Camogli, Bellagio or La Spezia??
 

I posted earlier with a request for suggestions on a location for a birthday weekend next month (Nov)- something romantic, not to expensive, and a total hotel budget of about 350-400 EUR whether that means 1 night, 2 nights or 3.

I have now narrowed to one of three locations...Camogli,Bellagio or La Spezia. That said- IDEALLY I would like to find a gem of a small hotel for about 90- 110 EUR a night, somewhere that doesnt shut down at 9pm, is sea-view scenic, no car needed and reachable from a railway station.

Any suggestions?? Thanks to all those who helped me make it to those three options!

HAPPY TRAVELS :) :)

Honestly, of your three choices, you may not find everything you want. Doesn't shut down at 9pm in November? Only La Spezia I would guess, but why do you want to go to La Spezia? It is a port city, a transportation hub, a naval base and training center... not pretty or romantic, and not known for romantic hotels.


So, you have Camogli and Bellagio left. Bellagio isn't accessible from a railway station without a car or boat trip. That leaves Camogli which is about 20 minutes by train from Genoa. However, in November both of those places will be very quiet at night.

Now I'm going to look for your previous thread and try to figure out how La Spezia became an option. Are shipyards and cranes involved?

Did La Spezia get on the list because Portovenere was mentioned?

If you are interested in Liguria, I think that both Santa Margherita Ligure and Rapallo would offer more life after 9pm in November.

The recommendation for the Miramare is a good one. G

NOT La Spezia. Although it looked pleasant enough, it does not fit the bill by any stretch! And NOT Portovenere which is not near a train and would probably be pretty dead. SML would be lovely in November, I am guessing. Camogli, too, but more quiet; it is much smaller but more charming.

I just thought of a possibility for you in Camogli; I did not stay here but spoke to someone who did and loved it. It is a bit outside the town but walkable, and gets very good reviews on TA. It looks romantic and charming and is very small:



http://www.villarosmarino.com/index_en.html

IMO, none of these fits the bill.

La Spezia - forgettaboutit.

Camogli - go in spring or summer. Santa Margherita even this time of year is quiet.

Bellagio - very quiet. Nice jewelry stores, however.

Do not agree. Both Camogli and SML in early fall were wonderful..much nicer than in the crush of summer, I would think. And much warmer sea water for swimming.

But the OP is going in November. If you still choose to go to Camogli, I can recommend the Hotel Casmona, just steps (actually including a flight of steps) from the train station. Spring for a room with a terrace; the terraces are huge with a marvelous view of the town and the sea.

Santa Margherita Ligure would be more lively.

Could you consider Varenna on Lake Como? It has a train station and some cheaper hotel options. Actually you can take the train to Varenna, walk down the hill to the lake and get the small ferry to Bellagio.

But once again the area might be a bit dead in November.

Hello
Why not CINQUE TERRE ( La Spezia )the ideal place to stay (Vernazza)
Can you look at google.com
"room in Vernazza 5 terre"
or in "Trip advisor Vernazza forum"
a good testimonial at page 8
a good planning
Mino

I can understand the 'anti' with regard to La Spezia, this is despite me feeling very favourable towards the Place (it has some magnificient buildings). It also has wonderful links to various other places but wouldn't fall into the category of romantic. Portovenere (where I stayed)fits the bill with regard to seaviews and romance but it will be very quiet in November. The same might be the case for other resorts near La Spezia ie Lerici. Santa Margherita Ligure may be just big enough to stay open in November but may be pricey. Also take into account that November is one of North Italy's wettest months and may close the hiking opportunities (if thats your interest). Anyway good luck and let us know how you go on.

Thank you all for the feedback! Hmm now I really don't know...is the moral of the story: NO to La Spezia (and to Tuscanlifeedit- hahaha, no cranes, no shipyards...funny that didnt come up in my research ;), and yes La Spezia came up from the Portovenere suggestion...)

And maybe to Bellagio/ Camogli though they may be extremely quiet...

Sounds like the predominant recommendation is Santa Margherita Ligure or Varenna perhaps? Motorino- you say that none of these fit the bill-- in your experience do you have any other suggestions?

I am really willing to go just about anywhere as long as we can travel by train from Florence (no longer than 5-6 hours max by train, ideally somewhere b/n 2-4 hrs away)

I will do some digging into the other hotels suggested above (many I have already contacted in these area are closed for the dates I am looking for the dates I am looking for :(

Thanks again!

HAPPY TRAVELS :) :)

SAY NO TO VARENNA!! I think it will be very quiet in November. I thought it would have been to quiet for us and we were there last month! But it is a beautiful little town.

Stevelyon: I never meant to cast any negative aspersions on La Spezia. As I wrote above, and in my ongoing report, it looked like a pleasant small city to me when we drove through it. But just I didn't think it fit the bill for a romantic weekend...

I visited La Spezia last year because I had very nice memories of dining in a lovely sea area there. I must have had the wrong location in my mind all of these years, it was a grimy port town, at least the parts I walked through. Maybe there still is a nice area, the first time I was in a car so maybe we were out of town a bit.

SML would be nice that time of year, at least it is a regular town where people live all year around, it isn't just a vacation spot.

Rapallo would be nice at that time too I would think.

I also suggest SML, stayed their in September and had just the right amount of nightlife. Hotel Jolanda was very nice and priced mid-range. Enjoy

Nothing against any of the towns mentioned but IMO are not good for time fo year and La Spezia I do not find romantic.

I thought I may have already replied like this but for time of year and romance maybe Parma, Verona, Assisi, Siena, Spello, Padua even Vicenza all fit the bill.

San Gimignano La Cisterna stay in tower overlooking square is very romantic especially after sun goes down ;-) Lots of people during day especially weekends as Italians love it there too.

I love the Italian coasts at the right time of year.

Hi, I live in Camogli and unless you are in a position to wait until you can see what kind of weather you are going to have for your target weekend, I wouldn't book a trip in advance.

As I type, lightening is flashing and I spent the day enjoying the howling wind, pelting rain and waves crashing against the beachfront of Camogli -- crashing so hard it would have been dangerous to walk the lungomare (the beach promenade full of cafes). I'm sure the same was true in Santa Margherita Ligure today.

I expect that sometime next month I'll be enjoying lunches al fresco on a warm sunny day. But I also expect more weather like we are having today.

All your choices suffer from being places that are really only enjoyable from a tourist's point of view if it isn't raining heavily. In La Spezia there is a well-regarded mondern art collection, but I doubt you want to travel so far for just that.

Were I keen on the Mediterranean and willing to take a flyer, I would head to Nice. At least there, if your bet for pretty sunny days doesn't work out, there is plenty to enjoy indoors.

As a side note, regarding Villa Rosamarino in Camogli, it is not on the beach but on a busy road, it is difficult to park adn drive in Camogli, buses don't run during dinner or lunch hours and you need to like stair climbing as much as I do.

Oh, Verona! Great suggestion. Very romantic. Tons of hotels. Lots to see and do and stroll if the weather isn't too awful. Perugia is also a nice town that would have more going on at night.


What about heading south? Less rain, maybe.

yes - no to La Spezia yech

head south
Sorrento fits your criteria
- a choice of romantic seaview hotels in your price range (off season rates)
- train about 4 hrs from Firenze (only downside the change in Napoli)
- weather warmer, but if inclement,
enough going on
-town doesn't shut down