Rapallo, CT-Barolo-Alba
 

Would like recommendations for 4 or 5 nights in Rapallo-Cinqueterra coast. + Hotels, restaurants
We have a wine tour next year. We start in Alba,Italy, May 26: do 9 day wine tour to Trieste and leave from VCE.
Have been to Italy many times-Rome, Venice, Amalfi, Avazzano, Pizza, Umbria, Tuscany, Minan, Dolomites.

Our interest are hotels or B&B with an ocean view, excellent restaurants, Hiking-with views, .
Will do tougher trails for views and crowd avoidance.
Understand the car parking issues along the coast.
We are ex-runners and strong hikers-Vt, Utah, Marrakesh, Dolomites

After reading this forum, our first thought:: Arrive in Genoa, rent car(prime reason--return to Alba); first night in Rapallo or SML;
First day--------SML,Rapallo, portofino
Second day--- Use train and hiking for CT , Hotel in CT?
Third day-------hiking
Fourth day---- hiking and then back to Rapallo area OR direct to Barolo
Fifth day--------to ALba
next day start wine tour--1.5 days in Alba

Maybe stay 1 night in CT. Hike+Train back to car and then car to Barolo and Alba to start wine tour.
Depart Venice(could not stay in Venice(our favorite) due to other commitments).,

I would base in Rapallo the whole time (before you move on for the wine tour). Take an early train to the CT to do the hiking but return to Rapallo rather than moving hotels two or three times.


This is my review of the hotel I loved from my trip report a few years ago. I stayed five nights. - "Rapallo Hotel Italia e Lido Lungomare Castello 1 www.italiaelido.com/eng/ Loved this place! It is right on top of the 16th century castelo which juts out into the sea. I paid extra (10€/night) for a ‘sea view’ and what a view it is. Private balcony over-looking the castle. The hotel itself is wonderful, clean and modern throughout, decent amount of space, AC, lift, free Wi-Fi, mini-fridge. The included breakfast is substantial: yogurts, cereals, breads, juice, fresh fruit, meats, cheeses, scrambled eggs and bacon. Rapallo was not my first choice for a base for my five nights on the Italian Riviera but I’m so glad that this seemed to be the best hotel deal (it was) so I decided to stay in Rapallo. I’ve often wondered if booking through booking sites rather than with directly with the hotel gets you a less desirable room but I really no longer think so and this place proves it – room 412 has to be one of the best rooms in the hotel. 88€/single with sea view"


Here's the rest of the trip report (it's in the middle, need to scroll down past the France part) - https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...-990300/page3/


Photos now at: https://andiamo.zenfolio.com/p946045812 The hotel is the yellow building in the second image, the third image was taken from my terrace.

Wow--and thank you very much ! I recognized your name from posts from years ago but do not remember which country(s) you helped us with.
My guess is--Yellowstone, MP, Burma, Utah, Peru ??
Maybe Yellowstone.? Years ago, we rented an RV with 3 young teenage Granddaughters and had our favorite vacation of all time--

No matter which, I appreciate the time you take to help all of us.
Your referenced trip report helps us to add the boat trip(s): agree the Rapallo Hotel and town which makes a good base; and eliminates the hassle of another hotel change. Reviewed you France-Italy trip and will spend more time to digest and put a Plan together.

And if you do France again, I have some suggestions--Villeneuve d'Avignon( we did our(25th and 50th aniversary), the Basque areas of France and Spain and the Medoc region
Will have my wife review your info in the next few days and reply again to you.

By your reply, it looks best to forget the car. Do a train, bus, Uber from GOA to Rapalla ? And then Just figure out where and how to rent a car near Genoa?

PS-- we are on our way to India/Himalayas in Jan. Have you been?
Japan, Burma, Singapore, Bali, Thailand, Cambodia questions--We have mucho experience

We spent 8 nights based in Rapallo this fall. We had a car but only used it two of the 8 days there. We had come from Lake Orta and the savings to get rid of it were so minimal we kept it. Fortunately, we had an airbnb apartment that had free parking. We walked to SML and Portofino and return. We did CT in one day including hiking from Monterosso to Vernazza to Corneglia (the open sections of the lower trails). The villages, especially Vernazza, were crowded with cruise passengers. Trails not bad. The late September weather was perfect. We did the other two villages via rail.

You can see our trip report: https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...t-oct-1659667/

Whitehall, my original thought to base in Rapalla was from your CT Trip Report. Informative and good details.
Cruise Ships-YIKES. Will avoid at all costs.
Will reread your trip report to figure out the trails.
Sounds like you agree with our plan to not get a car in GOA and just get one for our trip North?

Instead of only hiking in CT (see: Crowds), be sure to also check out the trails in Portofino park, between Camogli and Santa Margarita Ligure. We spent days hiking there and rarely saw another soul. One trail requires chains, quite an experience.
All thanks to the Fodorites who went before me, who recommended this hotel: https://la-rosa-bianca-di-portofino-...gli.booked.net
as well as the restaurant Nonna Nina just a short walk away.

Yorkshire, we do plan on hiking Portofino park and SML. That fact and another prime reason we are looking a base camp Rapallo--boats to many locations; trains, and eventually a car rental to head to Alba.

Will check out your hotel and restaurant posting.

Chains ? Familiar with car chains, but for a trail ?

So far we will hike Portofino area one day; CT one day, boat multiple locations and to see towns from seaside, one day open.

Rapallo hotel
 

We stayed 5 nights at the Astoria hotel in Rapallo and LOVED it! While there, we did use the boats to get to some of the other towns in the area. I think Rapallo is much more a real town/ small city than SML or Portofino. I have been in Portofino twice and both times the place just struck me as very overpriced and snobby. The owner at the Astoria is super friendly and had excellent restaurant recs. for us. I'm glad another poster gave you info about hiking in the Portofino / SML region - the CT is overrun with tourists, at least along the coast - maybe up in the hills, it is better, Bon viagge!

Like Yorkshire, I’ve hiked in Portofino park. I was there this past July. Much, much less crowded than the CT (walked the trails between the 5 villages and it was crowded 18 years ago—can’t imagine what it’s like now).

And yep, there are chains on at least one section of the coastal trail between Camogli-San Rocco-San Fruttuoso.

The best hikes (and walks) from Camogli, Liguria ? Living in Italian

You absolutely do not need a car on the Italian Riviera. Camogli was the only place we drove to. And, that was just to change up things because we had a car. Train from Genoa to Rapallo is a nice quick ride. Rental car from Genoa to Venice probably best at the airport. We recommend broker Auto Europe that usually has Hertz rates better than Hertz direct, especially if you select their inexpensive daily insurance.

suec1, Will check out the Astoria. Thanks for the reinforcement of Rapallo, boats(this is great--hike and boat and train options. And we will head for the hills

Leely2, Thank you for the Portofino park hike link and reinforcing all the post interest in that peninsula.
Chains, I guess you climb over/ walk around?

whitehall, Leely2,suec1. Yorkshire, Isabel--input so good, you've made my plan come together and I feel the plan for this trip is 90% done.


Thanks Bunches

Re the chains--you just hold on (and preferably don't look down). You are basically going across a curved rock face, and so the support is necessary--but if I can do it, anyone can! That trail is well indicated with signage (warning the uninitiated to avoid). That is the only difficult trail in the park.

Understand, thanks

You've been to Pizza?
Must be topping :-) (cheesy grin)

isabel, we are having difficulty reserving a room at your recommended hotel. Rapallo Hotel Italia e Lido.
We have tried on their web site and the usual booking.com sites. And have sent them a request; their answer was -
we will get back to you soon(that was a month ago). Suggestions please

We like the location as it appears quieter than a few other--Vesuvio, Astoria ?

george

Isabel--the Hotel Italia e Lido finally answered our email, so we are all set--they have also raised their prices from 175 to 195E. Will look at alternatives.
HappyTrvir--will check out hotels in SML. And thanks, Hotel Recommendation?

CT Update
 

Our final schedule: and thanks to all !
Genoa Airport to Rapallo by taxi
Hotel is Rapallo Astoria
Day 1; Discover Rapallo, Relax
Day 2; Boat to CT and do 8 mi hike
Day3; Portofino hike
Day4; tbd
Day5; Boat to Portofino and coast hike, boat return to Rapallo
Day6; AM -SML; PM train to Acqui
Day 7; taxi to Alba
Day8; join wine tour to Trieste
Day 16; Venice
Day18 return to us