We are a full time travelling family and this was really our favorite spot so far. If you're looking at which city in the Cinque Terre to stay in, Vernazza is IT. Less touristy, better local vibes, super easy train access, shops right under this flat, and the best harbour / prettiest village. The flat is very spacious, comfortable, and the hosts were wonderful. We had everything we needed and the terrace was an amazing bonus. Perfect location in town. We often stayed in the village but also hiked the trail between the 5 towns that make the Cinque Terre to see it all. (Highly recommended, though not easy hikes --but our young kids did it, even the 4 yr old!)
This was my journal entry the morning we left: The sun is up in Vernazza, Italy- the jewel in the crown of the Cinque Terre. Warm rays highlight the Ligurian pastel colored homes, and forest green shutters prop open to take advantage of the honeysuckle scented breezes drifting off the mountain. The woman who runs the bottega in the center of town puts out boxes of fresh apricots, flowering zucchini, red apples, and giant bushels of tart grapes. Fishermen in small wooden boats call out, one to another, as they motor past the rolling blue morning waves pushing against the boulder wall in the harbor. Backpackers, tourists, and locals walk down the pedestrian only main street, at different paces specific to their destinations. The smell of rich coffee and warmed pastries wafts out of the cafes surrounding the piazza, and a few handsome older men sit outside on metal chairs, smoking hand rolled cigarettes and sharing observations on The State of Things. A train zooms into the rail station behind the main road with a whoosh! and an Italian woman’s voice announces mask wearing expectations and the next stop over the loudspeaker. A young man sweeps in front of a restaurant, an old woman calls out to her neighbor. I stand on the pier for a moment, snap a pic of my favorite place I’ve been so far, then climb back up the smoothed steps to the most perfectly charming flat we’ve been staying in, to finish packing our family’s bags in order to catch the morning train. Ciao bella Vernazza!
Many thanks Julia and Paolo!