Sleeping near the Cinque Terre without the crowds: why choose Mulazzo

The Cinque Terre are one of the best loved destinations in Italy, and it is easy to see why. But anyone who has been there in high season knows the rest of the story: queues on the paths, packed trains, high prices and very little silence. The question our guests ask us most often is exactly this one: can you visit the Cinque Terre without sleeping in the middle of them? The answer is yes, and in our view it is also the better choice.

Why sleeping inside the Cinque Terre is not always the best idea

Staying in one of the five villages (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore) has an undeniable charm, and a cost that goes with it: high room rates, limited availability and parking that is close to impossible.

For many travellers a different formula works better: a quiet base not far away, from which you reach the Cinque Terre on a day trip and to which you come back in the evening for a real dinner and a real night's sleep.

Mulazzo: 35 minutes from La Spezia, a different rhythm

Mulazzo is a medieval village in Lunigiana, the northernmost corner of Tuscany. From here to La Spezia, the gateway to the Cinque Terre and the station the trains leave from, it is about 35 minutes. Close enough to use as a base, far enough from the crowds to find the quiet again, in a striking village with a panoramic view.

Up here the rhythm changes: no queues, no chaos, a green valley and a village that in the evening is entirely yours. It is the kind of place you did not know you were looking for until you arrive.

What you have around you with Mulazzo as a base

The good part about stopping here is that you do not only visit the Cinque Terre. With Mulazzo as your base you have within easy reach:

• The Cinque Terre, as a day trip via La Spezia.
• Lunigiana, with its villages and its Malaspina castles, a whole world to discover (we cover it in our guide to what to see in Lunigiana).
• La Spezia and the Golfo dei Poeti, a short drive away.

At El Caracol you have eight simple, welcoming rooms, a terrace looking over the village and, which is far from a given when you come back tired in the evening, a restaurant downstairs: our Spanish and Lunigianese kitchen, paella included.

Discover our restaurant →

Getting here and getting around

Mulazzo is easy to reach by car (close to the A15 Cisa motorway exit). But if you want to enjoy the Cinque Terre without worrying about parking on the coast, the smartest move is to leave the car and continue by train.

The two nearest stations are Pontremoli and Villafranca-Bagnone, both on the Parma to La Spezia line and a few minutes by car from the village. At both you can leave the car in the station car park (in Pontremoli it is free) and get on the train: regional services reach La Spezia Centrale in about 30 to 45 minutes.

At La Spezia you change to the Cinque Terre Express, the little train connecting the five villages: in high season it runs every 15 to 20 minutes and takes you from one village to the next in a few minutes. No queues in the car, no impossible parking.

Come and see us

If you are looking for a different way to experience the Cinque Terre, the coast by day and the quiet of Lunigiana with a paella on the terrace by night, Mulazzo is the base for you.

Have a look at our rooms and at the El Caracol hotel on the Hotel page: booking directly with us gets you the best rate, and it is also the quickest way to ask us about dates and availability.