My family and I (6 & 8 year old kids) will be in Cinque Terre for 3-4 nights the first week of September. We will be traveling all around italy for 3 weeks, and I promised my family that we would plop ourselves down in a beachy area with swimming & minimal sightseeing as a "break." (Our itinerary includes Rome x 4 days, Chianti in an aguritourismo for 3 days, CT, Venice x 2-3 days, then Sorrento x 3 days. Which of the towns have the best swimming combined with as much of a laid back atmosphere as possible? We like to eat & drink & relax while watching the kids play. We'd like to stay in someplace under 225 euros or so. Any recommendations? Thank you so much.
Missy
Posted by
525 posts
Melissa,
Does your Agriturismo have a swimming pool? I've seen where most of them do. You can relax with your bread, cheese and wine and watch the children swim.
Posted by
OP
Littleton, Co
31 posts
Yes, it does. That was one of the "criteria" since there were so many beautiful choices anyway. We're staying at Villa Sant' Uberto. In Sorrento we're staying at Garden Villa Hotel which also has a pool. They all seemed to have good reviews from what I found. We're not vacationing and "catering" to our children, but the reality is, if they're happy, we're happy. :)
Posted by
Lebanon
711 posts
We were just in Italy for 1 month--in the Cinque Terre for 8 days. We really liked Vernazza the best. Monterossa is more of a beach town, but not really the same. We stayed at Toninno Basso's rooms for 100 euros a night-- he has only 4 rooms at the top of the town, but the are spotless, have an elevator, and air-conditioning.I believe that one of the rooms is bigger. There is a great restaurant next door- Il Pirata. The beach is little and scenic, and you can have pizza right there on the breakfront- even carry out pizza pop, and wine to the beach.All the towns are touristy during the day with hikers- but calm down at night. You can email Tonino, and his info is in the Steves' book on Italy. You might not think you care about air- conditioning, but it can get pretty hot there.There trains are great to get from town to town, only a little over 1 euro- a real deal. Don't try to go there without a reservetion. We saw too many people try this at the end of May, and they had no rooms
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8058 posts
Consider three options. Monterosso: really the only sand beaches, either the large one just out of the train station, or the smaller one in the "old" town. Easy access to food and drink in the beachfront stores or bring with you. Good if you are swimming also. Vernazza: More picturesque, they can swim in the little harbor and sand beach while you sip wine in a harbor front cafe...you might feel a little on display swimming there though. Riomaggiori: little more remote pebble beach just away from the town, quiet, but rougher surf, no sand to play in. Guvano (near Corniglia) I left out, supposedly a nude beach (only saw one old guy hanging out there) quite a hike, and access (through the old train tunnel) is neat, but sometimes available, sometimes not...haven't heard in a few years.