Maemuna Sea View Apartment

We spent five nights here as a family and kept asking each other how we'd gotten so lucky. That balcony is part of Vernazza's incredible view, just below the castle tower. We even used to spot our window in paintings and portraits at the gift shops. At sunrise, you can see all the way to Monterossa, and the two balcony seats are perfect for coffee while the tourist boats come in. The sunset over the sea was lovely too, and we enjoyed a glass of wine out there before dinner. Once most visitors leave around 5 PM, the town feels almost like it's ours. We often started the evening swimming from the pier. I tried backflips into the sea, which I'll never forget, and the girls swam for hours. There's also a cliff around the corner for people who want a more adventurous jump. Vernazza was amazing, with plenty of restaurants right outside the apartment on the main square. We went to the fantastic gelato place across from the rental office every day. A small grocery store up the hill had basics, including pasta and pesto for the girls to make lunch in the apartment. We bought the Cinque Terre card for hiking and visiting the other towns by train. The trails start just off the main road, and the station is about a five-minute walk up a fairly easy hill. The apartment has the quirks you'd expect in a centuries-old building. You can reach it by climbing 80 steps straight from the sea, taking a very slow elevator, or winding through Vernazza's charming steep little streets. The kitchen and bathroom are tiny but clean and efficient, and there's almost no closet space. The main bedroom is beautiful and comfortable. It's ideal for four people; we were five, so one of my daughters slept on the pullout futon in the main room. It was more than worth it for the location and that unforgettable balcony view.