Cinque Terre

Vernazza is beautiful and of all the cities in the CT it has the most going for it including crowds ( my opinion). However, I stayed in Riomaggiiore and I found wonderful and far more quiet than Vernazza.

Monterosso is the largest of the villages, and it is divided into the old town and the new town. We chose Monterosso because there's not a whole lot to do in the Cinque Terre other than walking and eating. At least in Monterosso there are a few more shops, restaurants and a big beach with paddle boat rentals.

The CT has some beautiful scenery, but it's not a place to spend a whole lot of time because there just isn't that much to do...imo

My daughter and I recently (June 2009) spent three days in CT. We stayed at the Agavi in Monterossa and highly recommend it. It is in the new town, right on the beach. Lot's to do in CT. We spent our first day wandering around Monterossa,old and new. The second day we spent on the beach with 2 chairs and an unbrella,a nice break from our prior ten days of being tourists. The third day we hiked the trails through all the towns, and took the ferry back. All towns are beautiful, but Monterossa has the most variety, with restaurants and shopping and sites. There are no wrong choice in CT.

We stayed in Vernazza for four nights late in September last year. I really can't say anything negative about it - in fact it was a highlight of our trip to Italy. I can't really reconcile all the negative comments I've read lately - not at all our experience. We didn't find it overly crowded and overly touristy. Yes, there were tourists there and I'm sure the majority of the townspeople make their living through tourism but it was still very enjoyable. We had had a very hectic three weeks touring Italy and found our time in the CT to be the perfect ending to our trip. So go - enjoy, and come back and let us know how you found it!

Maria,

I second Tim's suggestion. If you're not interested in hiking, Monterosso al Mare would probably be the perfect choice. It's the largest of the five villages and has the best selection of Hotels and Restaurants, and also the nicest beach. From there you can easily take the local train to have a look at the other villages.

Although you're not hikers, you might consider taking the train to Riomaggiore and hiking along the famous via del'Amore to Manarola (although a Park Pass would be required). It's a beautiful walk and mostly flat and paved, so very easy. There's a small Bar & Restaurant part way along, so you can stop for some "refreshments" and enjoy the magnificent ocean view. Take the train back to Monterosso from Manarola.

Check the Guidebook or TripAdvisor for accommodation suggestions.

Happy travels!

Monterosso is also relatively flat compared to the other towns. Staying in Vernazza (except for the waterfront hotels) can be a hike just getting to your lodging.