We are taking a Rick Steve’s tour for 9 days in Sept and then would like to spend 3-4 days in Cinque Terre hiking and relaxing. Can anyone please recommend a hotel in the area that would be near the trails and also near enough to the train for us to walk the distance? Thank you in advance!
Do you have the RS guidebook for your tour, and does it cover the CT? Studying the guidebook would be a useful first step to become familiar with the general layout of the five villages, where the train stations are, etc. The villages are relatively small, so walking distance to each train station isn't that great, unless you have mobility issues.
Monterosso- Hotel Porto Roca.
Our two times were both in Riomaggiore (our favorite of the five), the best mix of access, not too crowded, abd good places to eat. First time was with a room-finding service way back in 2001, and the latest was three years ago, through Airbnb. We’ve stayed in hotels elsewhere, but for the Cinque Terre, skipped any hotel.
Corniglia is the smallest and least crowded village, but it’s set up high above the sea and the station, so it requires taking the shuttle bus down to catch trains, or else a long walk on the road, or LOTS of stairs on a winding stairway.
Looking in Rick Steves’ guidebook is a great suggestion, but be aware that his favorite of the five is very crowded Vernazza.
To answer the OP's question, we stayed at Aria Di Mare in Manarola, which was our favorite of the CT villages. Also, right next to Riamaggiore, which we also liked because of its less touristy feel. We ate at Billy's in Manarola, close to Aria Di Mare and it was wonderful. Wished we had eaten here both nights.
The views from both Aria Di Mare and Billy's were spectacular, and are very close to the trails. It is a 10 minute walk, or so, up to the Aria Di Mare from the train station.
ARIA DI MARE
Via Aldo Rollandi 149, Manarola (ITALIA)
e-mail: [email protected]
Mobile: 0039 3490584155
www.ariadimare.info