Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
thehillside(abovetheroad,withitstriangularsteeplepeekingabovethetrees).EachCinque
Terre town has a lofty sanctuary, dedicated to Mary and dear to the village hearts.
• From here, your tour is over—any trail leads you back into town.
Beaches
Monterosso'sbeaches,immediately infrontofthetrainstation,areeasilytheCinqueTerre's
best and most crowded. This town is a sandy resort with rentable beach extras: Figure €20
to rent two chairs and an umbrella for the day. Light lunches are served by beach cafés to
sunbathers at their lounge chairs. It's often worth the euros to enjoy a private beach. If you
see umbrellas on a beach, it means you'll have to pay a rental fee; otherwise the sand is free
(all the beaches are marked on this topic's Monterosso al Mare map). Prices get very soft
in the afternoon. Don't use your white hotel towels; most hotels will give you beach tow-
els—sometimes for a fee. The local hidden beach, which is free, gravelly, and generally less
crowded, is tucked away under Il Casello restaurant at the east end of town, near the trail-
head to Vernazza. There's another free beach at the far-west end, near the Gigante statue.
The bocce ball court (next to Il Casello) is busy with the old boys enjoying their favorite
pastime.
Kayaks
Samba
rentskayaksonthebeach(€7/hourfor1-personkayak,€12/hourfor2-personkayak,
to the right of train station as you exit, mobile 339-681-2265, Domenico). The paddle to
Vernazza is a favorite.
Shuttle Buses for High-Country Hikes
Monterosso's bus service (described earlier, under “Arrival in Monterosso”) continues bey-
ond the town limits, but check the schedules—only one or two departures a day head into
the high country. Some buses go to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Soviore, from where you
canhikebackdowntoMonterosso(1.5hours,moderatelysteep).Ridescost€1.50(freewith
Cinque Terre Park Card, pick up schedule from park office). Or you can hike to Levanto (no
Cinque Terre Park card necessary, not as stunning as the rest of the coastal trail, 2.5 hours,
straight uphill and then easy decline, follow signs at west end of the new town). For hiking
details, ask at the train station TI.
Wine-Tasting
Buranco Agriturismo offers visits to their vineyard and cantina daily (just about anytime).
You'll taste two of their wines plus a grappa and a
limoncino,
along with home-cooked food
