Where to Stay in Cinque Terre: Best Areas, Villages and Types of Stays

The five villages are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Monterosso suits a beach stay, Corniglia suits quiet, and La Spezia suits anyone who wants a proper train station and lower rates. All the villages are less than 15 minutes by train from La Spezia, and Levanto sits one train stop beyond Monterosso, so the choice of base shapes both the price and the daily routine.

At a glance

• First visit, no car: La Spezia, with a Trenitalia station, lifts and luggage storage
• On the beach: Monterosso, with sandy Fegina beach
• Quiet: Corniglia
• Getting there from La Spezia: less than 15 minutes by train to any village
• Budget: La Spezia, a 3-star double at €80 to €140 in mid-season
• Outside the Park: Levanto, one train stop from Monterosso

The best areas to stay in Cinque Terre

Monterosso: for the beach and the widest choice

Monterosso has the largest lodging offer of the five villages, including the largest selection of hotels. It also has the sandy Fegina beach and services close at hand. The Park has no large hotels, so even here the rooms are b&bs, guest houses and apartments in historic buildings, almost always run by local families. A 3-star double costs €180 to €320 a night in mid-season. It’s the easy pick for a first stay built around the sea.

Vernazza: for a few historic rooms on the main street

Vernazza has few places to sleep, and they’re in high demand and among the most expensive. Almost all are in historic buildings along the main street. It has few hotels and mostly b&bs or apartments. Book early, and expect to pay for the setting.

Corniglia: for quiet and value

Corniglia is the quietest and least visited of the five villages, far from the crowds. It has few places to stay, almost all family-run, and offers the best value for money in the Park. A few small, high-quality hotels have sea views.

Beach days elsewhere are a short train ride away.

Riomaggiore: for a village base with a wider price range

A 3-star double costs €168 to €294 a night, a wide spread, so compare dates and rooms before booking. Lodging here is the same family-run mix of apartments, rooms and small guest houses found across the Park.

La Spezia: for a base with a station and lower rates

La Spezia is the provincial capital, with a wide hotel offer and low rates. Its Trenitalia station has lifts and luggage storage, which matters when you arrive with suitcases. Staying here instead of in the villages saves up to €180 a night. A 3-star double runs €80 to €140 in mid-season, and every village is less than 15 minutes away by train.

Levanto: for a relaxed stay outside the Park

Levanto is the most popular alternative outside the Park. It’s one train stop from Monterosso and has a sandy beach, noticeably lower prices and a relaxed atmosphere. It works well for a longer stay with day trips into the villages.

Where to stay in Cinque Terre with kids, as a couple or on a budget

• Family without a car: Monterosso · hotels, b&bs and apartments · sandy beach and services at hand
• First visit with luggage: La Spezia · hotels · train to every village in under 15 minutes
• Couple wanting quiet: Corniglia · small family-run hotels with sea views · quietest of the five villages
• Splurge in a historic setting: Vernazza · b&bs and apartments on the main street · among the most expensive stays
• Budget: La Spezia or Levanto · hotels or rooms · train to the villages

Hotel prices and when to book in Cinque Terre

Mid-season prices for a 3-star double split the area into tiers. La Spezia costs €80 to €140 a night, Riomaggiore €168 to €294 and Monterosso €180 to €320. Sleeping in La Spezia saves up to €180 a night, and the savings buy a lot of train tickets.

The Park lists 39 accommodation facilities with its Quality Mark, among them affittacamere, agriturismi, hotels, apartments, case per ferie and pensioni or locande. Guests in CETS-certified structures get discounted rates on the Cinque Terre Card, so ask about the label when you book. Vernazza and Corniglia have few rooms, so reserve them first and set the rest of the trip around them. Summer crowds build from June through August, which makes those months the ones to lock in early.