Cinque Terre- How many nights and which town?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cinque Terre- How many nights and which town?
My husband and I like to hike and want to spend enough time to get a good feel for the Cinque Terre. How many nights do you recommend staying there and which town is the most charming to stay in? We were thinking of 4 nights, but maybe there are other places nearby that would be worth visiting as well. I'd like to find a small inn or bed and breakfast with sea views. I welcome any suggestions for a visit to this area. Thanks.
#2
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My husband, his sister and I stayed for 3 nights in Riomaggiore last October at Villa Argentina. You will love the Cinque Terre - we felt we didn't give ourselves enough time there. Villa Argentina had great buffet breakfasts, lovely, quiet rooms and we had a balcony overlooking the town and out to the sea. They also have a huge terrace with tables and chairs for enjoying a glass of wine and the view. Most of the towns are very hilly with narrow roads, we struggled with too heavy suitcases to climb the hill up to the hotel, in the dark, because we had arrived too late to take the last Parc bus to the top. We did an afternoon boat tour along the coast that stopped in 4 of the 5 towns. That was a great way to see the towns from the water. Most restaurants and shops have staff that understand English even if they don't speak it well themselves.
#4
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think 4 nights is enough.
Most people seem to like Vernazza, but I found Monterosso to be interesting because it has an old town and new town, and there are hiking opportunities there.
The boat tour is a good idea, plus you can take it to the end to Portovenere, which is worth a visit.
Most people seem to like Vernazza, but I found Monterosso to be interesting because it has an old town and new town, and there are hiking opportunities there.
The boat tour is a good idea, plus you can take it to the end to Portovenere, which is worth a visit.
#6
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vernazza! So, so charming. Check out the small bar near the top, owned by 2 charming brothers. It's been some years since I've been there, but it was by far one of my favorite places. The boat tour is beautiful -- great to see the towns from the water. We only stayed 2 nights of our Italy trip there. If you're adding in day hikes, 3 should do it. The towns are very small and easy to see/do more in a shorter period of time.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think 4 night will be just right. We stayed for 5 nights and enjoyed it. We stayed in the quieter town of Manarola at La Torretta. One room has a small patio with a nice view and that's the room we enjoyed staying in.
cheers,
CC
cheers,
CC
#8
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 356
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We did four nights and included a day in Pisa. We thought that was about right. We stayed in Vernazza and really enjoyed the food options in the evening there.
Don't know your budget, but La Mala is a b&b in Vernazza with sea views. It's directly on the water (no beach, just a cliff).
Don't know your budget, but La Mala is a b&b in Vernazza with sea views. It's directly on the water (no beach, just a cliff).
#9
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 946
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We loved Cinque Terra, one of our fave places in Italy ( and we have seen a LOT of Italy). We meant to stay a few days and stayed two weeks longer than planned and even then, hated to go.
Portofino and Portovenere are nearby musts as well.
The trains make it easy to get every where easily and the hiking is divine.
Portofino and Portovenere are nearby musts as well.
The trains make it easy to get every where easily and the hiking is divine.
#11
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Another vote for La Torretta in Manarola. I think 3 nights would be enough, but people really differ in something like that.
http://www.torrettas.com/
http://www.torrettas.com/
#12
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We stayed in Monterosso in the old town, Il Gardinia Songo (The Singing Garden)I may be wrong on spelling. It was very nice, close to many restaurants, quaint with a great garden for breakfast, very nice owners, and best of all you do not have to walk up stairs or hills to get to the inn. Hiking from town to town is easy and boat rides are fun, you can also take a train from town to town.
#13
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 946
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, you can take the train to them both very easily.
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2009/0...rre-italy.html
We are RVing around Europe ( been doing it for the last 5 summers) so we stayed at a gem campsite with the locals...almost all Italians. They have cottages there but probably not what you are looking for, so I didn't mention it.
We took the train every where..it's really convenient there.
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2009/0...rre-italy.html
We are RVing around Europe ( been doing it for the last 5 summers) so we stayed at a gem campsite with the locals...almost all Italians. They have cottages there but probably not what you are looking for, so I didn't mention it.
We took the train every where..it's really convenient there.
#15
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 296
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Our family loved Cinque Terre. We stayed in Monterosso at the Hotel Villa Steno. Just loved it. When I go back some day it will be for at least 4 days to relax, enjoy the water, tour the towns, eat pesto, drink the wine......
#17
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,300
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You cant take the train to Portovenere - which is its only downside, or else I would steer most people there. Boat trip is the best way to reach it, The bus trip from La Spezia (the bus stop is quite a distance from the station) is interesting in itself - its full of characters. You can also stop off at a nice seaside village (name escapes me) en route.
#18
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We took a day trip a few days ago from Vernazza to Portovenere. Caught the train to La Spezia (included in the CT card) then the bus to Portovenere, which takes half an hour and costs 1.60 euro one way. Very easy to get to the bus - turn left out of La Spezia station and follow the street downhill to the first square then continue down via Fiume to Piazza Garibaldi. Turn right at the fountain into viale Garibaldi and after the first set of lights the bus departs on the right hand side of the street. It took about 10 minutes walking at a leisurely pace.
Portovenere was a lovely town to wander around. If you want to visit the castle it's closed on Monday and Wednesday.
We then took the ferry back to Monterosso.
Portovenere was a lovely town to wander around. If you want to visit the castle it's closed on Monday and Wednesday.
We then took the ferry back to Monterosso.
#19
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 946
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry, maybe it was a bus we took to Portovenere, but I thought it was the train as that is the way we go to most things while there. We spent a few weeks there and saw a lot and we are always traveling so it's hard to remember it all.
I know we did NOT take the boat ( although we did take one boat ride between the villages as it is another nice way experience Cinque Terre).
We walked, biked, bused or trained every where while there ( mostly trained).
I think it was a bus and not a bad ride...we met some young local girls on the bus now that I think about it.
We travel with a young child and I have mobility challenges, so it was not hard to do.
We did go on a bus there that was EXTREMELY scary if you have fear of heights ( as I do) and they went FAST on those curvy mountain roads...one of the scariest I have been on ( although not nearly as scary as driving Santorini in a heavy old motorhome or recently driving into rural mountainous Bhutan...so I suppose it is all relative).
That is the bus that goes up to where one can hike at the top not the Portovenere bus ( which was not scary) but even that was well worth it as the views are spectacular.
Portovenere and Portofino are gorgeous, so don't miss them... some similarities to Cinque Terre, but each unique with it's own charm.
We were surprised neither was crowded on the days that we went and we were there in high season...late July/early August.
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2010/1...n-riviera.html
I know we did NOT take the boat ( although we did take one boat ride between the villages as it is another nice way experience Cinque Terre).
We walked, biked, bused or trained every where while there ( mostly trained).
I think it was a bus and not a bad ride...we met some young local girls on the bus now that I think about it.
We travel with a young child and I have mobility challenges, so it was not hard to do.
We did go on a bus there that was EXTREMELY scary if you have fear of heights ( as I do) and they went FAST on those curvy mountain roads...one of the scariest I have been on ( although not nearly as scary as driving Santorini in a heavy old motorhome or recently driving into rural mountainous Bhutan...so I suppose it is all relative).
That is the bus that goes up to where one can hike at the top not the Portovenere bus ( which was not scary) but even that was well worth it as the views are spectacular.
Portovenere and Portofino are gorgeous, so don't miss them... some similarities to Cinque Terre, but each unique with it's own charm.
We were surprised neither was crowded on the days that we went and we were there in high season...late July/early August.
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2010/1...n-riviera.html
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
TEJtravel
Europe
10
Jan 25th, 2012 04:53 AM