Cinqu Terre- Vernazza

Erin, To answer your first question, YES, it is still a good place to go and visit. The residents of that area and local authorities have done a magnificent job in restoration after the floods of 2011. While Vernazza is not completely back to normal, I'm sure the restoration efforts will be continuing over the winter. To provide an example, THIS PICTURE was taken in Vernazza about a month ago. The old town section of Monterosso was also damaged, and that appears to be completely back to normal. There were lots of happy tourists in all the towns when I was there about a month ago. Regarding where to stay, I'd suggest finding a copy of the Italy Guidebook in your local Library or book stores, as there are good listings there. The accommodations in Vernazza tend to be small B&B's or Pensiones. There are no conventional Hotels. You could also have a look at the lodgings on THIS LIST. However, keep in mind that most businesses there have now closed for the season, so it may take awhile to get a reply to E-mails. The new season normally starts on April 1st. Happy travels!

By all means, go to the CT. Vernazza is coming along nicely. Not all businesses are back open, but it is thriving and lovely. We were there a few weeks ago and could not believe how much work had been accomplished. We stayed in Vernazza a few years ago, but this trip stayed in Manarola and enjoyed it very much. Frankly, last time in Vernazza, I hated the stairs to our apartment: 57 each time we went up! I love to hike and we spent hours on the trails, but those stairs killed! This time, in Manarola, we had a lovely clean and modern room at Affitticamere San Giorgio. Cheap is a relative term, but we paid less per night at San Giorgio than we did in Vernazza two years prior, and at San Giorgio there were only 30 steps to our room. :-) You can, of course, hop between the towns on the trains for a couple of euros each ride.

Thank you so much for your responses. They are greatly appreciated, and I can't wait for my trip to Cinque Terre!

If you are looking for affordable in Vernazza, two years ago I stayed in Maria Capellini's Cozy Studio. No view, but very comfortable. There are stairs up to it, but it wasn't bad. She also has a place on the Harbor called Charming Room. That is the place I originally tried for, but it was booked for my dates. There is a website - mariacapellini.com.

erin, Just curious, how many days were you planning on staying and what are you planning to do for activities in the Cinque Terre? I was just there about a month ago, and had a great time exploring the area (I used Monterosso as my "home base"). The Sentiero Azurro trails are all closed at the moment, following a slide in September that injured four Australian tourists. Hopefully they'll be open again by the time your visit takes place. Cheers!