CinqueTerre

Although the schedule is not out yet, look at next week's schedule at www.trenitalia.com. Schedule should not change much if at all. Remember, on Trenitalia, it is FIRENZE, not Florence.

You are in for a treat. I had the same dilemma you are facing. We settled on Monterrossa for the following reason. Lots of hotel choices and a location at the north end of the five villages. This was my major concern. We wanted creature comforts. Also has a beautiful beach and is the largest of the cities. I think we passed the market but I have no idea where and when they occur. Sorry.

The smaller towns are much more picturesque so read all of Rick Steves descriptions before you decide. You are going by train, with luggage, and your time is limited. So perhaps the best plan is to book a hotel in Riggiomare on the southern end. Then you can get off the train, settle into your hotel, and head out to see as many of the cities as possible without luggage in tow. We settled in Monterrossa and in the am we took the hike from there to Vernazza. It is Spectacular because you arrive at Vernazza from quite high above the city. I have heard some of the hikes between towns are washed out so do your research before you go. And the hike does require strength and stamina with steps. When we reached Vernazza, we took the ferry to Riggiomare and hiked to the next town north. Very easy through the lovers tunnel. Had a gelato and a beer as we waited for the ferry back to Monterrossa. We did not see Corniglia because the trail was washed out and the ferry did not dock there. Ps the train stops in each village so if you are short on time you can just use it.
Make sure you do not book the fast train as it does not stop in the small towns. You can use the website Trenitalia to view your options. You will have to pick the day of the week you plan to travel, and just put in a date in mid May as local trains don't book this early. It will give you an approximation. Hope this helps. Just read Ricks book and allow more time if you can. Well worth it after the craziness of Florence.
Also check out Lucca. Wonderful real Italian town close by.

Meclark,

• We enjoyed our stay in Monterosso.
• We stayed at Hotel Baia, but there were only 2 of us. You may need to book 2 rooms, or see if they have a quad (if you want to be in the same room)
• Monterosso is the biggest of the 5 villages & the only one with a small sandy beach.
• You can easily visit the other 4 villages via train which travel frequently & are very inexpensive.
• You may want to book your accommodations soon, because the CT are very popular in July.

I'd also suggest staying in Monterosso, as it's the largest town and has the greatest number of hotels and other accommodations as well as lots of restaurants and other tourist amenities. It also has the nicest beaches. Monterosso has two parts, an "old town" and a "new town".

Could you clarify the composition of your group? Do you mean two couples or a family? If the latter you might have a look at Hotel Villa Adriana as I believe they have some quad rooms. In any case, I'd suggest getting something booked SOON as July is peak travel season there.

I believe the market in Monterosso is on Thursday's but if you're referring to the one in Vernazza it's very easy to take the local train (only about a five minute trip).

It's unfortunate that you're not able to spend more time there. Once you arrive, you may wish you had booked a longer stay. With only one night, you won't really be able to explore all the five towns or see that much.