Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hotels & Restaurants in Vernazza
Vernazza has only three hotels, but these are not really different from the
affitta-
camere
(rooms for rent) lodgings everywhere, and a trained service culture is
almost entirely lacking.
55
€
-
€€
(Albergo Barbara, Piazza Marconi,
30;
%
0187-812398; www.albergobarbara.it),
which boasts friendly, professional
service from husband-and-wife team Giuseppe and Patricia (whose excellent
English and helpful advice are a bonus). It offers nine simple rooms, located on
the top floors (there's no elevator) of a building right on Piazza Marconi, the main
harbor square. The two en suite rooms with sea view (
An exception is
Albergo Barbara
80 double) are the best,
but the two double rooms in the attic, which share a bathroom (each with in-
room basin), are the best value at
€
€
48.
€€
The longest-running hotelier is
Gianni Franzi
(
%
0187-821003; www.
giannifranzi.it),
with a range of rooms in two separate buildings a short but steep
haul from his trattoria. Choose between the slightly larger rooms—with private
bathrooms but no views—or the prettier rooms with sea views from the small
Juliet-style balconies but dank, shared bathrooms. Decor is a rather charming
blend of hand-me-downs and antiques—a welcome break from the mass-produced
chip and pine found elsewhere. Gianni also manages a few independently owned
rooms scattered across town (if you can book “Stalin,” you'll be perched on a sea-
side cliff and have the most stupendous view in Vernazza). Gianni's is a very effi-
cient family-run organization, but be prepared to deal with the tight-lipped
Marisa, Gianni's wife. Still, with rooms charged at
€
65 (shared bathroom) and
€
77 (en suite), it offers well-pitched value (note that in peak season you may need
a minimum 2-night stay).
€€
Of the myriad
affittacamere
available, look into the four studio-type apart-
ments overlooking the harbor square offered by
FrancaMaria
(
%
3287-1219728
or 0187-812002).
One even has a small dining room and a kitchenette
(
€
90-
€
110); son Giovanni also has three rooms but these are poky. Make sure
you're booking a room overlooking the Piazza Marconi. Alternatively, there are
the four rooms (most overlooking Piazza Marconi) offered by
Martina Callo
(
%
0187-812365; roomartina@supereva.it)
for
€
50 to
€
80 (room 3, which has
a terrace, is the one to go for here). There are also five rooms available from
Affita
Camera da Annamaria
(
%
0187-821082)
for
€
60 to
€
85; it's located on Via
Carattino—again, ask for a room with a terrace.
Mamma Rina
(
%
0187-812025)
is another that offers rooms with terraces, which have hill views; these come with
private bathrooms but they are not en suite and go for
€
60.
Maria Taddei
(3474-977748; mflorisa@hotmail.com)
has a small apartment overlooking Piazza
Marconi for
€
65 to
€
70, or contact
Tilde
(
%
3392-989323);
they have a studio
with lovely sea view for
€
70.
€€
Vernazza is generally thought to have the region's best restaurants and
Gambero Rosso
(
%
0187-812265),
located in an old wine cellar that has
tables on Piazza Marconi (the main harbor square), invariably tops the Cinque
Terre list. I think it's a case of the most attractive girl getting the glances, but hey,
555