Places to stay in the Cinque Terre, Italy

Villa Accini, Monterosso Al Mare

This 3-star hotel in Monterosso is housed in a beautiful 19th century villa just 100 metres from the sea. Monterosso is the largest and the furthest west of the Cinque Terre villages, and it is surrounded by vineyards and hillsides covered with olive and lemon trees.

From here you can pick up one of the many walking trails which connect the villages and take in some of Italy's finest coastal landscapes. Monterosso has some of the toughest stretches, so it is perfect for seasoned ramblers, however, there are plenty of shorter trails for the less ambitious, or else you could always take a boat trip as there are great views of the villages from the sea. Make sure you sample the local Sciacchetrà dessert wine when you visit this region. It has a distinctive flavour because of the way the grapes are dried on open-air racks until autumn, which produces a rich and highly alcoholic wine the Italians drink with biscotti.

The Villa Accini, Monterosso Al Mare has a tranquil garden, a lounge bar and even a sunbed should your tan need a little enhancement. The 12 air-conditioned bedrooms are spacious, with simple modern furnishings. They have private bathrooms, a hairdryer and complementary toiletries, not to mention satellite TV, telephone, minibar and modem plug. The concierge is available 24 hours a day and there is private parking available for guests. The room price includes a generous international breakfast, which you can take on the veranda, in the lounge or even in the comfort of your own bed should you choose to opt for room service.

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Double room from €100