Cinque Terre is one of those places you have to visit once in your life. To fully enjoy these five villages, you first have to ask yourself where to stay in Cinque Terre first time.
Each town has its own special features, whether it is a romantic escape, a hiking paradise, or just a quiet retreat. But since each village is easily accessible by train, you can even stay in the busy city of La Spezia and visit the villages at your leisure during the day.
In July 2024, we finally visited Cinque Terre for the first time, and looking back on our trip through Europe, it was one of the highlights. With our experiences and personal opinions, we want to give you all the information you need to choose the best area in Cinque Terre.
In brief: To make it as easy as possible for you, we’ve simplified what each village is known for.
Monterosso al Mare is great for beaches.
Vernazza offers great views, food, and drinks.
Corniglia is great for a quiet experience.
Manarola is ideal for a romantic atmosphere.
Riomaggiore is ideal for comfort and nightlife.
If you don’t mind staying in a nearby city, La Spezia is an incredibly convenient area with great nightlife and access to the train that takes you to all five villages.
You can easily navigate to each section of this article by tapping the link. Or, skip straight to the overview of the best places to stay in Cinque Terre.
Monterosso al Mare is the largest village in the Cinque Terre. What makes it such a popular village are the fantastic beaches and the beautiful historic center.
Monterosso is undoubtedly the most popular destination, so expect it to be busy. The beauty of this village and its surroundings can best be experienced by walking the famous hiking trail between Monterosso and Vernazza.
You need to buy a special pass for this, which costs 7.50 EUR. This route is an absolute must.
If you want to enjoy the beach here, you will need a beach bed, which often sells out late in the morning. That is why staying in Monterosso is so incredibly convenient, as you have direct access to these beaches and can rent a beach bed before the crowds.
If you want to visit one of the other villages, simply take the train.
It is also possible to go from one village to the other by private boat (tour), but the train journey with air conditioning and fast WiFi was a more comfortable way to travel during our stay.
Is there anything not to like about Monterosso? Well, it is incredibly busy and the beaches are always completely full. The hotel prices here are also considerably higher than in the slightly less popular areas.
Of all the five villages, however, Monterosso offers the most amenities and accommodations, which is precisely what makes it such a popular destination.
Of the five towns we visited, Vernazza was our personal favorite. This town is known for its picturesque harbor, colorful houses, and charming narrow streets.
It has a tiny beach that many travelers use to quickly jump (for free) into the warm waters of the Mediterranean. Even though the town is so busy, it still feels authentic compared to the previous town. You can easily spend a few hours wandering around, eating fried seafood, and drinking a few beers while watching the world go by. Especially in the late afternoon, this place is a true paradise.
However, there are a few things to keep in mind before booking a hotel here. First, Vernazza is steep and you don’t want to be walking around these streets with your luggage for a long time. Second, areas like Monterosso simply offer more amenities.
Ultimately, it comes down to personal taste. Because Vernazza felt more authentic, this town became our favorite. But Monterosso is the favorite for many because it offers more convenience.
We can’t stress this enough, but with such good train connections between villages you can have incredible flexibility in choosing the right village.
So you can also just stay in Monterosso with all its facilities and visit Vernazza in the late afternoon via a short train ride.
How to get around Cinque Terre? As mentioned in the introduction, most tourists buy a day pass (34 EUR) that allows them to travel by train as much as they want. The trains are very comfortable and have good air conditioning.
Some villages are perfect for a few photos and you are gone in a few hours, while others are perfect for a longer stay to swim, walk, eat and drink. Whichever village you choose in this article, they all have direct access to this train.
It is also possible to explore the villages by boat, using a ferry or private boat.
Corniglia is the only village that does not have direct access to a beach. It is located on a hill. However, it has very good access to hiking trails.
If you are looking for peace and authenticity, Corniglia will not disappoint you. Compared to Monterosso al Mare, it feels much less touristy.
If you want to go to the train station or from the train station to the village, you can take the local bus that takes you there. If you have bought a day ticket, the bus ride is included. Because it is a bit of a hassle to get there and because it is less developed compared to Monterosso, it feels more like an experience off the beaten track.
We know that many travelers are looking for something authentic during their trip. If this applies to you, you should definitely book a hotel in Corniglia. Keep in mind that the area offers fewer facilities and much less to do in the evening.
Manarola is one of the most romantic villages in Cinque Terre. It is also famous for its cliffs and picturesque, colorful houses. The town can be divided into two parts, namely one part overlooking the sea and the other part is located at the back where you will find many hotels, restaurants, cafes and shops.
You do not have such good access to the beach, but this town is mainly known for its scenic hiking trails. The most popular one is Manarola – Volastra – Corniglia. Keep in mind that the first part is steep with over 1,200 steps that you can skip by taking the bus. It leaves approximately every hour.
Manarola is also the place to watch the sunset. And the best way to do this is at Nessun Dorma, a famous restaurant that also serves the famous pesto that this region is known for. Reservations via the app are highly recommended. If you prefer to watch the sunset somewhere else, you can also do so at Manarola’s harbor.
This village is the second most developed town in Cinque Terre. There are plenty of shops, restaurants, bars, and cafes. However, keep in mind that the town is generally quite steep and carrying your luggage to the hotel can be quite an effort.
Riomaggiore is the last village we will discuss in this article that is part of the Cinque Terre.
This is the most populated village and from here many private boats leave to explore the other villages by boat.
Although it is not the prettiest village of the five, it is an incredibly convenient village.
In addition, Riomaggiore offers a good nightlife, making it an attractive destination for younger travelers.
You will also find the Via dell’Amore, a beautiful path known for its romantic atmosphere.
There are several other routes, including one to Manarola (Via Beccara) and one to Portovenere.
Keep in mind that these paths are quite daring and long.
Overall, Riomaggiore is the best option for those who want a comfortable stay in one of the five villages with a nice nightlife.
The last area we recommend is La Spezia, a town near the Cinque Terre.
This is also the town where we stayed in 2024 because we were travelling through Italy by train and La Spezia has good connections to other Italian destinations.
Early in the morning we bought a day pass and explored a few villages by train.
One of the biggest advantages of La Spezia is that you are in a town with good access to supermarkets, pharmacies and other amenities.
La Spezia also has the best nightlife.
If you are staying near the train station like we did, this is an incredibly convenient area.
If you are staying further away from the train station, La Spezia is not as optimal.
But of course there is a big disadvantage to staying in the town and not in one of the villages: you are not staying in a picturesque area.
If you don’t mind that, you can stay in La Spezia, which is not only incredibly convenient, but also very affordable!
Monterosso al Mare: One of the most sought-after villages in the Cinque Terre due to its convenient location and great beaches. Be aware that this area can get busy.
Vernazza: A small, picturesque village with access to a small beach, great local restaurants, and a beautiful harbor. One of our personal favorites in the Cinque Terre.
Corniglia: If you are looking for something authentic and above all quiet, Corniglia is the area to stay. Be aware that there is no direct access to the beach here, but there are beautiful walking routes nearby.
Manarola: This is probably the most romantic area, as it is known for its breathtaking sunsets and narrow streets. Couples can dine at Nessun Dorma, but you should book well in advance.
Riomaggiore: One of the most comfortable areas in general and one of the villages with great nightlife. Be aware that this town does not have a nice beach.
La Spezia: This is the town near Cinque Terre from where you can take the train to the villages. It offers much more comfort than the villages and there is a pretty interesting nightlife. But that also means that you won’t be staying in one of the picturesque villages.
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