Staying in Levanto or Monterosso?

I don’t think Monterosso has that “CT vibe” or culture since it is not car-free like the other villages.

Personally I would save the money, especially if Levanto has a good beach.

That’s a good tip!

I remember my stay in Levanto with a Rick Steves' tour. I loved the beach. It even had little beach houses. And the famous C.T. villages were a quick train away.

Is your Monterosso Hotel in the Old Town or the New Town (Fegina)? They are separated by a rocky hill but connected by a pedestrian tunnel. The Old Town beach is right next to the railroad tracks. And so is part of the new town beach.

The tracks at Levanto are well away from the beach. That alone would convince me.

I like to look on a Satellite View map to see these features; it helps to understand the layout of the town and the surroundings. And sometime I notice something that is a deal-breaker.

The monterosso stay is in the old town and it is way up north of town. Which requires more walking back and forth when we take the train. I think it is on the train path, but that doesn’t deter me. It’s the amount of time between train / town/ and lodging.

Monterosso has an old historic town, which is just as quint and largely car free as the rest, and a new town, called Fegina, which, being newer, is not as quaint or car free as the old part. The train station is in between the old and the new town.

Levanto is newer and not car free. So if your accommodations are in Fegina, then there is no CT vibe, and you might as well stay in Levanto. The old town is a bit of a walk to the train station.

We had the same impression of Monterosso as Roberto: largely car-free, plenty attractive enough, and darn convenient to the other villages by rail, ferry or trail (must read up on currently open/closed trails). As far as we could see, it wasn't missing any "CT vibe" compared to the other 4 villages we explored.

We didn't spend any sunning time on the beaches although our hotel overlooked one and was just steps away. You do need to understand what's a private/paid vs. a public beach.

https://www.alongdustyroads.com/posts/monterosso-al-mare-cinque-terre

But if price is a factor then yes, Levanto accommodations do tend to be less pricey, and there are likely more of them to choose from as it's a much bigger town.

I tried to make a rough itinerary for our days there. After looking at that, I went ahead and decided to go with Levanto. In the end, I think either place will be awesome! Thank you everyone for your input. I needed the extra tips and encouragement ☺️.

I was in Monterosso last September and it was so horribly crowded I will never go back. (July will be worse.) I've stayed in Riomaggiore (years ago) and Bonassola. I've been in Levanto but haven't stayed there; however, that would be my choice,

I note that you've already made your decision, but I would have recommended Monterosso. Although it will be busy in the day time, it should be quieter at night and the atmosphere is really nice.

As mentioned in a post above, the station is a bit of a walk from the hotels in Levanto. The station in Monterosso is a fairly easy walk from the old town. Also, the Ferry makes more frequent stops in Monterosso and the dock is in the old town so it's a quick and easy walk from most hotels. There is some Ferry service in Levanto, but it doesn't seem to be as frequent. The beach in Levanto is quite large, and there's a nice hike from there through the old railway tunnels to Bonassola (return by train).

Enloy your visit there!

We stayed in Vernazza twice, but we took the train to Levanto for the day. We rented bikes and rode the rails to trails to Bonassola and Framura. Biking along the coastline was an unforgettable experience. Then we had a lovely lunch at an outside cafe and rode all over the town until it was time to return our bikes. Levanto was lovely and much quieter than the CT. I like the idea of a proper beach, which Vernazza is lacking, but have never been to Monterosso. Personally, I would hate to think that I came so close, but didn’t stay in the CT. It has a charm unlike any other - despite the crowds. We tended to take day trips and then enjoyed the town in the afternoon and evening after the crowds left.