Hostels in Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre -- Five Lands -- is a collection of five fishing villages overlooking the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the Italian region of Liguria. The coastal villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare form a national park with some of the most stunning coastal hiking routes in the world, one of the paths connecting all the villages to each others. The area is also listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List for the unique landscapes and outstanding cultural value.

Cinque Terre is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy and can be conveniently reached by train, as there is a railway station in each of the villages. There is a frequent service from Genova to La Spezia, where you can change to the local train heading for the villages of Cinque Terre.

The accommodation capacity in Cinque Terre is very limited and therefore it is essential to make a booking in advance. Mostly, the quality of Cinque Terra hostels is good and prices extremely high, especially in summer and around Easter. For those traveling on a shoestring, places in La Spezia and even Genova are likely to offer cheaper beds.

All the villages are amazingly pretty, easily accessible, and intending to serve visitors but they are all unique and have a different feel. In a nutshell, Monterosso al Mare is the largest and the most touristy whereas Vernazza is often considered the most picturesque; Corniglia is the only village lacking the direct access to the sea, Manarola has best -- if rocky -- swimming facilities and Riomaggiore is hosting an ancient stone castello.