Reserve ahead for Cinque Terre or not?

If you need two double beds you may not have a problem finding a room last-minute. If you have other needs for bed arrangements, it may be more difficult. If you know when you will be there, why not try to find something now? Phone or e-mail should work. English is widely spoken in the CT, especially by people renting rooms.

I wouldn't worry, as long as you are OK with needing to get two separate rooms. If you prefer a room that sleeps four, you should book in advance because they are pretty few and far between, and you won't want to waste precious touring time scouting out rooms.

We arrived at CT without a reservation and I was super nervous about it. Not really in my personality to go so willy-nilly. We litterally step off the train in Vernazza and a kind woman who only speaks Italian says "Camera...camera...rick steves" and points at my book under my arm. I don't know why at this exact moment my brain decided in the deep recesses to know Italian - but I remembered that camera means "room". I jumped on it. She was wonderful. She takes us to this HUGE room (more of an apartment) that was meant for a family with a kitchen and charges us I think 25 Euro a night. It had a lofted upstairs bedroom and two beds downstairs. It was all open air - so not any privacy, but it was fantastic for us. Her name was Guiseppe or something like that. For the next couple days we were there we saw ladies just like her offering rooms to passers by. So, yes I think you will be fine. Look up Guiseppe if you like, she apparently is in the RS book.

The time you arrive in the Cinque Terre may be a factor. Early afternoon would be best. Also, having a Rick Steve's book would be helpful, so that if you don't find anything by walking around you have a place to start with phone numbers. However, as you walk around you will see many Camera (room) signs. If you do get stuck and are in Vernazza, walk up to Il Pirate (the bakery/restaurant right up at the top of town-It is right next to the gate that keeps cars from entering Vernazza) and see if they can help you find something. When we were there in September, we rented Manuela's apartment which was right by Il Pirate. It was 120 euros a night for 4. It was small with 2 twin beds in the room you entered first, a bedroom with a double bed, a small kitchen and a small bathroom. It worked well for us because we were 2 couples traveling together and we did not want one big room with 4 beds. It was small and the people in the bedroom had to walk through the other room with beds to get to the bathroom. However, one of our favorite memories of the trip was out tea and coffee party we had one afternoon in the tiny kitchen. We sat out an early afternoon shower enjoying our drinks and cookies. Good times. If you want to reserve Manuela's, use this web site: http://www.acasa5terre.it

I have arrived in the CT (Monterossa) in September without room reservations and had no problems finding one. In November you should not have any trouble.

Since I spent a week in CT several years ago, I have read many letters pertaining to reservations.

Most travelers dont make them in advance because the amenities vary so much from what we expect. I would suggest inspecting accommodations in CT before renting one; so dont make a reservation.

I did not have one and spent a hour inspecting apartments before I found one which met my needs. There were plenty to see; so I guess that no reservation will be needed.

A friend and I visited CT in Sept. of 2001. We had no reservations but met a wonderful woman in her 60's (riding a bike) who rented us a villa for three days.
She, and the accommodations, were superb(and the equivalent of $60 per night!). We even met her for coffee in the early evenings in the small piazza...she would be there with her much older husband who was a WWII vet and very interesting. I envy you and would go back in a minute.

We arrived in Vernazza about October 26th (I know we were there on the 26th because my daughter spent her birthday there). As we got off the train we saw at least five people trying to get people to check out their available rooms.

We asked how far to the room and got the standard Italian response, "Fifty meters." The place we checked out was too small for the five of us, so we went downhill to one of the main hotels and told them what we were looking for. After a short conversation between three women in the street they took us to a nice apartment.

I don't see a need to reserve a room or worry about getting one. In the unlikely event the worst case scenario happens, there are four nearby towns to try. It seems the people in town work together to make sure you have a place to stay.