Where is best base for Cinque Terre?

Levanto: The Perfect Base for Exploring the Cinque Terre
  • Levanto is the first town just to the north of the Cinque Terre. ...
  • Levanto (the locals pronounce it with the accent on the first syllable Lay-vanto) also has fewer crowds, lower prices, and a great stretch of sandy beach.




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The accommodations are cheaper in La Spezia than if you were to stay in Cinque Terre, and the roads are a lot easier to navigate with luggage! La Spezia makes a great home base for your northern Italy / Cinque Terre adventures!

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Visit some of the villages Choose to visit two or three of the villages, for example Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore. You have to skip Corniglia situated on top of a cliff 100 metres above sea level. If you are limited on time, take the train between the villages.

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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.

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If you do decide to day-trip, the big but easygoing town of La Spezia is far closer than Genoa or Pisa, with just a seven-minute commute to the closest Cinque Terre village, Riomaggiore, and around 15 to 25 minutes to the farthest village, Monterosso.

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The five villages of cinque terre include Monterosso al Mare (the biggest), Vernazza (normally considered the prettiest), Corniglia (up high on the cliffs), Manarola and Riomaggiore.

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Cinque Terre is a collection of five seaside villages on a 2-mile (3 km) stretch of Italy's northwest coast. Known as the Italian Riviera due to its dramatic setting, it takes a mere day to visit each of these gems. Two to three days would allow you to enjoy its beaches and discover the culture via a cooking class.

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Starting from north to south, the towns of the Cinque Terre are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. By train, it takes about five minutes to travel from one village to the next. Or there is a ferry service, which connects all the towns but one, Corniglia.

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If you want a good, long stretch beach with deckchairs and waves in Cinque Terre, then you have to go to Monterosso. However I prefer swimming at Manarola. Manarola has two swimming areas, neither of which are 'beaches' as such.

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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.

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If you want a much easier hike, definitely hike from Vernazza to Monterosso (and not vice versa). The trail is much easier and Monterosso has the best beach of all five villages — so you can relax on the beach after your hike! Be sure to bring water and snacks on your hike!

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