Hello - Planning a trip to Cinque Terre and would like suggestions on which village to stay in. Family of 4 with two kids ages 11 & 13. Family time, not party time. Will be hiking, eating and enjoying the gorgeous scenery. Suggestions for the best village for our group. Thank you.

Vernazza would be my first choice if money was not an issue.

Second choice would be Riomaggiore or Manarola (the smallest).

If money is an issue, consider Levanto, one town north of the "five villages." I have stayed there twice. It's a relatively easy train trip back to Monterosso. Levanto itself is a nice town, but more of a conventional beach town than the five villages which seem built into the sides of the hill. You can also hike from Levanto back to though I haven't done that hike myself.

Thanks Andrew right now we have Vernazzo & Riomaggiore on our radar. Why is Vernazza your first choice? Just curious our first time to CT.

Having toured the five villages, I found Vernazza to be the most scenic. Monterosso is the one with a proper beach, if that interests you.

But for hiking with kids, I would suggest the hiking trail between Riomaggiore and Manarola. The other paths can be steep and shallow at some points.

It doesn't really matter where you stay, though. All villages are within a 5 minute train ride from each other. Monterosso has a wider choice when it comes to accommodation.

Hi,

We are deliberating between Monterosso and Vernazza.

We are inclined to stay in Monterosso since it has much more space to stroll around during the evening than Vernazza, and though the trains are very comfortable, it is still nicer to just walk around before sleep time without using the train.

The beach less matters since we will arrive in May.

I found Manarola to be the most atmospheric and -- excepting Corniglia (which I would not think convenient for a family) -- the least full of tourists. But my experience is dated.

Ok if going in May, I would stay in Vernazza proper. Despite its small size, it's ideal for an evening stroll.

Monterosso is very nice but it feels like a bigger town.
Vernazza is "postcard-Cinque Terre".
It will meet your expectations of a quaint Italian village.

Going in June so I expect it will be a bit crowded. We were considering Riomaggiore but the coastal trails are closed in both directions so that is shifting the focus to Vernazza and Monterosso.

Hi Loacker,

Thank you.

I am not familiar with the actual size.

How much time it takes to 'cover' Vernazza by walking?

What I liked about Monterosso is that it has a seaside walk and an old & new towns.

It can be covered in 10 minutes. The town consists of a main street that is dotted with cafes and shops, a harbour, and a church square. But you won't get bored. After a day of hiking and visiting village after village, you will appreciate a compact town to relax in.

I suggest you consider Bonassola, a lovely seaside down very close by. We had a wonderful time there hiking and enjoying the food. It was quiet and access to the more famous towns was very easy.

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful suggestions. We have our place in CT decided. For the rest of the trip.....we are flying into Venice and staying for 3 nights. Then 2 nights in Florence, followed by 2 nights in Lucca (day trip to Pisa), then 3 nights in Riomaggiore (not our first choice but the dates work) Then we have a 3 nights (not planned yet) before we head to Rome for a few days before coming home. Suggestions for this leg? My husband speaks fluent Italian so we are in great shape to communicate with the locals so places not typically visited are fine.I will likely start a new thread to address this topic. Thanks again!

Siena makes for a convenient stop on your way back to Rome.


If you haven't booked your accommodation yet, you could also visit Lake Como after Venice.

Or you could spend all the remaining time in Rome, and make day trips to Orvieto or Pompeii.