Cinque Terra or another coastal area

The tiny Cinque Terre villages are overrun with day trippers, especially when big cruise ships are in port. Santa Margherita Ligure, up the coast is a pleasant alternative.

We liked Camogli. we were able to take a day trip to the CT as we had loved it when we visited prior, and that was fun. But Camogli has a great vibe, easy to walk, not overrun with cruise ship tours. Nearby is Rapallo with a lovely lift up to a mountain with great views. You can also take the ferry out to the abbey of San Fruttuoso.

Like you, I had always wanted to go to the Cinque Terra and was nervous about going in June 2018 because I really don’t like crowds and thought that the reality would not match the image I had of the place. While others may have a different experience, I found that with a bit of strategic timing (and maybe some luck), the crowds didn’t impede my enjoyment.

We were with 6 people, two with mobility issues, so hiking was out of the question. We stayed two nights and despite the crowds, it was one of the favorite places we visited. We stayed in the old town Monterosso.

Our strategy to beat the crowds was to take advantage of the evenings and early mornings. The day trippers come in about 10 and leave around 4-5, so if you visit the towns like Vernazza early and then work your way south, you can time your trip so it is not so crowded. I also arranged a sunset cruise which was amazing.

Even though my friends don’t like to get up early, they all agreed that this strategy allowed us to make the most of a lovely place with lovely people even with the crowds.

I would definitely go back again. I hope this perspective helps.

Sandy

Cinque Terre was wonderful. Don’t let some people’s comments about crowds dissuade you. Manarola was my favorite village because the marina area is so lovely. We were there at midday in September, modest crowd, not overrun. When crowds are particularly high, walk the paths around town rather than the Main Street. There are some easier hiking sections depending upon what is open and I highly recommend them even for just a 20 min walk. For example, Manarola has an easy paved path that takes you around the north headland in 10 minutes and there were few people back there, but just stunning views up the coast. There’s a lovely cafe on the cliff side overlooking the marina. We walked into Vernazza one evening, no crowds, just a wonderful live band and impromptu dancing in the streets. Swimming in the sea off Monterosso was so great. I did have to ignore the tiny fish nipping at my heal. Cinque Terre was wonderful...

Thank you all so much for your feedback. I was not able to book any of the recommended hotels because they were all booked. Has anyone heard of or stayed at Locanda !! Maestrale in Monteeosso? As all of you know, and I've learned, hotels in Cinque Terra fill up early.

deb,

When is this trip taking place? If you've always wanted to go to the Cinque Terre, there's no reason not to have a look. Is your time frame three days or three nights?

First of all, regarding your question. I've never stayed at Locanda Il Maestrale but have seen if from the outside and it looks like a very comfortable hotel. It's located along Via Roma in the "old town" part of Monterosso, not too far from Hotel Villa Steno which is where I usually stay. That's normally a quieter location as most of the day trippers don't venture that far up Via Roma. As I recall, there's a laundromat close by should you need it.

The day trippers and cruise ship hordes can be a problem during the day between about 10:00-16:00. The towns will be busy and the trains crowded. I tend to deal with that by taking a day trip somewhere so that I'm out of town, or just sit on the balcony of my hotel with a glass of Prosseco and enjoy the views.

One point to mention is that it might be a bit early for booking hotels in the Cinque Terre. The typical tourist season runs from about 1 April to November, and some smaller places may not be checking E-mails too often in the winter. I normally start making enquiries early in February.

You don't have to hike the trails to see the five small towns of the Cinque Terre, as there are frequent local trains. Depending on when you'll be there, the Ferries may also be operating.

You might find it helpful to have a look at the Rick Steves Italy guidebook to plan sightseeing while in that area. You should be able to find a copy at your local library.

You may want to see if Hotel Stella Della Marina in Monterosso is still available: https://www.stelladellamarina.com/. When we booked, all the RS recommended hotels at that time were booked an we found this hotel in the old town. It is a charming hotel with a rooftop terrace. The rooms are well appointed with air conditioning. Showers are on the small side and there is not elevator, but this is typical for some of the smaller hotels.

What really stands out here is the service. Gabrielle the owner puts his heart and soul into making your trip special. From the time you enter where he carries your luggage up the stairs to the delicious breakfast, everything is special. What I really appreciated is that he not only made all our reservations for us, but when we were running late getting back to Monterosso called the restaurants and altered our reservations. He has great recommendations on hiking, food. I love this place.

Sandy

Ken,
We are going to be in Cinque Terra May 5-8, 2020 for three nights.

Sandy,
I did attempt to book the hotel Stella as well as the sister hotel both through online booking companies and directly with the hotel. Unfortunately, neither had availability during our dates.

Thank you for your responses!

Note, it is Cinque Terre, an ‘e’ on the end, not an ‘a.’

I stayed at Hotel Marina in Monterosso last year. It is located on a side street in the old part of town. It doesn't have great views, in fact, you can't see the sea from the rooms. But the room is clean and have AC. I think it is ok if you just need a place to stay. https://www.hotelmarina5terre.it/en/

The small eating place San Martino Gastronomia is just around the corner.