Which village should I stay in?
On this page:
If you are planning a vacation in one of the Cinque Terre villages, you must bear in mind that it is not physically possible to build large luxury hotels here. So, where to stay in Cinque Terre? The private apartments and villas, the B&B type hotels are the best solutions for travelers to the Italian Riviera.
Which Cinque Terre village to choose for an overnight stay?
If you have decided to spend a vacation in the Cinque Terre, it is not particularly important where you stay overnight. Some tourists prefer to stay in only one village of the Cinque Terre for the whole trip, and they visit the surroundings and get to the neighboring villages by train. For example, Monterosso is only 15 minutes from Riomaggiore. Other tourists prefer to move from one village to another during their stay in Liguria.
While on the subject of overnight stays, Corniglia seems the less desirable of all the Cinque Terre villages from this point of view because it is located high on the hill and to get back from the station you need to go uphill. Monterosso is the village with a sand beach; Vernazza and Manarola are considered the most beautiful villages of the Cinque Terre. If you want to save, use the search engine and select All Cinque Terre hotels based on price. By the way, don’t worry if a hotel does not have air conditioning. It means that it is not necessary, because it is not hot at night.
Why it is a good idea to stay in Sestri Levante and La Spezia
The geographical position of Sestri Levante is suitable for anyone who wants to do numerous day trips to the Ligurian towns, and to Tuscany and Romagna. It is located between Genoa (less than an hour), the Cinque Terre (40 minutes), Portofino (20 minutes) and other places.
In the port city of La Spezia, numerous railway lines intersect and it is a good choice for this very reason. You can easily reach any town or city in Liguria from here, as well as Parma, Pisa and Florence. It is very close to the Cinque Terre (just 8 minutes to Riomaggiore). What’s more, hotel prices in La Spezia are still very affordable and there is a wide choice. But look for a hotel near the train station or one that offers a shuttle service to the train station.
Staying in the Cinque Terre, choosing a village
It’s the largest village of the Cinque Terre, with a big beach. Precisely for this reason Monterosso is ideal for a vacation with children. Furthermore, there are fewer hills to climb and that’s why people of a certain age often choose to stay here. If you intend to spend a few days at the beach, Monterosso is the place for you!
According to holidaymakers this is the most beautiful Cinque Terre village. The romantic atmosphere of Vernazza and its charming views from the local hotels and apartments are ideal for couples in love. The walls of the ancient fortresses which are still intact and a small castle add a touch of medieval originality to Vernazza. The village sits on a promontory, so keep in mind that there are a lot of stairs.
The smallest village of the Cinque Terre, positioned high on the cliffs. The difficulty involved in reaching Corniglia makes it at the same time both alienating and attractive: here you can find some peace from the bustle of everyday life and enjoy nature. But getting to Corniglia from the other Ligurian villages is awkward: you can either walk to and from the station each time you go on an outing, but you can also pay to travel up and down by bus.
These two villages are the two closest to each other. Manarola, rich in olive groves and vineyards that in a certain way recall Vernazza, is one of the hundreds of Italian fortress-villages. Then there is Riomaggiore, the southernmost village of the Cinque Terre and also the most densely populated, where fishing is still a flourishing activity. There are many hotels in these two villages offering nice views from the hotel windows.