Monterosso al Mare is the best place to stay in Cinque Terr for the first time. It is the largest of the villages in Cinque Terre. You'll find many hospitality venues, a medieval old town, and the sandy Monterosso al Mare Beach.
Bring mosquito spray with you!As throughout Italy and in the Mediterranean sea in the Cinque Terre there are many insects: mosquitoes, bees, wasps, sand flies and much more. There are not particular problems if you use mosquito spray before sunset and during the night (and during the day if you are allergic).
Overtourism in a fragile areaFabrizia Pecunia, the mayor of Riomaggiore, came up with the new plan for the 3,215- foot-long path to combat overtourism. Last year, about three million tourists visited Cinque Terre, a fragile national park. In contrast, there are fewer than 4,000 residents left in the area.
Corniglia is the only one of the five Cinque Terre towns that isn't a fishing town and you need to walk up around 365 steps to get there. That puts most people off and means that Corniglia is the Cinque Terre town with the fewest tourists.
Products containing the chemical DEET are proven to be effective repellents for mosquitoes. Autan is a widely available insect repellent containing DEET in Italy. Ensure you follow the application instructions carefully and, providing you do not have a reaction, this is perfectly safe to use for adults and children.
Overall, it's one of the safer destinations to travel to. Cinque Terre is currently ranked #68 safest place for solo female travellers. Check full ranking.
Time slots for the public beaches are released just 40 hours in advance, so there's no possibility to reserve weeks (or months) prior. If you are staying in Monterosso be sure to speak to your hotel or host first as they have the possibility to reserve for you.
You can rent umbrellas and beach chairs from the bathing establishments, or you can also rent a pedalboat or motorboat for a day to explore the crystal-clear water and the hidden coves of Mediterranean blue sea.