Did the Cinque Terre four or five years ago - quite idyllic, something of a self-contained miniature world, the coastline scenery is memorable and the 5 towns are linked by a beautiful nature trekking path. You can walk between any two towns or all of them, but you'd need a few hours between each two towns. It is a a hill walk however, and too hot for comfort even in September when I was there. I remember, dripping in sweat and with no more clothes to jettison, wishing I had left it to October. The good thing is that all the towns are on the railway, a few minutes apart, so you can walk, or maybe sail, from to another, then board the train at the next station.
I stayed in a town called La Spezia, outside the Cinque Terre - an ordinary town with hotels, restaurants, etc. as you would expect, where accommodation and food was not dear, and (I think) about 20 mins (?) by train to the Cinque Terre towns.
kb