Tucked nicely between two promontories, Levanto offers an alternative and usually less-expensive base to explore the Cinque Terre and the Riviera di Levante. This town retains much of the typical Ligurian character with trompe l'oeil frescoed villas and the olive tree-covered hills of the national park. Monterosso, one of the Cinque Terre villages, is only a 4-minute train ride away.