Parking @ Monterosso Al Mare

There are two parking lots in Monterosso. The Fegina lot is the one near the water. Not sure how many spaces but I can tell you that August is a huge vacation month for the Italians. I'm betting the lots will be full by 10:00am. For alternatives, there is a multi-story garage in Riomaggiore. It closes for the night about 7:00pm. There is also a new larger garage at the La Spezia train station. It's an easy train ride to Monterosso. There is also a large parking lot near the train station in Levanto. Again, it's a short train ride to Monterosso.

Lydia, Which hotel are you staying at in Monterosso? Some hotels provide limited parking for guests, so that would be a lower cost option to using the pubic car parks. If you're not able to get parking in Monterosso, the next best option would probably be the lot near the station in La Spezia (although it's not the cheapest), since you'll be heading south to your next stop anyway. Happy travels!

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I would consider parking at Spezia. I am staying at Hotel Marina. I had to choose between: 1. Hotel Marina (Monterosso) 2. Villa Steno (Monteross)
3. La Torretta (Manarola) I chose Marina because they had the best value (they even serve lunch spread) and initially I was planning to train to CT but now I am considering changing my reservation (if possible) since both Steno and Torretta have reserved parking (they are about 60 euros more per night plus 20 euros for parking). I am also thinking Manarola would be quieter but my hubby loves the beach (this is HIS TRIP the only two days of our 14-day trip where we won't be visiting any museums/sites, LOL).

Lydia, If you already have accommodations booked at Hotel Marina, I'd recommend NOT changing them as you may have difficulties getting new reservations elsewhere (August is PEAK travel season). I'd suggest contacting the hotel regarding parking options. Hotel Marina is above the "old town" section of Monterosso, and there MAY be a car park further up the hill. The hotel will be able to advise on that (hopefully Roberto will spot this Thread and chime-in, as I'm sure he'll have some good advice to offer). A new car park was being built at the top end of town, but AFAIK construction came to a grinding halt due to the local bureaucracy. You may be able to drive to your Hotel, drop the luggage and then one of you can go park the car and walk back. One IMPORTANT POINT to mention. If you enter Monterosso at the end of the "new town" (Fegina), you WILL NOT be able to drive to your hotel. The road through town is closed to all but Taxi's and local traffic at that time of the year, and also there are vehicle restrictions on Via Roma (going up the hill towards your hotel) following the Oct. 2011 floods. You MUST enter at the south end of town on Strada Provinciale 38. Cheers!

Thanks for the info Ken... that is very helpful :) I contacted Hotel Marina but they do not have any options for parking. La Torretta in Manarola has a room. It is pricey (it would be almost 100 euros more than Marina) so I am inclined to keep my reservation at Hotel Marina unless someone thinks there is no way I would find parking after 3 pm on Aug. 14.

Lydia, I'd be tempted to contact the hotel again, and get clarification on the parking. They may have misunderstood, and were indicating only that they had no on-site parking at the hotel. Have a look at Rick's information on the topic..... www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/vernazza-monterosso-travel-guide.htm If you scroll down to the Monterosso part, it states "If you're heading to the old town, you'll find the big Loreto parking garage on Via Roma, a 10-minute downhill walk to the main square (€1.70/hour, €18/24 hours). For the cheapest Monterosso rates, park along the blue lines (a few minutes farther uphill from the Loreto garage) for €8 per day." As noted on that website, you'll have to follow the signs to "Centro Storico" and NOT Fegina. Cheers!

A thought or two. Where are you coming from before heading to Monterosso? The drive in (and out) of CT - use viamichelin.com to map it - may not be a good use of your time. The train is easy and runs about once an hour (but I think the first one may not be until 8 or 9 am). If you do end up with the La Spezia parking option you can find free and safe parking about a half mile away. I didn't like the look of the parking area near the train station (apparently there's a new garage now). I dropped my family off and asked around for other options. There is free parking along Viale Nicolio Freschi (of course no signs but you can see it on Google maps) across from one of the gates to the navy base. I had to hoof it back to the station, but it wasn't bad. The car survived without a ticket, tow, or prowler problem and the price was right.