Vernazza, Cinque Terre in Italy: where to sleep, what to do ?

Vernazza, Cinque Terre in Italy: where to sleep, what to do ?

Last update : 20/08/2023

Vernazza is said to be the preferred village of many tourists visiting the Cinque Terre! Stretching from the sea to the land anchored in the Cinque Terre natural park, Vernazza is one of the smallest villages on the coast. Its natural harbor is home to many colorful boats, so you can take a little ride on them!
Like Riomaggiore, we had the impression that all the little houses with their colorful facades held on to each other. It’s said that you’d feel right at home in Vernazza, with a very intimate feel. In our case, we visited this village in the middle of August, and the town was really too crowded with tourists… Numerous boats were pouring large numbers of tourists into the town every ten minutes… We found it quite oppressive and were therefore unable to fully enjoy Vernazza.

In our article you’ll find our selection of good hotel addresses in Vernazza, as well as our tips on what to do and where to eat in Vernazza.

Summary

Visiting Vernazza, where to sleep?

Diara, la casa a colori con terrazzo

If you’re looking for a beautiful apartment in the heart of Vernazza, you’ll love this address. Very well decorated and benefiting from a beautiful balcony with a view of the village, this apartment on the 4th floor is an excellent address. Staying in the heart of Vernazza will allow you to enjoy the calm of the village in the morning as well as visit the other villages of the Cinque Terre.

View the hotel

The history of Vernazza

The small village of Vernazza is said to have been founded in the year 1000. It’s the only village in the Cinque Terre with a natural harbor, giving it a very “fishermen’s” atmosphere. Here you’ll find a small stone companionway, where tourists stroll and sunbathe, and dozens of colorful little boats.
In 2011, the village suffered a deadly natural disaster. An impressive landslide created an enormous mudslide, which buried a large part of the town. The village was renovated over a period of 3 long years, during which time it was completely closed to the public. Today, and since 2015, you can discover the village in its best light!

What to do in Vernazza

1. Vernazza town center

Santa Margherita church square with its cafe terraces with colorful parasols. Climb up to the Castello Doria tower, which overlooks the whole village and offers an incredible panorama of the sea and neighboring villages (Monterosso and Corniglia). Vernazza is said to be one of the richest villages in the Cinque Terre, thanks in no small part to the many vineyards that dot the land.

2. Castello Doria

South of the village, you can climb the 100 steps up to Vernazza Castle. In the past, the castle went all the way round the village! Today, you can only visit the 60-meter-high circular tower. You can climb to the top of the Castello Doria tower for €1.50. At the top, you’ll have a breathtaking view of the sea and the neighboring villages of Monterosso al Mare and Corniglia, enough for some great shots 📸.

3. Santa Margherita Church

As we discovered later, Santa Margherita is the patron saint of Vernazza. So this church was built in her honor, in the 1300s! You can go and admire it for free and even visit it every day, outside mass times.

Visiting Vernazza, where to eat?

Piadiamo Vernazza

This little restaurant in Vernazza is a bit hard to find, you have to climb up to the castle to get there. The room is very small, so it’s best to take away! Piadiamo’s specialty is a piadiana (a small home-made wrap-like pancake) topped with homemade products. In this restaurant, they’ll cut ham in front of you to garnish your little piadiana, a delight 😋.

Gelateria Vernazza

The Place to Be! This super ice cream parlour in Vernazza is very affordable (count €2 per cone) and above all a real delight 😍. If you’re looking for a good ice-cream address in Cinque Terre, head straight for this ice-cream parlour, you’re in for a treat. 🍦

Hike between Monterosso al Mare and Vernazza

There are numerous hikes linking the villages of the Cinque Terre. A very simple color code represents the Cinque Terre hikes, and it’s not for their difficulty but for their gratuity.

Red sign = you’re on a 100% free hike.
Blue sign = you’re on a paid hike, unless you’ve already purchased the Cinque Terre Treno Card (the card for the train), which includes the hikes.

The hike is therefore not free, but is included in the train card. The hike is well worth it, taking around 2 hours from one end to the other. You’ll discover some superb views!

Something to cheer you up on this hike : a Cinque Terre resident has been selling pressed orange juice for €2 right in the middle of the hike for almost 20 years. This little grandpa, 100% purebred, will cheer you up before you set off again! 🍊