The apartment is on the ground floor of an old house that looked like it was built into the rock face. As such, you are not getting a stylish modern decor; rather you are getting modern conveniences that are fitted around the existing structure, giving it a lived-in charm. The rooms are arranged in two groups: forward and back. The forward rooms are a living room, a galley kitchen and a galley bathroom (with the bigger shower). The living room is flooded with light from the large windows; the other rooms in the front are darker, but still receive light from the living room. The rooms in the back of the apartment include a quiet and dark bedroom and another bathroom with a window for fresh air. We found the bed comfortable and that the showers had lots of hot water. Chairs on the balcony were a good place to drink wine and look at the boats in the harbour.
When we picked our location, we thought it would be best if we stayed in Porto Venere rather than one of the Cinque Terre villages. We still think that. The villages are beautiful and quaint, but there is more to do and see in Porto Venere. Simona's apartment is a few hundred meters outside the downtown area so the location does not have other tourists walking by constantly. The apartment above is occupied by Simona's mother, who was also quiet. We had a car so the available private parking was essential.