Sublime

$$$ Alla Marina is Riomaggiore’s most worthwhile splurge, with three rooms and an apartment (all but one with sea views) at the top of one of the very tall, steep, skinny buildings that rise up from the harbor. The furnishings are a stylish combination of modern and nautical, and friendly brothers Sandro and Andrea take pride in running a tight

Aria di Mare Rooms rents four sunny rooms and an apartment 20 yards beyond Trattoria dal Billy at the very top of town. If you don’t mind staying in a mostly residential zone high above the tourists, this is a great value. Three rooms have spacious terraces with knockout views and lounge chairs. Maurizio speaks a little English (Db-€85, Db

Edi’s Rooms manages one double room and 12 apartments. You pay extra for views (Db-€70-80, apartment Qb-€140-180, reserve with credit card, office open daily in summer 8:30-20:00, in winter 10:30-12:30 & 14:30-18:00, some apartments involve climbing a lot of steps—ask, some have air-con, Wi-Fi in office, closed Jan-Feb, reception at Via Colombo

nice, tidy, well-equipped rooms with a large and inviting common living room, plus three apartments. It’s in a modern setting a few minutes’ walk uphill from the train tracks (Db-€100, view apartment Db-€140, Qb-€180, 3-night minimum for apartment, air-con, Wi-Fi, Via Discovolo 126, mobile 334-389-4764, www.dapaulin.it, prenotazioni@dapaulin.it).

$$ Il Carugio has nine modern, sunny rooms right in the center of the village, most with sea views. The communal rooftop terrace offers a commanding view of the coast (Db-€70, Db with seaview balcony-€85, Db apartment-€90 plus €15/extra person, no breakfast, free parking, free self-serve laundry, tel. 0187-812-293, mobile 335-175-7946 or

English and happily meets his guests at the station to carry their bags. There are five beautiful, top-end, pricey units, most high above the main street: Three doubles share a fine oceanview terrace (townview Db-€90, seaview Db-€140), and two apartments are more spacious, with fine terraces and views (townview Db-€120, seaview Db with big

rooms—one spacious and basic on the harbor square (Db-€95), the other a molto chic split-level apartment located on a quiet side street (Db-€100, Tb-€120; tel. 339-834-2486, www.vacanzemanuela.it, manucap64@libero.it

pad. Four pristine white rooms boast fancy-hotel-type extras and a common terrace looking out over the rocky shore. It’s a climb—way, way up to the top of town—but they’ll gladly carry your bags to and from the station (Db-€160, Db suite-€220, includes breakfast at a bar, air-con, Wi-Fi, mobile 334-287-5718, www.lamala.it, info@lamala.it, charming