Cinque Terre Adventures: Monterosso
- Amin Esmaily
- Dec 26, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 27, 2023
Our first stop in Cinque Terre was Monterosso. It's the northernmost town of the five Cinque Terre towns and takes roughly 15 minutes to reach from La Spezia by train. From there, you can actually hike to the next town, Vernazza, which takes about 2 hours and costs you roughly 8 euros a person (yes... they charge you to hike).
Monterosso is the largest of the Cinque Terre towns and has the most amenities (hotels, restaurants, retail shops, etc). As such, it serves as a good base for those looking to stay in Cinque Terre as opposed to going down to La Spezia.
When you get off the train at Monterosso, you'll find a massive beach right in front of you, the largest and sandiest of the five Cinque Terre towns. When we arrived, the weather was overcast and thus, not many people were swimming. My dad loves the water and went in for a dip. While watching him, my mom and I noticed a cameraman recording him while he swam. We didn't think much of it until my dad go out of the water and was approached by a reporter who had accompanied the cameraman. Turns out they were from the local news channel! They thought my dad was Italian but soon realized he wasn't. They asked him a few questions about the water and went on their way.
After spending a few hours in Monterosso, we decided to hike down to Vernazza, which I'll talk about in my next posts.
Now of course, everyone wants restaurant recommendations. I really hesitate to recommend places for a number of reasons:
Everyone's preferences differ. While I may find a place to be charming and serve delicious food, you may not think so and vice versa. As such, most of my recommendations are not intended to be "must-try places" but rather, places to consider when you're planning your trip.
Some restaurants in Europe will be closed temporarily during parts of the year due to holidays or a change in tourist demand. This is especially true during the winter months in the southern parts of Europe like Italy, Spain, Greece, France, etc.
The best restaurants are usually out of the way. While this isn't always the case, I've found it to be true that when you limit yourself to touristy areas, you likely won't get the best bang for your buck. Often, the best tasting food is outside of these touristy places and thus, requires a long walk or use of public transport/ride share.
As it applies to Cinque Terre, I know that most people will likely stay along the coastline as opposed to venturing into town. However, if you want good food, I strongly suggest not dining at the restaurants along the shoreline. While you'll get a nice view, these are touristy places that serve mediocre food at a premium. Nonetheless, I've included some of my recommendations below.
As always, remember to check the current status of these restaurants and their opening hours. Note that some of these restaurants may be temporarily closed during the winter months. Additionally, it's a good idea to make a reservation, especially for dinner.
Il Massimo della Focaccia - Cafe and bakery near the shoreline. Known for their freshly baked focaccia.
Bar Lo Spuntino - Bar and cafe with nice views of the beach from their outdoor seating area. They serve breakfast and lunch as well.
Ristorante Pizzeria Da Ely or EMY'S WAY Ristorantino Frizzeria - Two of the best restaurants for pizza. They are only a short walk from one another so if one is too busy, you can just hop over to the other one.
L’Osteria - There are a number of seafood restaurants in Monterosso but you can't go wrong with L'Osteria. While it's a bit of a walk from the shoreline, this rustic restaurant serves traditional Ligurian dishes, specifically, seafood and pasta.
With gratitude,
Amin
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