"Sophisticated" is the very least I can say about the team at Sophisticated Italy…read more(http://www.sophisticateditaly.com), whereas professional, organized, and incredibly helpful speak more to their skills in putting together a custom itinerary for our grand tour of Rome, Florence, Venice, and points in-between. David and his staff were involved from the onset of our planning, were interested and available along every step of the way, be it with airports, railways, water taxis, with limousines and knowledgeable drivers. We had wanted a "full-up" first-class trip of the northern Italian cities, and decided to spend a week in each. David arranged the perfect tours, guides, and day trips for our historical, cultural and entertainment interests, as well as great recommendations for dining. Each of the personal guides David provided were knowledgeable, educated and conversant, each went far beyond the basics to focus on our personal interests and experiences. They were professional, and yet diverse in their perspectives and interests, so that our experiences with art, architecture, history, and the subtleties of each region were fully presented. Our focus will soon turn to the southern cities of this marvelous country, and I would not think of travelling without the insight and experience offered by Sophisticated Italy. I heartily recommend that you contact David, to have him help make your travel dreams come true. Mark Registered Architect & Professional Planner

I found Appartamento Nella on booking.com and it turned out to be a real gem albeit the strange…read moreinstructions. Cash only, call when you arrive, and leave the money in an envelope. Appartamento Nella is an apartment rental similar to something you would find on airbnb. The instructions from the booking.com reviews are helpful and are to be taken seriously if you ever want to find this place and have things go smoothly. Be a good tenant! If you have never been to Cinque Terre, it can be a bit confusing. When you get to Manarola, call the owner Frederica and she or her husband will meet you right outside the tunnel from the train station. Pick a restaurant to stand in front of as a meeting point. Frederica and her husband speak minimal English but enough to welcome you and get you situated. If you want to find the apartment yourself, make a right on Via Antonio Diavolo, an immediate sharp right on Via Belvedere and then walk up the hill a good 10 minutes (7 minutes if you walk fast and 3 minutes to catch your breath and pause to take in the gorgeous views). Regardless, you will have to call the owner to notify her you have arrived. The apartment is spacious with a queen sized bed and flat screen tv. There is a fully equipped kitchen with pots and pans and utensils. There is a grocery store on the main street if you prefer to cook your own meals. The bathroom is decent and well kept. Not much soap or shampoo available so bring your own toiletries. Towels are provided. The apartment has more than enough room for two people to feel comfortable. It was like a home away from home. Note that there are no screens in the windows or air conditioning. Open for fresh air but close when you leave and when the mosquitos get unbearable. Had a fabulous time at Appartamento Nella and after seeing the other towns, Manarola is definitely my favorite and first choice. Plus, the location can't be beat. The apartment is steps away from Porta Rossa and Trattoria dal Billy!

Ilenia was the most gracious host when my wife and I stayed at her wonderful house in Riomaggiore…read morein Sep2014. Our train to this town was delayed but she waited for us patiently at the station to show us to our very clean, warm, and comfortable place to stay. We were treated to a full set of maps and contact numbers. She also recommended a few great places in the area and a good restaurant with great food and drinks. We highly recommend this and this town to anyone going to Cinque Terre.

My husband and I just got back from our vacation to Italy, and our favorite stay of the whole trip…read morewas here at this charming, clean, and very reasonably priced apartment rented to us for 3 days by Ilenia. It was only 240 euros for 3 nights, and she met us at the train station when we arrived, showed us to our place, and gave us maps, train/boat/bus schedules, and coupons for 10% off at a store she works at, as well as at her brother's restaurant (delicious fritti mist!) She made us feel like family and was very attentive...and saved the day when I accidentally locked ourselves out of the apartment! She luckily had a spare key at her shop and was able to let us in quickly. I would highly recommend this rental and I am already planning my vacation for next year right back in my new favorite village in Italy, Riomaggiore!

My spouse and I stayed in the Conchiglia apartment for three nights in Sep 2019. It was an…read moreexcellent home base for exploring Cinque Terre and we would choose it again. Note that though we reserved over a year in advance, some of the da Paulin apartments were already booked. Conchiglia is perfect for two people, and would be tight but doable with four. The owners (Eraldo and Donatella) are very responsive, appearing within minutes if there are any questions/issues. Eraldo also provided us advance notice of a storm watch. The location is very convenient. Unlike many apartments in the Cinque Terre, other than the final few steps to the apt itself there are no staircases over which one must lug luggage. And the woman employee who met us kindly insisted on pulling my wife's roller suitcase up the short pedestrian roadway to the apt. Wi-Fi internet access worked fine. The small (co-op) grocery is located a three minute walk away. One night we bought some octopus, greens, tomatoes, and more in order to make a simple dinner in the apt, after which we finished our wine on the small balcony. The view is a little bit of the ocean and mainly the terraced hillside opposite. Very pleasant. TIP: if dining at Trattoria dal Billy, rather than walking up the winding street one can go left, left, left out of the apt (up some staircases) and reach this restaurant in just four minutes. (The route is shown on Google maps.)

My husband and I stayed in the room called Perla for 2 nights in the fall of 2013. Donatella and…read moreEduardo rent 3 rooms and 3 apartments in the town of Manarola. The 3 rooms are located in the building that they live in and it is located on the main street of Manarola. The apartments are located away from this building. The 3 rooms that they rent have just been renovated and they are brand new! Everything worked well in the room and we had no complaints. If you are staying in one of the rooms, I would recommend "Perla" since it has a patio. We got beer, wine, prosciutto and parmigiano from a small grocery store on the same street, and hanged out on the patio every night. It was quite lovely. I would love to stay in one of their properties again! Donatella and Eduardo are very responsive via email. Highly recommended!!

This was a lovely place to stay while my wife and I were in Cinque Terra for three nights. Tatiana…read moreis a gracious host. She prepared an absolutely delicious continental breakfast for us each morning. The room was clean and quaint with an incredible view of the water. There is a rooftop common area with an outdoor terrace with amazing views of the ocean, which is where breakfast was served. The room was just a tad on the small side, but I think that is the case for most accommodations in Chinqua Terra. I would highly recommend a stay here.

Unbeatable location! The view is priceless…read more. Our room had a large window from where you can watch the sunset at your comfort. The host was so friendly and only saw her during breakfast. Huge balcony and common area to chill out at. It was well decorated and beautiful!! Large balcony to have your meals at on a sunny day! We were even able to fly our drone off the patio with the owners permission. Definitely coming back here!!

This company has several apartments to rent in the Cinque Terre region in Italy. We stayed at the…read moreproperty, Lorena 2 in Riomaggiore. There are plenty of options in all of the towns depending on what you were looking for. We wanted a place with a balcony that could sleep three adult men. We just just that. It was a two level apartment right in the heart of Riomaggiore. We had a balcony overlooking the harbor and we each had our own room. And the price was better than most hotels and other apartments in the area. + Place also had free WiFi - Make sure you figure out when and how you are going to meet landlord. Payphones are hard to find.

We had an amazing stay through A Casa Cinque Terre. Our apartment was clean, well located, and…read moreaffordable. I took some of my best pictures of my Italian trip from the deck and the stunning view of Monorola. I posted one on the A Casa Cinque Terre Facebook wall. Also it is really nice renting from a local company, and folks who have lived in the Cinque Terre for generations... Both in that it supports locals and they are a wealth of information and advice about what to do in the region. They are thoughtful, prompt and easy to communicate with, I would choose this option over hotels or airbnb again and again, and plan to in the near future.