you to book flights, hotels, train tickets, rental cars, airport transfers, tours, and more all on one site. Owned by the parent company that also owns Skyscanner, this is a trusted resource for travel booking and a great one-stop-shop.
Book Your Accommodations:
There are several accommodation sites that we like to use. One of our favorites is Booking.com because it gives you a wide variety of hotels and guesthouses at a good price.
Tour Companies We Trust:
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Getting Around Cinque Terre By Foot
Time permitting, hiking the trails around Cinque Terre is a great way to explore the area. Even without being physically fit, most trails are doable and pleasant, so long as you come prepared. Plus, theres always a treat waiting for you at the end, like a delicious limoncello overlooking the ocean.
Where To Stay In Cinque Terre: Best Towns
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Where to stay in Cinque Terre? Cinque Terre is a scenic group of long-enduring seaside villages lining the beautiful coastline of the Italian Riviera. Located in the Liguria region of northern Italy, this picturesque area offers charming, colorful houses and vineyards along its steep, terraced coastline, giving you many attractive choices of where to stay in Cinque Terre.
The charming harbors display a large array of fishing boats, and the nearby trattorias serve flavorful seafood specialties and the best pesto sauce available anywhere.
Visitors can follow the Sentiero Azzurro cliffside trail for hiking during their stay in Cinque Terre, which connects these villages along the cliffs with exquisite panoramic views of the sea below.
This hiking path was once an ancient network of footpaths. Even today, it is the ideal way of visiting this charming series of fishing towns. Until recent years, these villages were reachable only by rail or water.
Cinque Terre is known worldwide for its unique natural setting and beauty. Throughout the centuries of its existence, residents have constructed cliff-side terraces for cultivating olives and grapes. The regions steep, rugged terrain extends up to the clifftops that offer stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea.
The Cinque Terre climate is generally sunny and mild with only slight variations in temperature since this area is protected from northern winds by mountains.
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Best Place To Stay In Cinque Terre With A Car Monterosso
I would avoid driving to Cinque Terre, I did it in the past and it was not that easy and expensive too.
In saying that, if you have a rented car than Monterosso has the easiest road access and a few parking areas too.
If you stay in the modern part of the town, called Fegina, there are a few accommodations that offer the parking included in the room rate .
If the hotel does not provide parking options than book a spot at the Parcheggio Loreto or the Parcheggio Monterosso .
Should you stay in Monterosso or leave the car and take a ferry/train to another town?
It really depends on the kind of experience you are looking for.
If you are travelling as a couple, for example, I would probably go to another town. Same if you are looking for some nightlife.
If you find accommodation with parking included, then I would stay in Monterosso and travel by train to the other towns, just easier, besides being better value
This Seaside Apartment has two things that make this accommodation unique, the most amazing view over the beach and sea and free parking .
Walking distance to the train station, with a lovely balcony and spacious rooms. So easy to get around the Cinque Terre
Best Places To Stay In Monterosso
Hotel Stella della Marina
Situated in old town Monterosso, the Hotel Stella della Marina might be the best place to stay in Cinque Terre for those that love a good rooftop terrace and bar.
Visitors like that this hotel is only a 10-minute walk from the train station and that the hotel staff is very welcoming. Rooms have great views, air conditioning, free WiFi, and free breakfast.
Do note that this is a non-smoking hotel and it does not have an elevator.
Hotel Souvenir
Nestled at the top of the hill in Monterosso, but only a 2-minute walk to restaurants and cafes, the Hotel Souvenir might just be the place for you. This non-smoking hotel has a multi-lingual staff, free WiFi, free breakfast, and allows pets!
Hotel Villa Adriana
A unique feature of Hotel Villa Adriana is that it has a pool! Now, I know, you are on the Meditteranean, but sometimes a pool is nice also.
In addition to the pool, guests enjoy free WiFi and breakfast. Guests love that the location is close to everything, but they do note that you have to haul your luggage up the hills, so keep that in mind.
Check Ratings on TripAdvisor
Check Prices on Hotels.com and HotelsCombined.com or Booking.com
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Where To Eat In The Cinque Terre
Besides all there is to see, the Cinque Terre is just as much about the food and wine. Not only do you get to enjoy the regional Ligurian cuisine that favors seafood and pesto, but you get to try local treats as well.
With so many vineyards, its little surprise that local wine is on the menu. The wine produced in the Cinque Terre is mostly white wine, with the local specialty being Sciacchetrà, a sweet dessert wine. On the food front, a fun street food that youll find in many places is a seafood cone, full of assorted seafood for you to munch on as you walk.
Throughout the five villages and surrounding towns and cities youll find plentiful options for places to eat. Rio Bistrot in Riomaggiore is an example of the kind of place you should look for. Just up from the harbor, this restaurant serves regional cuisine and local staples like pesto ravioli and seafood pasta.
Things To See And Do In Corniglia
Climb the 381 steps up Scalinata Lardarina
Dine on tapas and more at Terra Rossa.
Eat fresh and delicious bruschetta at Pan e Vin Bar.
Enjoy stunning views and freshly squeeze juices at Bar Terza Terra.
Hike the trail to Volastra, enjoying the panoramic vistas as you go.
Lounge at low tide at Siaggione beach.
Marvel at Chiesa di San Pietro, an elegant gothic church dating back to the 14th-century.
Reward yourself after a hike at Alberto Gelateria.
Snap iconic and unforgettable photos from the Corniglia viewpoint.
Sneak away to secret Guvano beach.
Visit peaceful Oratorio dei Disciplinati di Santa Caterina.
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Traveling Solo In Cinque Terre
Visiting five different villages in a very short time with a party of friends or family can be too challenging, not everyone will agree on where to spend more time or when it is the right time to get back on the hiking trail.
In fact, some people will need more time to rest, while other will endure the path without getting tired easily everyone has their different threshold!
For these reasons, maybe the Cinque Terre is nothing but a perfect destination for solo travel.
You can easily decide your own pace and even quickly change your mind about where to stop, where to go, and where to head back if you want to!
Where To Stay At Corniglia
Corniglia is one of the less popular places to stay in Cinque Terre. With impressive interiors and lovely birds eye views of Italys Cinque Terre, your top pick in Corniglia should be Daa Maduneta. Prices start at about 100 EUR per night and the review score is 9.4 again no compromise with quality is worth it!
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Vernazza Best Place To Stay In Cinque Terre The First Time
Vernazza is one of the most beautiful towns in Italy. Perched atop a rugged coast, this colourful town pops against Cinque Terres harsh landscape. Its a small village bursting with history and culture, and traditional Italian charm and appeal. This is why Vernazza is our pick for where to stay in Cinque Terre if youre visiting for the first time.
Theres plenty of things to see and do in Vernazza, including meandering alongside thousand-year-old buildings, lounging at the beach and dining on fresh seafood. Whether youre a history buff, a culture vulture or a fearless foodie, youll love spending time exploring Vernazza. Lets run over the best places to stay in Vernazza shall we?
Where To Stay In Levanto
Hotel Al Terra Di Mare Sitting just above Levanto, this eco-friendly hotel is solar powered and surrounded by vineyards and olive trees. Not only do you get idyllic scenery to enjoy such as panoramic views of the valley but its also conscious about the footprint it leaves on the earth. Theres a swimming pool in the garden here too, where you can sip on drinks or enjoy an ice cream. Its away from the tourist crowds of Cinque Terre, so this tranquil hotel offers some welcome peace and quiet.
Hotel Carla Modern and chic, Hotel Carla is just 10 minutes walk from Levanto Beach and is run by a happy, smiling, local family. The train station is also only a 10-minute walk away too, meaning its quite easy to explore the surrounding region from here. Afterward, you can return to this lovely hotel and your own sun-soaked balcony to unwind. Staff will help you plan your next day out, too. Wake up in the morning to the smell of coffee and freshly baked croissants.
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Corniglia: Where To Stay In The Cinque Terre On A Budget
Between the towns of Cinque Terre, Corniglia is the best place to stay to beat the crowds. Since its the only cliff-top village, its rare for people to choose Corniglia when deciding where to stay in the Cinque Terre. Furthermore, Hotels in Corniglia are often cheaper than in the other towns, making it the best choice to visit the Cinque Terre on a budget.
Corniglia is the only village that is not on the water. Its privileged location makes it a great spot to admire sunsets and offers breathtaking views of the sea and the jagged coastline. You have to walk over 350 steps to get there from the train station, which gives Corniglia a unique charm. And another reason why its less crowded.
In short, if youre looking for a place that is a little more rural and genuine and without tourists, Corniglia is the best village to stay in Cinque Terre. Last but not least, the town is an excellent base if you love trekking and excursions.
Staying in Corniglia, Cinque Terre
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Vernazza The Most Popular Of Cinque Terre Towns
Vernazza is probably the most popular and photographed of all the towns in Cinque Terre and it is indeed maybe the one that most of all embodies the Cinque Terre experience visitors expect.
The town dates back to the XI century and is now a delight of meandering streets and colorful houses, all arranged around the town port.
The landscape here is dominated by the Doria Castle and worth a visit are also the church of Santa Margherita and of course the small Vernazza port, one of the most charming in the area and one of the best known.
This is one of the bigger towns in the area and is full of restaurants and hotels however, it is also one of the busiest so booking accommodation well in advance is mandatory.
Vernazza is wonderfully romantic and it is one of the best towns in Cinque terre for couples.
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Best Places To Stay In Vernazza
Hotels in Vernazza
Michela Rooms Vernazza This hotel is one of the most affordable options with the best value. All of the rooms have views of the plaza, balconies and ensuite bathrooms.
Santa Marta Rooms 25 This hotel is a very clean and chic option for travelers. All rooms have free wifi and kitchen features. There is also parking available, which is a huge perk! The hotel is a bit further away from the plaza, but that means great views!
Luxury Hotels in Vernazza
GIANNI FRANZI Those who stay at this hotel are getting an authentic Vernazza stay. These are some of the oldest hotel rooms available, giving them a very true authentic feel. This hotel offers luxury views from the garden and its very own restaurant which many people go to without staying in the hotel.
Albergo Barbara The luxury at this hotel is the location. Located right in the center of the plaza, you will not find a more perfect location. All rooms are very spacious and made for you to feel at home.
Bed and Breakfast Options in Vernazza
Breathtaking Sea View Apt This apartment is a beautiful modern apartment with wonderful views of the plaza. Two bedrooms, one bathroom right in the heart of Vernazza. In addition, upon booking the host is said to give you local tips that not many know about!
Cinque Terre In Three Days
- Day one + day two
- Take the Cinque Terre boat tour from Portovenere in the afternoon and be back to see the sunset in Portovenere.
*Also check other cool cities for backpacking in Northern Italy.
And you, have you been to Cinque Terre? Did you like it? What do you recommend?!
* Article originally written in August 2017 and updated on July 2022 *
* Only for Portuguese speakers *
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Where To Stay In Cinque Terre: Best Towns & Hotels
Before we start looking at accommodation options for each village, here are a few things I always have in mind as I book my hotel.
I always check for hotels or apartments with a central stunning location, in the historic centre, or at least one that offers some fantastic views from the terrace or window. Depending on the budget, I love a stylish hotel with a swimming pool or a private terrace.
If thats what you are looking for, have no fear, for my recommendations, I always check reviews and impressions from previous guests.
Another thing to have in mind when looking for the best place to stay in Cinque Terre is that most villages are set up the hill and might be challenging for people with mobility issues. Youll get the panoramic views but youll have to put in the leg work and climb all those stairs.