Cinque Terre-one night to stay. Which town to stay in?

joan, Do you have a preference for any of the five towns? My suggestion would be Monterosso. It's the largest of the towns and therefore has the greatest number of Hotels and restaurants, and the nicest beach. What price range and "comfort level" are you considering? Also, when will this trip be taking place? Would it be possible to travel to the C.T. on Friday night and return to Lucca on Sunday? That would give you a bit more time to explore the area. Cheers!

Hi Ken, I was thinking about Monterosso since I think the pathway there is open now and I can walk to two of the other villages from there. (At least this is what I am told). Budget isn't really much of a concern and I will be travelling in early October. If you have any hotel suggestions in the area, it would be greatly appreciated. I am also an avid photographer and will be bringing my camera equipment to enjoy some of the photo ops there. I will have the ability to arrive on a Friday and leave on a Sunday afternoon. Do you know if I would have to purchase a round trip on Friday in case the ticket booth is closed on Sunday leaving from Monterosso? Thanks again for your help! Joan

joan, For Hotel suggestions in Monterosso, I would highly recommend Hotel Villa Steno. If they're full, try their sister property, Hotel Pasquale. Both are located in the "old town" section of town. If you know your travel dates, I'd suggest booking soon! An avid photographer - what a coincidence! I'm also a photographer, and always travel with a DSLR and kit (along with a P&S). It's a bit of a nuisance to haul around Europe (especially with a Tripod), but that's one of the things I enjoy about travel. You shouldn't have any trouble finding photo ops in that area! You can purchase your return tickets in Lucca. There will be at least one change (in Viareggio) and trains will be both Intercity and Regionale. DON'T forget to validate prior to boarding the train (DON'T validate your tickets back to Lucca until the day of travel)! You can research departure times and other details on the Trenitalia website. One important point to clarify. The ONLY trail you'll be able to "walk" is the famous Via dell'Amore from Riomaggiore to Manarola. There's a Bar close to the Manarola end where you can have a snack or a "cool one" and enjoy the view. The other trails are more of a "hike". I'd suggest doing the Monterosso-Vernazza section first (take water!) as it's the most challenging. There's quite a climb from Monterosso. To date, all of the Sentiero Azzurro trails are open except the Manarola-Corniglia section. It's very easy to hike one or two of the trails, and then continue on the frequent local trains. Note that to hike the trails, a Park Pass is required (you can buy the Pass at the small Huts at the end of the trails or the local stations).

joan, If you do manage to get a room at Villa Steno, when you sit on the patio at breakfast and look out at the view of the town and the sea, you may be wishing you had booked a week! They serve a really nice breakfast there, and the owners are wonderful! Buon Viaggio!

In Vernazza, try: http://www.elisabettacarro.it