Choosing a town to stay in Cinque Terre is not easy. There are many queries we receive asking us what is our recommendation or our impression of the possibility of not sleeping in Cinque Terre and do it in a nearby town. Although throughout the post we will talk in detail about each of the options, in principle and whenever you can we recommend staying in one of the five villages as this is a unique experience and a way to get to know this stunning area of Italy when most travelers have already left and you can enjoy the scenery and the streets almost alone.
Based on our visit to this beautiful area, during which we wrote the Cinque Terre travel guide, we leave you a selection of places to stay in Cinque Terre and the best villages and hotels. Let’s get started!
Villages where to stay in Cinque Terre
The first thing to know before you start looking for accommodation in Cinque Terre is that this area consists of five coastal towns, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, bathed by the Ligurian Sea coast and ranging from Punta Mesco to Punta di Montenero.
Although we will talk about all of them in more detail later, we anticipate that Monterosso is the one with the largest hotel offer, although it is not the most beautiful and Corniglia is the only one that does not have direct access to the sea, as it is located on the top of a cliff.
With this in mind, we would initially opt for Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore as the best options to stay in Cinque Terre, an area so beautiful that it has been declared a World Heritage Site.
1. Monterosso al Mare, the town with the largest hotel offer in Cinque Terre
Located in a natural gulf on the Ligurian coast, Monterosso al Mare is the largest and most populated town in the area and also the one with the largest hotel and restaurant offer. In addition to this, having more options to choose from, there are also hotels for all budgets, something important and to take into account if you are on a tight budget. For these reasons Monterosso is one of the best options to stay in Cinque Terre.
Keep in mind that you can move from one town to another easily by train in a few minutes, so in this aspect, transportation in the area is no problem and you can comfortably meet all the must-see places in Cinque Terre.
In addition to all of the above, the town of Monterosso al Mare has some of the largest beaches in the area and a charming historic center, featuring the Aurora Tower, the Church of St. John the Baptist and the statue”Il Gigante” , which is the town’s icon.
We stayed at the Hotel Souvenir, a charming hotel located 5 minutes from the beach and with an excellent breakfast.
The price of accommodation in Monterosso is usually 120-150 euros although in low season prices are usually much lower.
2. Vernazza, one of the best villages to stay in Cinque Terre
Located next to Monterosso al Mare and where you can reach by walking a path that will lead you to have the best views of Vernazza from the top of the cliff, this village is one of the most beautiful in the area and one of the best villages to sleep in Cinque Terre.
With charming streets surrounded by colorful houses and a familiar and close atmosphere, especially outside the high season, this is one of our favorite villages. In addition to strolling around, we recommend climbing the tower of the Doria Castle to enjoy the views of the village, visiting the church of Santa Margherita d’Antioch, located in a beautiful square and of course, relaxing in the harbor, the most beautiful in the area.
The price of accommodation in Monterosso is usually 120 euros although in low season prices are usually much lower.
3. Corniglia, the only town without access to the sea
Known for being the smallest village in Cinque Terre and also the one with the least hotel and restaurant infrastructure, Corniglia although beautiful, we believe it is the least suitable place to stay in Cinque Terre. It is also located more than 100 meters above sea level, on a promontory, so it has no direct access to the sea.
Don’t forget that if you arrive by train to the village, you will have to climb the almost 400 steps of the staircase known asLardarinaor if you want to avoid it, drive to the top of the village.
The price of accommodation in Corniglia is usually 100 euros although in low season prices are usually much lower.
4. Manarola, one of the best for hotel search
Known for being one of the most famous and beautiful villages of Cinque Terre, Manarola is located on the top of a promontory and as if by magic, it spreads along the hill, dotted with colorful things.
In addition to strolling through its charming little streets, you can not miss a walk along Via di Mezzo, the main artery of this small town, where most restaurants and stores are located, and of course, see the Church of San Lorenzo.
And to end the day, nothing better than going to the port, another of the most beautiful in the area, from where you can take a walk along the path along the cliff, towards Corniglia, until you reach one of the most incredible viewpoints of Cinque Terre. For all these things, we can say that Manarola is one of the best places to stay in Cinque Terre.
The price of accommodation in Manarola is usually 150 euros although in low season prices are usually much lower.
5. Riomaggiore, the most beautiful village to stay in Cinque Terre
Although we understand that this is always a matter of taste, we can not fail to tell you that at least for us, Riomaggiore is the most beautiful village and therefore, the best place to sleep in Cinque Terre.
Located on the street of the Maggiore River, its houses stretch along a cliff until you reach the port, giving a mirror image to this small town that is a real wonder.
In addition to strolling through its historic center, we recommend a stop at its imposing castle and at the churches of San Giovanni Battista and Confraternita dell’Assunta, jewels that we are sure you will not forget.
And of course, you can not miss a stroll along the harbor and reach the area of the pier of stones, from where you can make and enjoy one of the best views of Cinque Terre. In addition, if you continue along a small path you will reach a rocky beach, perfect for a swim if your trip coincides with the hottest months of the year.
The price of accommodation in Riomaggiore is usually 100 euros.
6. La Spezia, the cheapest option to sleep in Cinque Terre
If you are on a tight budget or you are doing a driving tour in Italy, La Spezia is the best option to stay in Cinque Terre. Here you can find a wide range of hotels for all budgets, many restaurants and even hotels with parking where you can leave your car and then move by train through the villages of Cinque Terre.
Remember that the best way to get around Cinque Terre is by train, as the villages are not accessible by car, so if you use it, you will have to leave it on the outskirts.
The price of accommodation in La Spezia is usually 100 euros.
7. Portovenere and Lerici, on the Gulf of Poets
Although for us this area is more for a visit if you have 1 or 2 extra days, both Portovenere and Lerici can be options where to stay in Cinque Terre if you are looking for something quieter although in this case, with the same prices as any of the villages of Cinque Terre.
Keep in mind that La Spezia is also part of the Gulf of Poets although in this case we have highlighted it for having a railway network, something that allows you to reach directly to the towns of Cinque Terre, so it is a better option to sleep in Cinque Terre.
The price of accommodation in Portovenere and Lerici is usually 70 euros.
Tips for finding cheap accommodation in Cinque Terre
After having listed the best villages to stay in Cinque Terre, here are some tips and recommendations to make your choice and your trip as easy and comfortable as possible.
- As we have mentioned on several occasions, although prices are higher than in other areas, we recommend staying at least one night in Cinque Terre, preferably in Vernazza, Riomaggiore or Manarola.
- In case your trip is a route and you bring a rental car, we recommend you to leave it in a parking lot in La Spezia and make the trips to the villages by train as well as making one of the trips by boat, in order to enjoy the perspective of the villages from the sea.
- You can check train schedules and even make reservations on this page.
- Remember that to avoid paying commissions and to always have the current exchange rate we recommend you to use the Revolut card and the N26 card, which are the ones we use, are free of charge and will save you a lot of money.
