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Your favorite CT towns and places to stay for 4

Which town do you love to stay in and where do you like to sleep?
I have done my research, but love to hear where others stayed who had 4 people and their favorite CT towns. Thanks

Posted by
32171 posts

Tania, I've stayed in both Riomaggiore and Monterosso, so I'm only able to compare those two locations in terms of "towns that I love to stay in". However, I've visited all five towns and at this point my definite favourite is Monterosso. It offers both an "old town" and "new town" and there are lots of great restaurants, nice Hotels, great beaches and awesome scenery. Riomaggiore was also nice but it was a bit more "informal" (ie: no breakfast was provided). "Where do I like to sleep?" I wasn't clear on the question - are you referring to a favourite Hotel? If that's the case, my preference is absolutely Hotel Villa Steno. It's not exactly "budget accommodation", but there's a good reason that Villa Steno and it's sister property Hotel Pasquale are rated at No. 1 and No. 2 on Trip Advisor. That's also why it's often difficult to get a room at either property, as they're usually booked up well in advance. Those with a "generous" travel budget could also consider Hotel Porta Roca. It's a bit of an effort to get there (it's at the start of the trail to Vernazza), but the views are absolutely incredible (of course the views come at a price)! When I was there last year, they were building a swimming pool, so I imagine that will be operating this year. I'd like to try it sometime, but now that I'm on a Pension I doubt that will be possible. Cheers!

Posted by
16024 posts

Tania, are you four adults, aor a family with two children or teens? If a family, you might look at Ken's suggestion of Hotel Villa Steno in Monterosso, as they have quad rooms. For adults, or a family with older kids (late teen/early twenties) I highly recommend La Toretta in Manarola. A lovely, romantic place with a welcoming host and great breakfast. We had two rooms there to accommodate the four of us, both with sea views and ours with a balcony. Manarola is steep and surrounded by vineyards, and quieter than Vernazza but still offers a number of good restaurants from which to choose. I cannot compare it to Monterosso as we did not go there; we prefer the car-free villages. We also enjoyed the deep-water swimmin opportunities at Manarola over having a beach.

Posted by
47 posts

Levanto - one town north of the official CT. Great beach, restaurants (Ristorante Moresco), birreria (Gambrinus), wine bars. Easily accessed by train/car. Hike to Monterosso is challenging but more rewarding than the rest of the CT hikes. Train to any towns in CT just a few minutes. Plenty of places to stay - if you are looking budget - get a four bed room in Ospitalia Del Mare - the local hostel. A nice place filled with people of all ages - not a party place. If you are looking for a hotel, several offer quad rooms - Hotel Europa for one.

Posted by
208 posts

Hi, this is exactly what I am looking for for replies! Thank you so much. Yes we are a family of 4 with 2 girls ages 10 and 12 who are extremely active and both long distance runners who love hiking and the outdoors. I love the tips, I had a peek at Levanto, but wasn't sure on the trail accessibility. Might be work a closer look. Since we are in Europe for a month (Scotland to Rome) we are on a bit of a budget, but also want to enjoy ourselves as well. Thanks again, I might give you all a shout later when we confirm our itinerary, if you don't mind. We love talking to other travellers and sharing their experiences. Cheers!

Posted by
32171 posts

Tania, The trail from Monterosso to Vernazza is now open again, and that would be a good workout for your "extremely active" kids! I'd suggest some caution though, as parts of the trail are very narrow (and it's a LONG way down if one were to "slip"). In addition to the "usual" C.T. trails that most tourists hike, there's a more extensive network that extends up to some villages in the hills.