It's more like an AirBNB than a hotel. We only ever saw one staff member who seemed to be both the…read moremaid and the front desk. She was friendly and very helpful (drew us a great map of town and made us dinner reservations) but she is not on duty often and rooms are cleaned only every other day (I don't need a full cleaning very often but I like fresh towels every day). We arrived at 4 pm but there was no one there to let us in. Fortunately we had been emailed instructions in advance. The directions to find the place were confusing (it's right as you exit the tunnel from the train station and right next door to a mini mart; the door is more wood than yellow), but once we found the door we were able to use the code to get into the building and had no problems getting into our room. If you're from the US and won't have cell service in Italy make sure you get the building code in advance! I booked the "luxury room" with a terrace for a small extra fee. It was immaculately clean and perfectly comfortable but rather sparsely appointed and not really what I'd call luxury. We didn't make as much use of the terrace as I had hoped, largely because we were out trying to see the other four towns, but partly because the chairs didn't have cushions and weren't super comfortable. In early May the temperature still dipped into the low 50s at night and even with the blanket we found in a cupboard we were quite chilly. The biggest drawback to this room, however, is that it is up four flights of stairs and the building has no lift. It was pretty unpleasant to come back to after a long day of hiking. They really should make this clearer on their website. For us it was merely an annoyance but for the disabled or elderly it could be a much bigger issue. There is free wi-fi but it was extremely spotty and I was never able to get it to work in the bedroom. Overall, the location is great and the price struck me as reasonable but I can't really enthusiastically recommend San Giorgio. It was a serviceable place to stay in Manarola, which was our favorite Cinque Terre village, but not quite what we had hoped for.

Manarola is a gem in the Cinque Terre. Relaxation with eye popping beauty and terrific food. Our…read moreapartment in Affitacamere San Giorgio was very comfortable, clean, and had a wonderful view of the beach and city. We loved it! A short walk to the train station easily connects to the other Cinque Terre towns and the hiking trails are also very accessible. The view comes at the cost of a healthy trek up the hill. We visited all the towns and felt that Manarola had the small town, not as touristy, good food vibe we were looking for. Simone, the manager was the best: helpful and prompt in responding to our needs.

CINQUE TERRE, ITALY LA TORRETTA LODGE - MANOROLA…read more UP FRONT: When you visit Cinque Terre in Italy, (literally "five lands"), you have five choices on where to stay out of the five fishing villages. If you're like most tourists, you're going to visit all of them, but one has to be your "home base". After visiting all of them, I think your best bet is either Manorola or Monterosso. The scenery in both places is astounding. Manorola is small and quiet and has some cliffs you can dive off at the bottom of the hill. Monterosso is a bit more sprawling and has a good stretch of beach. We stayed in Manorola two nights. Got the tip about La Torretta on Trip Advisor. This hotel is a dream. From start to finish, it felt too good to be true. Check in was a breeze - it was only us in the lobby - and we sipped Prosecco on the patio while the front desk copied our passports and finished up the paper work. Our room #7 was at the very top with the most breathtaking view (see photo). Bed was very comfortable, and the bathtub (we didn't use it) is literally the biggest I've ever seen - HUGE. No problems with the room - temperature control was good, mini-bar was complimentary. Be aware there is no phone in the room, and if you need something, you need to go down the steps to the office or call down from the window as you see the hotel staff moving about the property. lol. I did that once, we needed towels for the room, but no phone, so I just called out to the maid while I was standing on the balcony. It worked. The hotel sits on top of the hill. You walk down the hill to all the shops and restaurants. There's everything you need, ATM machine, train station, pharmacy, and more. At the bottom of the hill is the ocean, no beach, but there are places where you can lay out and many people do. There's also swimming allowed and the water is so cold and refreshing. You can dive in from many areas, and climb to the cliffs where you will be afraid to jump, but do it, it's so much fun. It took me 15 minutes to get enough courage to get off the cliff, but with the encouragement of fellow cliff divers, I was able to do it. Kept going back up to the top to do it again. There's breakfast in the mornings, all kinds of goodies - meats and cheeses, croissants, pastries and of course coffee. The hotel staff work hard to make sure you have everything you need. But keep in mind, they are not at the front desk 24/7. They close at 9:30 PM and they weren't clear about that when we checked in - neither did they say there was no phone in room. When we left, we were taking a train at the bottom of the hill, and they brought our luggage down with a golf cart. All the good things that have been said in the reviews are true - nothing hyped up about this place. Worth every dollar we spent on the room. Recommended restaurant around the corner: TRATTORIA DAL BILLY

La Toretta was a diamond in the rough for us, as we had started to plan our trip towards the Cinque…read moreTerra area, a friend recommended this hotel to us. Coming in on the offseason, we were still greated by a concierge who met us at the bottom of the mountain, and drove us up to the wonderful views that Manarolla had to offer. We checked in, but before that, we were given gifts of food and champagne to celebrate our arrival there. The view was outstanding, and the hosts were more than generous. They talked with us about where we had been, where we were coming from in the United States, and also about what else we had planned. To top off how great of a stay we had... they gave us an upgrade to the honeymoon suite for free! The room was absolutely gorgeous! A giant tub in the room, fiberoptic lights in the ceiling, and a gorgeous breakfast spread for nothing?!? It was amazing. To truly make it, what it was... as much as everyone always wants to be connected to the world... I was glad that I could not get any wifi at the hotel. It was nice to finally be away from everything, and not to be bothered by anything or anyone. We were left alone... to be alone. Waking up and taking in the view from our hotel room left us enjoying the beautiful views of the sea. Not to mention a nice little gift of bottle of champagne that was waiting for us once we got back from visiting the rest of Cinque Terra area.... as the concierge said... "Just because" I would recommend this place to ANYONE visiting the area... it is a little pricey, however I can tell you that the service is top notch, and well worth the euro's in my book.

Wow.wow.wow!! This hotel IS on the expensive side- but you are paying for the VIEW!!! Absolutely…read moreinsane view from our corner room in Manarola. After you book the hotel, the staff will contact you in regards to your check-in time and arrival. They have 2 staff members meet you AT the train station (makes it super easy if you're unfamiliar with the area). One will drive your bags up the mountain (well-worth the 5 Euros), and the other will show you on foot how to get to the hotel- while pointing out lunch and dinner recommendations on the way. The trek up to the hotel is hard-but the view of sunset is amazing and you won't have to go anywhere but your terrace to experience it. So well worth it. The hotel room was beautiful inside!! The bathroom had a large bathtub (with a spectacular view out the window)- with bubble bath and candles ready for you. The bedroom was clean and newly renovated with modern decor, with 3 sliding glass doors all leading out to the huge terrace. Free Wi-Fi and toiletries, and a stocked mini bar; and the light switches and keys are so high-tech it took me a minute to figure them out. The location of the hotel is perfect- with several restaurants and bars around for breakfast, lunch, or dinner (keep in mind that none of the 3 are included with your room). There is even a close liquor store if you want to bring wine back to the room to enjoy on your balcony. The porter (bellhop) will come the morning of check out to get your keys and help you with your bags back to the train station. The staff was very helpful and was available whenever we needed them (by phone). You will love staying here, wish we could've stayed more than 1 night!!

The host was a Scrooge. We said this place should be called "La Scroogliera". The food was only…read moreadequate. The host who must have been the manager too also argued with our waiter in front of us. It was awkward. Our seafood salad was definitely frozen...even though we can see the ocean from our seats. And even though the menu said it was not frozen. No seasoning. Pesto spaghetti was dry, not enough sauce. It fed us. And that's about it. And the food came out so fast there was definitely no care taken in its preparation.

Almost a year later and I can't stop thinking about this restaurant!! I went to Italy in February…read more2022 and this was the best food that I had during my entire visit. Friends and I came to Manarola for a one night stay away from the hustle and bustle of busier cities like Rome and Florence. We arrived by train to Manarola which is apart of 5 cities/villages of Cinque Terre. When you get off of the train you immediately see the beautiful ocean and the even more pretty town. La Scogliera is not very far from the train station and at the bottom of the hill (a blessing because this hill is VERY STEEP). My friends and I began exploring for dinner options and only had a couple of options since it was later in the day and February is considered their off-season so a lot of businesses are not open let alone the impact of covid and travel. We opted for this restaurant and we're quickly seated as soon as we arrived. We immediately felt apart of the community as the inside felt very homey and like everyone had known each other for years. There were plenty of options on there menu but the waiters recommended seafood and their pesto options so that's what we went with. The calamari that we received was like no other I've had. Seasoned to perfection, not overly breaded or fried and large! The pesto pasta was delicious despite it being so simple. And my friend also had vegetarian lasagna which was also delicious. Not pictured here but we also had tiramisu! If I had to decide on my last meal before I passed it would be here and my mom's home cooked food of course lol.

Lovely little hotel on the top of Manarola…read more Hotel is almost directly above the tunnel to rail station. Be prepared for quite a climb up to the hotel. From the tunnel take a right about 50 yards to an incline walkway to the right that starts the climb up. After about a 100 yd climb, take a left to find via Rollandi. Go up stairs, and continue on to #98 on the left. Once you get there you will find a charming little hotel with very modern accommodations Rooms are spacious and bathrooms are quite large for European standards Our room had a small balcony with a little clothes line if you would like to rinse a few things and let them hang in the Italian sun. Room is also air conditioned. Tv. Coffee pot with tea. No coffee. Right next door is a pretty good little restaurant that we ordered food to go and had our dinners on the patio between the two establishments.

I found Appartamento Nella on booking.com and it turned out to be a real gem albeit the strange…read moreinstructions. Cash only, call when you arrive, and leave the money in an envelope. Appartamento Nella is an apartment rental similar to something you would find on airbnb. The instructions from the booking.com reviews are helpful and are to be taken seriously if you ever want to find this place and have things go smoothly. Be a good tenant! If you have never been to Cinque Terre, it can be a bit confusing. When you get to Manarola, call the owner Frederica and she or her husband will meet you right outside the tunnel from the train station. Pick a restaurant to stand in front of as a meeting point. Frederica and her husband speak minimal English but enough to welcome you and get you situated. If you want to find the apartment yourself, make a right on Via Antonio Diavolo, an immediate sharp right on Via Belvedere and then walk up the hill a good 10 minutes (7 minutes if you walk fast and 3 minutes to catch your breath and pause to take in the gorgeous views). Regardless, you will have to call the owner to notify her you have arrived. The apartment is spacious with a queen sized bed and flat screen tv. There is a fully equipped kitchen with pots and pans and utensils. There is a grocery store on the main street if you prefer to cook your own meals. The bathroom is decent and well kept. Not much soap or shampoo available so bring your own toiletries. Towels are provided. The apartment has more than enough room for two people to feel comfortable. It was like a home away from home. Note that there are no screens in the windows or air conditioning. Open for fresh air but close when you leave and when the mosquitos get unbearable. Had a fabulous time at Appartamento Nella and after seeing the other towns, Manarola is definitely my favorite and first choice. Plus, the location can't be beat. The apartment is steps away from Porta Rossa and Trattoria dal Billy!

We had an incredible stay at Hotel Marina Piccola and are so glad that we chose them as our home…read morebase while visiting Cinque Terre. The hotel is centrally located in Manarola but is also very peaceful and quiet. They have rooms with a sea view or a town view. The rooms are very spacious and have lots of counter space. The bathroom and shower were also really spacious. Jessica and Alberto were very friendly and helpful and helped us to make dinner reservations, bought our Cinque Terre cards at a discounted rate, told us some hiking tips, and prepared takeaway breakfasts when we had to checkout early. They were super responsive on email for the months leading up to the trip too which we really appreciated. Mary Rose was very friendly and made delightful cappuccinos, eggs, and pancakes for breakfast every morning. The rest of the breakfast spread (lemon tarts, jam tarts, chocolate brownies, croissants, yogurt, granola, bread, cheese, meats, cereal, juices) was also incredible. They will hold your bags for you if you need it, either before check-in or after check-out. We can honestly say that we would come back and stay here again in a heartbeat! The rooms, the customer service, and the town of Manarola were perfect.

Everyone was so kind, from start to finish. A charming little hotel and respite in the center of…read morethe tourist drag right on the water in Manarola---the rooms and hotel were so clean, morning breakfast was beautiful. Continental offerings with ham, yogurt and fruit, pastry and cheeses etcetera but someone was there to make hot eggs, too. Steps from the water front and some good restaurants nearby. Yes it's a tourist area and you have to park up top at the public parking (pay in lot, free on the street) so pack light and carry your stuff down the HUGE 15 minute hill--but the hotel is a great option for the center of town. Would go again.

I love this place. It's as pretty as it is in pictures…read more Short story: Woke up at 6am to catch the 7am train to Cinque Terre and guess what?! The train conductors decided to go on strike that day. People at the station said all regional trains are canceled this morning. I was about to cry because the #1 thing I most looked forward to was visiting Cinque Terre on this trip. Everything happens for a reason, right? Somehow at 9am, a train decided to take off going to Pisa, which connects to Cinque Terre. We got to Cinque Terre around 11:30am. Late start to the day but I finally got there. I visited and walked all 5 towns. Each one is special in it's own way. The five towns are called Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Most people would say Manarola is the prettiest, not going to disagree with that but I actually love Corniglia the most. Maybe because you have to climb a few (a lot) steps to get there. It's small and charming once you get to the top and you can see Manarola. I had the best gelato there and I have eating a lot of gelato during my 2 week trip in Italy. Each town has their own special food too. A lot of street food which was awesome. When I do visit again, I would stay a night at least to do the full hike and enjoy all the towns a little more. I cant wait to get back.

Cinque Terre translated into English is roughy "5 Lands" but it is more like "5 Villages."…read more Daniele was a great tour guide! He is very knowledgeable and passionate about his village of Manarola... And the other 4 "Cinque Terre!" The villages are only accessible by local trains from La Spezia train station or Levanto. It takes about 15min to arrive to Manarola from la Spezia (but take an earlier train because Italian trains are often very late and crowded!) We did the morning tour, meeting Daniele close to the marina at 9:45am. There were 12 of us on the boat (all Americans so communication was easy). Daniele speaks almost perfect English so the tour went very smoothly. He drove us past the Cinque Terre giving a very nice history of how his forefathers turned a very steep/rock facade into a fertile farming area. Fighting off pirate attacks and later becoming fishermen. Cinque Terre has a very deep and amazing history that Daniele tells as you pass some of the most beautiful scenery! Daniele stopped the boat for two separate swims in the Mediterranean Sea! Daniele was very helpful as to where to swim and not to. How not to use your legs (avoiding kicking the rocks) and how to climb the rocks without slipping! We dove off rocks, took a refreshing shower in a natural waterfall and swam the clearest of blue water! I cannot say enough of Daniele and his 2.5hr tour! He provides beer, water, wine, sodas. He was considerate to the children on our tour who began feeling a little sea sick. Bring sun screen!!!! There is no room on his boat for your luggage; we left ours in a "Left Luggage" for $9 euro (3 bags) at La Spezia Train Station. Hotels are NOT easy to find in Cinque Terre so make reservations far in advance or stay outside in La Spezia.

Small but busy station with only two platforms. Hard to get a staff to help you, especially before…read more8:30am. Several Slef service ticketing machines are available

As the southernmost town, Riomaggiore is the largest of the five towns and is often the starting or…read moreending point for exploring the other four. The tunnel connecting the station and the center of the town is interesting, full of mosaic arts.

Carlo was absolutely fantastic. We booked very easily by email with him, and confirmed his €60…read morefixed rate from Rapallo to Genova airport. He was very responsive in our email communications, and he made sure that we would leave early enough to be certain to make our flight, even with traffic. And sure enough, there were road delays en route, but with Carlo's prudent planning and careful driving, we arrived in plenty of time, comfortable, calm, and unfrazzled. Carlo was responsible, considerate, on time, and very nice. Highest recommendation. Here is his contact info: (NB: It is easiest to book via email, and you can write in English.) Taxi Liguria Autonoleggio Serra Riccò di Carlo Risso www.taxiliguria.com Email: info@taxiliguria.com or info@rissotaxiserraricco.it Tel. +39/335/8438531