Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre or “The Five Lands” sits on the coast of the Italian Riviera in the region of Liguria.  Cinque Terre consists of five different villages: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.  The Cinque Terre National Park is the hillside located within Cinque Terre.  The hillside is comprised of walking trails know as Sentiero Azzurro, connecting all five villages together.  If you’re going to visit Italy, you will be missing the full beauty of the country without seeing Cinque Terre.  Each village within Cinque Terre has something unique to offer.  Before visiting Cinque Terre, you should know when to visit, where to stay, and where/what to eat.

Photo Below: Monterosso Al Mare, Italy

Photo Below: Manarola, Italy

Photo Below: Corniglia, Italy

Photo Below: Vernazza, Italy

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When to Visit Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre’s villages have been known to flood.  Sadly, these gorgeous villages have been the victims of mudslides, temporarily destroying them (especially the mudslide of October 2011).  The best time to enjoy the beach of Monterosso would be during the summer months of the year.  This is the time where there is less of a chance of rainfall and less risk of mudslides as well as hot temperatures, perfect for the beach.  April, May, and October have the highest average days of rainfall making these month not the best time to visit.  Additionally when it rains, you may miss out on hiking from town to town because they generally close when it rains due to safety issues.

Use MeteoLiguria to check the weather before visiting Cinque Terre.

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Where to Stay

From personal experience, Monterosso is the most practical place to stay.  Monterosso is the farthest village north of Cinque Terre but it’s the home to most hotels and bed and breakfasts.  Monterosso’s beach access is the largest of all the villages making this the most popular during the     summer months.                                             Photo: Monterosso Al Mare*

Hotel RECOMMENDATIONS

Hotel  Margherita, Via Roma 72, 19016 Monterosso al Mare

Hotel Margherita sits on the main corso of Monterosso.  With just a ten minute walk from the train station, Hotel Margherita is an English friendly hotel with a great continental breakfast.  The hotel was completely rebuilt after the mudslide of October 2011.  Compared to the traditional hotels of Italy, Hotel Margherita has a more modern atmosphere. Hotel Margherita currently earns a 4.5 star on Trip Advisor.

Albergo degli amici, via buranco 36, 19016 Monterosso al mare

Albergo degli Amici is located right in the town center of Monterosso.  I found this hotel when I visited Cinque Terre and decided to be more adventurous and book a hotel once I got to Monterosso.  I was not dissapointed.  The hotel was clean, spacious, and had a great breakfast that was catered to both the Italian and American breakfast.  This hotel is reasonably priced and has amazing views to the ocean if you’re lucky enough to get an ocean side room with a view.

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What to Eat

When traveling to any region of Italy, one of the most important things to find out is: what are the specialty foods of the area?  Liguria is especially known for their pesto, focaccia, and any dish involving seafood.  Liguria is also known for their pasta al nero di seppia or squid ink pasta which I was pleasantly surprise about how delicious this dish tasted.  Although I visited each village at least 4-5 times, I still found the best restaurants in Monterosso Al Mare.

Where to Eat

L’ancora della Tortuga, Salita Cappuccini 6, Monterosso Al Mare

 

This restaurant not only serves amazing seafood dishes but it’s situated above the tunnel with oceanside views because the restaurant is virtually located on a cliff.

Ristorante Belvedere, Piazza garibaldi 38, Monterosso Al Mare

This restaurant is a typical Italian restaurant with a Ligurian twist.  I tried the Pasta al Nero di Seppia and I was pleasantly surprised.  Their cheese plate appetizer includes a ton of various cheeses and breads that perfectly combines together to make a great appetizer.  Ristorante Belvedere is located in Piazza Garibaldi, the main piazza of the village.

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