Hello. I will have 2-3 days in Cinque Terre as part of a trip to Italy in late August of 2015. We will be arriving by train on Aug 30 from Lake Como via Milano Centrale and departing by train on the morning (or later) of Sept. 2 to Florence via La Spezia. I am torn on where to stay. I would like to stay within the 250/night rate and would love to be near the beach. I am thinking Vernazza or Monterosso del Mare is best? If so, what hotel or B&B would you recommend? Also, is a day visit to Portofino from CT even an option? Seems really far.

We are 2 couples in our early/mid 30's.

Thanks so much!

The best beach is at Monterosso - it's sandy beach having been named to various lists of Italy's best beaches - most of the other towns have gravel beaches and are very tiny I think.

that said Monterosso is not as tranquil as say Vernazza - Monterosso the beach part has cars so not the same atmosphere as the car-less towns.

It is an easy day trip to Portofino from the Cinque Terre - take a train to Santa Margharita Ligure and then bo from there by boat, bus or foot (cars not allowed in at busy times I think).

thanks PalenQ. Do you have any properties that you like in either town?

Actually I have never stayed in the Cinque Terre though have day tripped into it several times and hike all seven miles between villages. I stayed in Santa Margharita Ligure and day tripped in and also did Portofino from there. I like a more real town and find the 5 Terre towns just too touristy to be normal. SML is a vibrant active fishing town that has its share of tourists but is also a real town in itself.

Vernazza seems to be a perpetual favorite for Fodorites but no soft beach!

Keep topping your thread as there have been many 5 Terre hotel B&B recommendations given here many times.

I went for views rather than beach-front, and was very well pleased with my choice of La Torretta in Manarola:
http://www.torrettas.com

Agreed, the only town with a beach worth mentioning is Monterosso, but as it is sea level rather than cliff-based like the other towns, the atmosphere there is not as nice IMO. It's also less good for hiking as it is perched on the "far end" of the 5 villages, if you stay in a town in the centre you can go left and right. There is an excellent facility on the beach in Monterosso with showers that you can use for a small fee, and the train is very easy to use, so if it was me I would stay elsewhere and train to the beach (the train station is practically ON the beach).

Sorry, have only ever stayed in Manarola and can't recommend any specific properties in Vernazza or Monterosso

If you are looking for a somewhat decent sandy beach, go to Sestri Levante. There are tons of commuter trains from there to all 5Terre villages.
Or stay in 1 of the 5 villages and use the train in order to go to the beach.