Review: Resort La Francesca, Cinque Terre

Fancy exploring the iconic Cinque Terre in Liguria, Italy? I highly recommend staying outside the main 5 villages that make up the Cinque Terre – for both your sanity, and for your budget! We recently stayed at the Resort La Francesca in Bonassola, and here’s why I think it is a great base for exploring the Cinque Terre. I’m also going to try to convince you to visit the Cinque Terre out of season to avoid the chaotic summer crowds. It was marvellously empty during our November visit.

Disclaimer: We were guests of La Francesca Resort, however, as always, all opinions are my own; and all editorial control remained with me.

I don’t usually do reviews, and I was not obliged to write this article after being invited to stay at La Francesca; but we enjoyed our stay so much that I decided to share our experience at this wild and beautiful hillside retreat.

Why visit Cinque Terre in off season?

You may have heard about how busy the Cinque Terre gets in summer. It is one of the most photographed coastlines in Italy, and deservedly so. But the hoards of cruise-ship visitors who visit from their ships docked in La Spezia, combined with those staying in the coastal towns, means gridlock and chaos. I don’t like crowds full stop, and summer crowds especially. Some people don’t have a choice on when they get holidays, I get that. But for those who do, consider taking the pressure off of summer and visiting the Cinque Terre between November – April, it is far more tranquil!

Bonassola + Levanto

Just north of the five villages of the Cinque Terre are the seaside townships of Levanto and Bonassola. Levanto is quite large and has plenty of accommodation, shops, and amenities. Bonassola is smaller and tucked into a graceful moon-shaped bay. Bonassola is also home to a decent sized beach, a rarity in this part of the world. We used the supermarkets in Levanto to buy supplies for our self-catering apartment at La Francesca Resort. Levanto train station is also where we left the car when we explored the Cinque Terre by train.

Resort La Francesca

Resort La Francesca is situated on the steep hillside in between Levanto and Bonassola. One wonders how anyone ever decided to build a holiday complex on such a steep area of land, but I’m glad they did. The 55 cabins and apartments are set into pine trees, bush, and fruit trees.

If you like white sand beaches, easy flat walks, nightclubs and 24/7 action, then La Francesca is not for you. If you enjoy peace and quiet, incredible views, nature and a sense of remoteness, then La Francesca is a place you should definitely visit.

Accommodations

We visited in November, so opted for a heated apartment in the same block as the reception area. While this building is at the top of the hill, due to the steepness of the property, the view to the ocean is uninterrupted. A driveway snakes down the hill to the sea, with cabins tucked into the hillside all the way down.

Our apartment had a large kitchen-dining area; a bathroom with toilet, bidet, and shower; a double bedroom with small sofa; and a well-proportioned balcony. The furnishings are basic and homely, as is the decor. Inside, they have used motifs found in nature, which help to connect you to the amazing gardens outside. La Francesca reminded me of the holiday cabins, chalets and forest camps I used to frequent with my family as a child in New Zealand – wild and remote.

Amenities

Resort La Francesca has all-year round amenities such as tennis courts, sports fields, mini-golf and a playground. As well as a swimming pool, bar, restaurant and mini-mart open during the high-season only. We visited out of season, and didn’t get to sample the Rosadimare Restaurant, which is a shame, because it has unrivalled views out over the ocean and Parco Nazionale Marino of Punta Mesco. Instead, we utilised the kitchen in the apartment and self-catered.

Eco-Tourism

What I really enjoyed about La Francesca is that the buildings are set amongst the trees, not the trees amongst the buildings. Nature is king here, and that is a redeeming feature of the place. If you don’t like nature, trees, creepy crawlies and eco-tourism, then you should probably go elsewhere.

Enjoy nature trails, plant-spotting, cycle rides, tours with local food producers, hiking, and a sustainable-tourism focus from this family-run resort. One of the staff, Danilo, showed us some of the flora and fauna around the resort, including this Strawberry Tree. These spiky fruit are nothing like ground strawberries, and in fact taste a little like nectarines!

The View

Sitting on our balcony at Resort La Francesca looking out at this view was something special. With a glass of wine in hand, a pasta dinner, and a sunset to end all sunsets – it was perfect tranquility.

Dog-friendly

One consideration that doesn’t apply to all travellers, but certainly does for us is dog-friendly hotels and accommodation. Our dog, Moose, comes with us for the majority of our road trips, so we were pleased to find that La Francesca is dog-friendly. While there are no open fields in which to run your dog off-leash, there is a dog park in Levanto, and many hikes you can do with your precious pup. Keep an eye out for my guide to exploring the Cinque Terre with a dog, coming soon!

A base for visiting the Cinque Terre

There is something satisfying about retreating from the busyness of sightseeing to accommodation that is removed from it. La Francesca is convenient enough to reach the Cinque Terre and rest of Liguria with ease, yet removed from the melee of the famous 5 villages.

We parked our car each morning in the plentiful parking at Levanto train station. For a modest fee (€13 as at Nov 2019) you can park at the station for 8 hours (or longer if you need, just pay the full day rate). If you only have 1 full day to explore, then buy a Cinque Terre Train Pass, so you can visit all of the villages and only pay 1 train fare. For us, we had a few days and did 2-3 villages a day, which meant that buying individual tickets was actually cheaper (thanks to the tourist info person in Levanto for that tip).

Review: Resort La Francesca, Cinque Terre

If you are looking for a self-catering family holiday where the kids can explore; or a couples retreat where peace and quiet is paramount, then I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Resort La Francesca. Don’t expect the ritz, but if you want a clean and comfortable spot close to nature, then this ruggedly beautiful Ligurian enclave is perfect for you. I will be remembering that heart-stopping sunset for a very long time to come.

Italy was part of my travel ‘awakening’ in 1999 when I nannied in Naples – and it still holds a special place in my heart. Where was your first travel revelation?

All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM; and an iPhoneX.