Azienda Agricola Il Brucaolivo — Hotel in Monterosso al Mare

What a find! Hidden away well off the beaten track yet only 10-15 minutes walk through their vineyard down a cobbled mule track to the heart of busy Monterosso. Leonardo and Constanza are a young couple who have left Florence to live the good life on their 4 hectare smallholding on the beautiful hills above Monterosso. The accommodation is simple with comfy beds in three rooms some of which have space for 2 children on a mezzanine. You wake up to the sound of the river flowing, birds singing and hens clucking – no traffic. Breakfast is served on a covered terrace and they will cook a vegetarian dinner on request made from ingredients on the farm. If you fancy your own barbeque Leonardo has built a covered terrace in the vineyard with barbeque overlooking the sea. You also have use of a guest kitchen with fridge and cooking hob. Wifi is excellent and there is TV in the eating area but who needs TV in such wonderful scenery. I think there is a small swimming pool as well. Access by car is not great down a very narrow zigzag track but it is driveable with care. You can see what it’s like in the video on their website. But you can always leave your car in the Il Ciliegio restaurant up the top on the main road and Leonardo will drive you down or pick you up from the train station. A bus from Monterosso stops at the restaurant which means you can walk downhill from the restaurant on the way home if you don’t fancy walking up the mule track from Monterosso. I’d say that the property wouldn’t be suitable for anyone with mobility problems as there are quite a lot of steps on the property some of which need a bit of care. If you like to stay in a Premier Inn or Travelodge don’t stay here. If you want to get a little closer to nature this is the...

We had a fantastic time staying with Constanza, Leonardo and their two delightful children. The rooms were very comfortable and fans kept you cool even on hot days. Outdoor spaces were inviting and cozy with warm wood tables and hammocks. The shared kitchen was a delight to use with fellow travelers. Breakfast with homemade yogurt and jams was great. The whole area was a peaceful oasis away from the crowds of Monterosso but an easy 15 minute walk on a path through vineyards and in cobblestone and natural rock steps down to town. The first part is flat and then the downhill/uphill part (depending on your direction) is not bad at all. We went up and down quickly by the end of our stay in flip flops. Well worth it to be up in the mountains of this agriturismo. And, if you hear that the hosts are making a bbq dinner one night, definitely do it! It was so delicious and so much fun to hang out with everyone all evening eating and then drinking homemade liqueur and signing. So wonderful! Parking tip — if you are going down the road and get to a big wood sign that says Brucaolivo, you have just missed the parking spots and should back up. And the road down is windy but totally doable!...

My family and I had a wonderful 4 night stay. We arrived by car and our hosts met us at a nearby restaurant and helped park the car and bring our luggage down to the house. Leonardo, Costanza and their adorable children are wonderful hosts. Each morning we enjoyed our breakfast consisting of fresh baked bread, yogurt, jams and eggs. Monterosso in August is indeed as crowded as everyone warns. Staying here was a nice way to get away from the crowds and noise. It’s a quick 10 minute walk down to town through the vineyard and olive groves. Coming back uphill is a bit difficult in the heat, but it’s worth it for the peace and quiet. Our room was clean and practical. We had everything we needed. Our kids slept above us in a loft. They loved waking up in the morning and seeing the chickens searching for food outside under the lemon tree. We also enjoyed the occasional visits from the dog and cat. If you get a chance, go out to the table at the end of the vineyard late at night and check out the stars. Staying here was easily one of the highlights of our two week trip...