Cinque Terre Holidays — Hotel in Riomaggiore

NOT RECOMMENDED AT ALL

I arrived at 5:30pm to Riomaggiore and started searching for the hostel I booked at (location Via Colombo 94) it was so hard to find it since the location on google maps shows that the location of the hostel is at the train station itself. After calling more than 10 times the numbers mentioned on their website and on google maps (which are not the same) with no answer at all on all 3 numbers, I started asking for help from people in the area, I searched on their website again and read the visitor’s comments I understood that their office only is at Via Colombo 94 where I am supposed to check-in before 7pm!! With the help of some nice people I could reach their office located at a very steep road with a luggage I could barely carry all the way up. However, when I arrived it was around 9pm and the office was closed with no number written at the door or any info about the dorms location. Then I started asking in the nearby shops and restaurants if they know the location or if they have the hostel’s phone number but no one could help with it and then I tried reading the comments again to find out that the dorm’s location is at via Tracastello 85 which is around 15mins walk from via Colombo 94 with a super steep way that I could not walk and finding a taxi at 10:30pm wasn’t the easiest thing, however I could find a taxi and I went to this location to find out that this is not the location I should be in because there are no dorms there! I found a Canadian family staying at a house rented from the same guy they gave me his number it was around 11:30pm I called him when he understood that I’m here to check-in he hanged up on the phone. It was the worst experience ever specially for a young lady to be in the streets of a new city alone in the middle of the night with nowhere to sleep. I was lucky enough to catch the train and go to another city (La Spezia - 6mins away) because I couldn’t find a last minute availability at the hotels in...

This stay was a bit misleading - but overall I enjoyed my time there. It seems the pictures of the entrance and the location on google is incorrect - the hostel was actually about a 15min walk uphill and via a public elevator - so it wasn't very central in the end. We paid for 2 beds in a dorm and ended up being given a double bed in a dorm - strange set up.

The room itself had incredible ocean views and the interior was nice, it felt more like a house than a hostel. The wifi was surprisingly good & there were multiple terrace areas and a lot of greenery (so bring bug spray). there was no aircon but the fan was enough despite the heat. There was no kitchen but there was a fridge in the room & a kettle in the bathroom.

We read on our way there that there is a 25yr age limit on staying in dorms (we are 26&27) but in the end they never checked our IDs so it was fine. They only accepted cash but there is an ATM nearby.

I would stay again, it would just have been nicer to know this ahead of time.

The main issues was just that it was misleading & we didn't get the beds that we had booked - and the bathroom. There was only one bathroom (as in one toilet & shower) between 3 rooms & the shower situation. The shower was quite small with no shower curtain etc so the floor was always soaking wet with no bathmats (there is a mop though hah). It is also handheld so the water just...

Arrived in Pisa, took the Pisamover(2.70) to Pisa Central and train to La Spezia (10.70).Approx time 1hr10mins. Wanted to travel to these fabulous villages and was not disappointed. Stayed in La Spezia as accommodation is very limited in villages. This was a good idea for me as the trains go to Cinque Terre from La Spezia anyway. Single train journey to each village is 4 euro. It made sense to buy the Cinque Terre Daily Train Card (16 euro), includes bus to top of Corniglia outside train station, which costs 5 euro return if you dont have the card. Believe me you will not walk up that hill! Also includes use of new bathroom facilities at stations otherwise 1 euro. At the train stations do go into the tunnels otherwise you may not get on the trains as they were very busy even in April. La Spezia is a very big port town with lots of restaurants etc and felt very...