How to Book a Room in the Cinque Terre

Riomaggiore

The Cinque Terre, five seaside villages in Italy linked by hiking trails, is a place that is beautiful and magical beyond description.  The amazing ocean views, colorful houses, narrow streets, and friendly locals will make you feel like you are living in a dream world.  Unfortunately, many people only see the Cinque Terre in photos or as part of a one-day tour because they think it is too difficult to find overnight accommodation.  While it is true that there are very few affordable hotels or hostels in the region, that doesn't mean you won't be able to find a great place to stay.  By booking a private room in the Cinque Terre, you will get to live the life of a local without having to break your budget.   

On a recent trip to the Cinque Terre, my wife and I booked a two bedroom waterfront apartment through Edi's Rooms (details below) that also had a kitchen and bathroom for $180 Euro per night.  Because we split the apartment with two of our friends, it only cost us $90 Euro per night.  

How do you book a private room in the Cinque Terre?  It's easy and only takes a few emails.  Follow these four steps to secure a great room in the Cinque Terre.  

1. Choose one of the five villages to stay.  

I would would recommend staying in Riomaggiorre, Manorola, Vernazza, or possibly Corniglia.  Monterosso has the nicest beach of the Cinque Terre, but it feels like an overdeveloped resort town.   Corniglia is charming but difficult to reach because it is built on a cliff high above the train station.

Each of the five villages has it's own distinct character.  The best way to research the Cinque Terre is to read a travel guide like Rick Steve's Italy, but a Google search will tell you the basics of each village.

2.  Send an email to a company/individual that rents rooms in that village.  

Office to Edi's Rooms in Riomaggiore

There are several small companies that specialize in renting rooms in the Cinque Terre. The companies and people listed below speak basic English. In your email, specify the number of people in your party AND the dates in European format of day/month/year.  

•  Riomaggiore: I would highly recommend Edi's Rooms.  They have several apartments with great ocean views and are quick to respond to email requests.  We were amazed by both their service and the quality of the room we booked.  
• Email: edi-vesigna@iol.it 
• Website: http://www.appartamenticinqueterre.net/en/

• Riomaggiore: If all of Edi's rooms are booked, contact Anna Michielini. Though her rooms were full when I requested a reservation, she was nice enough to suggest several other people that might have rooms available. 
• Website:  http://www.riomaggiore.info/
• Email:  michielinis@yahoo.it

• Vernazza: Contact Elizabetta Carro, who has several rooms for rent in Vernazza.
• Email: carroelisabetta@hotmail.com
• Website  http://www.elisabettacarro.it/  

• Corniglia: Stefano at Il Girasole 5terre rents a small room in Corniglia that is an excellent value.
• Email:   stefraso@hotmail.com

Again, I would recommend using a travel guidebook to find other reputable companies if the ones above have no available rooms.  Note of Caution: be sure that you are renting a room in one of the five villages and NOT in a nearby town like La Spezia.  

3.  Secure room reservation by credit card. 

Photo snapped from our room in Riomaggiore!

While I understand that this may seem risky, the only way to secure a reservation for most places in the Cinque Terre is by giving a credit card number.  If you have any doubt about the person or company that is asking for your credit card, don't send them your number and look elsewhere!  

You could also take a chance and try and find a room on the day you arrive if you don't have a credit card or don't want to email your number.  Despite visiting the Cinque Terre during peak summer months, we did see numerous signs thoughout each town advertising available rooms for rent.  Most signs left a number to call.  I can't guarantee that there will be rooms available when you visit, so I  wouldn't recommend this strategy if you don't have a backup!

4. Pay cash upon arrival to the Cinque Terre.  

Most people renting rooms will only accept cash, even if they asked for a credit card number to secure a reservation. There are ATM (cash machines) located in each of the five villages.

Have fun and enjoy the beauty of the Cinque Terre!