Discover Liguria: Cinque Terre walking holiday
LiguriaDifficulty path:Highlights
Thanks to the intricate paths along the ridges, the fresh air and the fabulous landscapes, you will realize that the best and most authentic way to visit Liguria is on foot. In order not to miss anything, it is possible to reach the beautiful coastal areas with some short train journeys. Furthermore, accommodation in three different locations, will allow you to fully explore the area. Thanks to the climate, that is mitigated by the sea, the beauty of the Cinque Terre and the natural park of Portofino can be visited at best during the middle seasons, so as to be able to really appreciate their value.
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Walk in the Park of Portofino
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Breathtaking Views and splendid Ligurian Beaches
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Visit Sestri, the "city of the two seas"
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Trekking through the villages of the Cinque Terre
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Pesto, pansoti, focaccia, farinate and other Ligurian specialties
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The promontory of Corniglia and typical terraces with vineyards
Program
Arrival in Camogli
Welcome to Camogli, "City of a Thousand White Sailing Ships".
Put on your boots and be ready to get lost in the colourful buildings of this magical village. Immediately after, beyond the beach, you will see the towering and imposing Castle of Dragonara. This is considered one of the symbols of Camogli, which guards the small port. You will immediately realize, in fact, that the city of Camogli has a double life: touristic seaside place and fishermen village. In fact, you can see the old traditions of the village and the new touristic life living together. For these reasons, Camogli is the ideal place to start your Cinque Terre walking holiday.
Trekking in the Portofino Park
11/7km, +690/450m -690/450m
Today you will walk along the paths of the Camogli National Park until you will reach the protected marine area of Portofino.
In this area you can do many snorkelling activities, so do not forget to bring a mask! Then, as soon as you pass the church of San Rocco, you will visit the wonders of the park, until you reach its heart. From there, you will continue to the famous Abbey of San Fruttuoso di Camogli, which can be visited thanks to the contribution of the Italian Environment Fund FAI. The place is known due to the fact that there you can admire the famous Christ of the Abyss: a bronze statue placed on the bottom of the bay.
From San Fruttuoso you can decide to return by boat to Camogli or continue your trip by walking to Portofino, to refresh yourself at one of the many clubs of the large Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta.
From Portofino, the return to Camogli is possible by boat or by public transport.
Levanto, Bonassola and Framura
9km, +400m -370m
After breakfast, you will take the train from Camogli to reach Levanto with your luggage.
After handing the luggage to the driver at the station, begins a beautiful panoramic path that leads to Bonassola. After the first part uphill to the small village of Scernio, go down entering Bonassola among elegant villas and houses. Climb up to the panoramic point of the Hare Jump and see the small village of Montaretto. Once you reach Framura you will have time to relax on one of its beautiful beaches. From here return by train to Levanto. Overnight in Levanto.
Trekking from Corniglia to Riomaggiore
8/6km, +540/380m -540/380m
Early in the morning take the train to Corniglia: have a good breakfast to tackle the first 400 steps taking you to the train station.
Corniglia is the only village in the Cinque Terre that has no contact with the sea and stands on a rocky promontory surrounded by hills dedicated to the cultivation of vines. From the village of Corniglia you continue uphill along one of the most scenic paths of the Cinque Terre. We recommend stopping for a tasting of local wines, and then descend the path in the direction of Manarola, which will welcome you with the thousand colors of its perched village.
After a lunch break and a pleasant dip in the cool Ligurian waters, you can decide whether to continue in the direction of Riomaggiore or spend the rest of the day simply by the sea.
The last stretch of the path towards Riomaggiore is recommended for expert walkers. The steep path you follow constitutes the original connection road between the villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola, used until the construction of the famous Via Dell’Amore (still closed for works).
Return to Levanto by train for overnight stay.
Trekking from Levanto to Monterosso al Mare
8 km, +370m -370m
From the long beach of Levanto, this stretch of the Cinque Terre walking holiday follows a path adorned with lemon and olive trees up to the promontory of Punta Mesco and the Hermitage of St. Antonio Mesco, charmingly hidden in a holm oak. Finally, the last stretch of the path will degrade towards the sea at the height of Monterosso, where you will stay overnight.
Trekking from Monterosso to Corniglia via Vernazza
8/4km, +380/200m -380/200m
After breakfast, you will start your hike in the direction of Corniglia.
The route seems short, but should not be underestimated, so it is advisable to leave early in the morning. The trek from Monterosso to Corniglia has as an intermediate point of the trip in the location of Vernazza. With Monterosso behind you, you will reach Vernazza thanks to a long staircase that climbs and then descends among olive groves and vineyards overhanging the sea. Once you reach Vernazza, that is probably the most picturesque village of the Cinque Terre, you will admire the small alleys, Piazza Marconi, and the protected harbour, dominated by the clock tower. Here there is a tiny and heavenly beach that invites you to make bath.
The second part of the Cinque terre walking hoiliday continues once again uphill. After reaching the viewpoint of Punta Palma, it continues downhill to Corniglia, passing the village of Prevo. Take the time to visit the ancient and picturesque medieval village of Corniglia, located on the promontory of the Ligurian sea.
At the end of the excursion, the return to Monterosso will be made by the railway service.
Trekking from Riomaggiore to Portovenere
13km, +640m -640m
Last but not least, during this last hiking day you will reach Portovenere, the final stop of this beautiful walking holiday in the Cinque Terre.
After a short train ride, you will arrive in Riomaggiore: from here you will start your journey towards Portovenere in the direction of Levante. After a nice first uphill road in the morning, you will find yourselves walking among spectacular terraces overlooking the Ligurian Sea. You will follow for a long time at high altitude and then you will descend towards the sea after crossing the picturesque village of Campiglia. Here, once entered by Porta del Borgo, the ancient access to the village, you will get lost in the narrow alleys and you will reach the suggestive church of San Pietro just before visiting the statue of Mother Nature near the cave dedicated to Lord Byron.
Finally, you will return to Monterosso by boat or by public land transport passing through La Spezia.
Monterosso al Mare
After breakfast end of services.
If you prefer not to change hotels and enjoy the same city every evening, take a look at our central based Cinque Terre walking tour.
Tour programme variations
Due to organizational reasons, weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during the holiday.
Along the way you may find temporary deviations (for example road works) which cannot be foreseen; in this case each walker can decide autonomously how to deal with these stretches.
What's included
Our offer includes
- 7 nights with breakfast in double room
- Detailed route description with maps
- Travel App (maps, tracks, route notes)
- Luggage transportation day 3, from Levanto Station to Levanto HTL
- Luggage transportation day 5, Levanto > Monterosso
- Phone assistance 08:00-20:00
Not included
- Transfer IN and Transfer OUT
- Meals and drinks
- Entrance fees and tips
- Local Public transportation
- 1 day Cinque Terre Card
- Hotel tourist taxes
- Insurance and what's not listed as "Included"
Departures and prices
Supplements per person
Other Information
The Cinque Terre Walking holiday winds mainly through dirt paths and country lanes; rarely, and only when strictly necessary, on busy roads.
The morphological conformation of Liguria region provides considerable differences in level to be tackled daily, so the tour is suitable for anyone with good walking training. The length of a walking day ranges from a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 13 km, with travel times between 1,5 and 4 hours.
The itinerary is designed to offer a combination of nature and culture, while providing a good level of comfort.
We recommend to wear comfortable walking shoes and to bring with you a hat, trekking poles (strongly recommended), drinking water, sun cream, swimsuit and a waterproof jacket in case of rain.
This tour offers accommodation in central B&B and selected 3* hotel. All rooms are ensuite.
- 2 nights in Camogli
- 2 nights in Levanto
- 3 nights in Monterosso
7 breakfasts included.
In case of non-availability we choose an alternative position with similar characteristics. Alternative details will be noted in the updated Service List.
→ We will take care of your luggage while you are walking.
For the whole duration of your tour, you can contact our assistance numbers.
A few days before departure you will receive by email the Service List with instructions for using the Travel App.
Upon your arrival, ask at reception for the info pack with:
- updated Service List;
- luggage Labels;
- detailed Route directions with maps.
Getting there
Camogli is easily reachable by train, air, boat and car.
BY TRAIN. It is possible to reach Camogli directly by train with Trenitalia service. The arrival station is Camogli - San Fruttuoso: from Genoa the journey takes about twenty minutes; from Milan the whole journey is covered in about 2 hours and 10 minutes.
BY AIR. The closest airport is Genoa's Cristoforo Colombo: it is about 36 km away. The Galileo Galilei international airport of Pisa is about 150km away, the Florence airport about 200km and the Turin-Caselle airport is about 230km away.
BY BOAT. By boat, weather permitting, you can reach Camogli through a ferry service from the Old Port of Genoa, from Rapallo and from Santa Margherita Ligure.
BY CAR. If you arrive by car from the A12 motorway, exit at Recco: continue for about 2 km towards Camogli. Arriving by car is not recommended due to the scarcity of free parking spaces and not very easy hairpin bends.
Back to Camogli
From Monterosso you can reach Camogli by train with Trenitalia, via Sestri Levante or via Chiavari. The trip cost varies from € 8 to € 12 depending on the type of trains; the travel time is about 1 hour.
→ If you prefer to travel in total comfort, you can book a private transfer on the days of arrival and departure.