Vernazza with no AC vs Monterosso with AC

Go to Vernazza! We were there in July of 2015, no air, but the breezes were amazing! Vernazza is pretty and small. Has an area to swim. Views are wonderful too. Go for it. However, do be prepared for a lot of people. Very touristy.

stay in Monterosso with ac ; there is more space at the beach and town for youngsters to roam; you can hike to Vernazza and go to all the rest of the villages very easily from there

I love Cinque Terre, and my favorite is Monterosso just because of the restaurants. I think that unless is it unseasonably warm you should be okay either place. If you go to Monterosso plan on eating at Ristorante Belvedere (the pesto pasta is legendary).

Ha! I can't break that tie. Just wanted to say that I have 3 kids 15, 13, and 10. We stayed in Monteross last summer end of June and its true that there was more to see (its larger); we walked around every night until 10 people watching. It is also less compact than Vernazza, so we didn't feel the tourist crush as intensely. We spent all our days on hiking trails with visits to each town for a few hours, so during the day we avoided the worst crowds that way. But Vernazza is more dramatic, and if you plan to hike and not hang out in Vernazza, it may be a more unique experience, especially when crowds are thinner in the morning and at night. But you will be able to walk around the whole town in 10 minutes. Am I leaning toward Vernazza? Im not sure ;p In the end, my kids like Manarola best. Its sized between these two, and has a nice swimming hole with a rock to cliff jump from, which my kids would have liked to have more of.

Jessica

Vernazza. There are 100 Monterossos in Italy (commercial pebbly-beach town with cars), but only one Vernazza. If you are on the hill in Vernazza, AC will not be a problem as there will likely be a sea breeze.

My suggestion would be Monterosso with the A/C. That time of year is likely going to be hot, and I think you'll appreciate the A/C. A few thoughts......

• Vernazza is much more compact so gets much more crowded (to the point of being severe when cruise ships are in the area) in the mid part of the day, including the beach area. OTOH, Monterosso is more spread out with an old town and new town, so doesn't feel as crowded.
• You won't need the A/C when you're out enjoying the towns during the day, but I've found that during hot weather in that area, it's essential to get any sleep at night! The breezes just don't work for me. How much time are you going to be spending in the apartment to enjoy the view?
• Monterosso has two beaches so you can take your pick on where to swim. Note that parts of the beaches are "pay per use" but there are free areas too. I don't think the cost is that high to get a lounge chair and an umbrella.
• Monterosso has a greater number of restaurants so more choices and hopefully easier to find a seat in the busy part of the dining hour.

I totally agree with everyone who chose Monterosso! For all the reasons noted. Besides hiking to Vernazza you can take a 5 minute train ride. Besides the heat in June which requires AC, at that time of year the harbor and very narrow lanes will be mobbed with honeymooners, people climbing all over the rocks, trash barrels overflowing with beer bottles, noisy at night, etc. Vernazza is a lovely place to visit, but for just a couple hours in the morning or afternoon in my opinion. Once was enough for me. Won't be going there again.

The AC is not critical as the temps are not extreme. In La Spezia this June, the weekday high for the whole month was 30C/86F.
https://www.ilmeteo.it/portale/archivio-meteo/La+Spezia/2017/Giugno
However, the AC is a small consideration overall. I think the kids would do better in Monterosso where there's room to run. You won't be in the apartment much at all so the view becomes minor.

I would do Monterosso with the Amalfi Coast (AC) if you have time for both.

Looks like we will be in Monterosso at the same time! My advice is to take the place with AC. You probably will not be in your rental enough to enjoy the view and you can always go to the beach during the day to cool off. We were in Monterosso for 8 nights in July last year and did not have AC. This was a major issue for us as there was no way to dry out the humidity in the apartment and my husband had a terrible allergic reaction to mold that was in the bathroom even though it looked really clean. I don't know how different the weather will be at the end of June vs. when we were there in July, but that's my two-cents.

In that area, a balcony & view wins my vote over air conditioning.

At that time of year would consider a non-a/c unit only if I knew for sure that it had doors/windows at both ends so the air could blow THROUGH the unit ( and still be secure)

My vote is for Monterosso as well. The beach was lovely, and the train is easy enough to navigate that you can easily explore the other four towns for other experiences (of course, there is the spectacular hiking between the towns as well). No doubt about it, Vernazza is a great town, we had lunch there at Gambera Rossi, after hiking from Monterosso (which is the steepest and most difficult stretch of the trail between the towns). But it does get crowded. There is a link to the cruise ship schedule, sorry, I don't remember what it is at the moment. But google it to see when the ships are in port, so you can plan around the crowds. We were only there two nights, and aside from lunch in Vernazza, we did not have meals elsewhere in the region. But I highly recommend Cantina Di Miky for dinner. Great food and wine and a fun atmosphere. Our second night there, we brought wine, cheese, bread and olives from the stores along the avenue, to enjoy on the Hotel Margherita's patio. The manager rushed to supply us with plates, utensils, napkins and even some pastries for dessert - all unsolicited. It was just a wonderful visit, and a nice respite from traveling from Venice and Florence, before heading to Rome. Enjoy your stay, I know it will be memorable!

Where are you from and how used to A/C are you? I am from Houston where it is hot but A/C is everywhere. I would have trouble sleeping if the room was remotely warm. But if you are from an area that is less dependent on A/C or go camping often, etc. you may have no problems.