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

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

$$ 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

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

Monica Lercari rents several rooms with modern comforts, perched at the top of town (small Db-€80, seaview D-€100, grand seaview terrace D-€120, includes breakfast, air-con, Wi-Fi, tel. 0187-812-296, mobile 320-025-4515, alcastellovernazza@yahoo.it). Monica and her husband, Massimo, run the inviting Ristorante al Castello, in the old castle tower