tripperETK

Hello there,

I have been researching and planning an Italian Honeymoon for me and my soon wife-to-be, and I am planning on making a 3-4 day stop in the Cinque Terre (arriving in the afternoon of Sept 4th)... Can anyone recommend a quaint & charming Hotel, villa or B&B that would be a great spot to relax and absorb the scenery, have access to all the CT has to offer for a few nights? We are young and active so hiking is not out of the question, but after 1.5 days of travel it might be nice to have someone meet us at the train to assist with our bags and help us find the place...?

Grazie!

HappyTrvlr

Hotel Porto Roca in Monterosso sounds like the perfect match for you.

nessundorma

If you are not big-time hikers, do you really want to go to the CT? It is likely to be very crowded (and hot) in September, and there are equally charming but less touristed places along the Ligurian coast where you could just kick back and relax and swim -- and easily take a train to CT if it was very important to you to see the towns on the cliffs.

I'll suggest that you check out the Cennobio al Doge and La Casmona (with a terrace) in Camogli, upscale accommodations in Rapallo or Sestri Levante, as well as the towns of Levanto and Santa Margherita Ligure.

Brian_in_Charlotte

Agree with Happytrvlr, the Porto Roca is your best bet.

bsouthwi

I would not rule out Arpaiu in Manarola. For the price, location, and town it can't be beat. It is listed as a bed and breakfast, however it is more like getting a private room, with shared access to the roof deck. It is pretty new, as it was renovated a few years ago. Very serene and peaceful, even though we were there in September as well. It is the closest building to the water in Manarola with complete unobstructed ocean views.

You can check it out for yourself here
http://www.arpaiu.com

DEF

My husband and I just went to Cinque Terre in May and I have to say it was the least favorite of all our destinations. We were so excited to go there, but it was 100% tourists and to us it really took away from the charm of the place. Unless you are planning on hiking, there's really not much to do there - which is exactly why we went, to relax between Rome and Florence, and we spent 2 days there. The first day the weather was nice so we layed on the beach in Monterosso where we stayed (stayed at La Spiaggia, not recommended) and relaxed. The second day was rainy so we took the train to the other towns. It only took a few hours to explore the other towns and then we were bored. If you are planning on hiking, that's one thing, but if you are just planning on going to relax, 3-4 days is a lot of time in a very small area. Just thought I would warn you

chicgeek

I recommend the Porto Roca. I think it would be a beautiful and romantic honeymoon spot. It is located up on the cliff, away from the fray, and the views are absolutely gorgeous.

Our room had a balcony, with a view of the sea and a king-size bed. Breakfast and dinner on the terrace restaurant were very romantic, with beautiful views.

You can walk down the road to the beach, where the hotel has chaises and umbrellas. You can have lunch or dinner in town. We took the ferry to all the towns, and walked the Via d' Amore.

Whatever you decide, have a beautiful honeymoon!

tripperETK

bsouthwi,

thanks for the recommendation- I am seriously considering staying in Manarola. One question about that though- does anyone know whether Manarola has any swimming? I am not looking for a sprawling sandy beach, just someplace to jump into the sea... Is it possible to do that within a 10-20 min walk of the town?

Thanks to everyone else so far as well, but I think Porto Roca is just a bit too far our of our budget this time... hopefully someday!

bobthenavigator

Your best beach is in Monterosso. Also, more choices for hotels in all budget ranges. Do not overlook Levanto, the beach resort just north of the CT with easy access. The Villa Margherita is good value.

HappyTrvlr

The Poto Roca has a private beach with sunbeds and umbrellas at the base of the hill, a section of the public beach.
The water was beautiful during our visit. Another plus for Porto Roca- you are not bothered by the train noise as you are on a hill where the train goes through a tunnel, not in town cneter where station is located.
The food at the hotel was among the best we had in Italy.

Sunshine1

We are also planning to visit Cinque Terre in September for our honeymoon. Based on the reviews, the Porto Rocca sounds like the place to stay! Does anyone have contact (email) info for them? I haven't been able to track them down yet on the internet.

Thanks!!

TexasAggie

http://www.portoroca.it/home_e.htm

The website for the Porto Roca. We love Hotel Villa Steno but it has likely been reserved for months.

As to the poster who asked about swimming in Manarola... there is no beach whatsoever, but there are ladders that take you from the large boulders in the sea down into the ocean.