RAPALLO
 

Does Rapallo have merit as a destination to compare with Cinque Terra ? Is it past its use by date and are there some memorable hotels there with good views ? Thank you for your advice.

I just got back from the Italian Riviera - stayed in Camogli for 5 days and Nervi for 3. One day my friend and i drove around exploring the back roads around Santa Margahrita, Rapallo and Portofino. My friend thought SM and Rapallo was more urban than Camogli. I found Rapallo to be a bit more beautiful than SM. We had a originally planned to stay at the Hotelo Continental in SM - it looked a bit dingy from the outside. What looked absolutely fabulous was the Grand Miramare. We had lunch in Rapallo - good window shopping in both. Drove the A22 (?) to Portofino - crazy fun drive - but parking was full. Our guide in Genoa mentioned that Camogli is preferred more than Portifino - Portofino is an over priced tourist trap.

I've noticed from your posts you still may not have found accommodation on the Ligurian coast.
Sounds like Portofino might fit your requirements.
Lovely hotels, and you can catch ferries to the CT for the day.
Rapallo has markets on Thursdays,
Santa Margherita is lovely.....and there is a designer outlet for Prada /fendi at Sarzana...
Try www.hotelsplendido.com
the Splendido Mare B&B may suit your needs based on some of your past postings.

Hi Kimerley. Thank you for your advice. We have been to Portofino many years ago and found it entertaining and fun but we were looking to CT as a more natural environment in which to relax. I remember that the drive into Portofino even then was a cross between a traffic jam and a parking lot ! Nothing has probably changed. It would be nice to find a Hotel Splendido standard on a hill looking out to sea in CT all out by itself, but then again I am a bit of a romancer. The reality is that Porto Roca in Monterossio is probably the closest we could expect to get to top quality in that region. What you have pointed out is how close CT is to Portofino so what i am doing now is looking around the fringes of the area. i probably had a view that CT was actually a bigger area than in reality. Thanks again

Have you thought about Sestri Levante - about midpoint between SM and the CTs. The bays of Sestri LEvante are enchanting.

I have found several interesting properties in Sestri Levante in the Charming Small Hotel Guides; but, what is the area like? If we are driving from San Gimignano would it be much farther than CT? And is anyone familiar with Miramare, Helvetia or Grand Hotel Castelli?

I was going to stay at Vis a Vis - incredible views of the bays - but there were scheduling conflicts. When I day tripped to Sestri Levante - I checked out Castelli also - beautiful grounds but there is a moderately steep road up to the hotel. The Miramare offered a good rate - looked a bit dusty and modest from the outside. Helevetica looks to have a good views - I don't know anything else.

http://www.hotelvisavis.com/

http://www.hotelhelvetia.it/

http://www.hoteldeicastelli.com/

http://www.miramaresestrilevante.com/