Overview
This walking holiday in Italy takes you to the famed Cinque Terre (the ‘Five Lands’) and Portofino, where we offer some great walks along the quiet high trails and the romantic Porto Venere. The Ligurian coast, known as Italy’s ‘Flower Riviera’, will enchant you with its unique coastal and forest trails. It stretches from the French border all the way to Tuscany and offers wooded slopes plunging towards the sea, where fishing villages of tall, sorbet-coloured houses nest in small bays and coves. Fish and seafood dominate the local cuisine, as do rare white wines such as Sciacchetrà.
You will move on foot and by rail from village to village, through forests and vineyards and a spectacular terraced landscape overlooking the sea. You will also have the time to visit the historic towns of Levanto, Portofino, Porto Venere and, of course, the five charming villages which make up the ‘Cinque Terre’.
The Cinque Terre gets its name from the five picturesque villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Rio Maggiore. The area, now a National Park, is a unique part of Italy. People have lived in this dramatic landscape for over a thousand years, slowly altering its features and cultivating the steep hillsides that lead down to rocky shores. An extensive network of ancient mule tracks – today used as footpaths – takes you through an extraordinary landscape of terraces built by hand with stones and earth.
But the region of Liguria has more to offer: the nearby small towns of Porto Venere and the lively Levanto, a charming medieval town with a broad beach. Of course, there is also the famed Peninsula of Portofino, known for the colourful Portofino itself, the abbey of San Fruttuoso, located in an isolated inlet of this beautiful coastline, and the lovely Camogli.
- The five lands: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore
- Levanto
- Porto Venere
- Portofino
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival Camogli
As soon as you get settled in your accommodation, step outside and breathe in the fresh air of the Mediterranean Sea. In the afternoon, you can visit the historic centre, and in the evening, let all your senses be delighted as you prepare for your phenomenal walking adventure ahead.
- Accommodation: Albergo La Camogliese or similar in Camogli
Day 2: Portofino | 7-13km
From Camogli, take one of the main paths of the Portofino Regional Park; the first steep section takes you to the village of San Rocco (it is possible to take a bus instead), then arrive at the San Fruttuoso Abbey. From San Fruttuoso, you can choose to walk or take a ferry to Portofino. Enjoy the wonderful view from Il Faro (the Light House), located at the extreme point of the promontory, 1km far from Portofino, from where you take the train or boat back to Camogli.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 5-6h, ↑1,165m ↓1,185m // shorter option: 7km, 3-4h, ↑735m ↓395m
- Accommodation: Albergo La Camogliese or similar in Camogli
Day 3: Deiva Marina | 5.5-13km
The day starts with a short train ride to Bonassola, from where you start walking through the hills of the East Riviera, which divide Bonassola, Framura and Deiva Marina. The first part of this walk (Bonassola – Framura) is extremely panoramic, with wonderful views over the northern Ligurian coast, and it can be shortened by ending in Framura. Return to Bonassola by train.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 5h, ↑657m ↓643m // shorter option: 5.5km, 2-3h, ↑350m ↓280m
- Accommodation: Hotel Villa Belvedere or similar in Bonassola
Day 4: Riva Trigoso | 5.5-15km
After breakfast, take a train to Deiva Marina, where the day’s walk starts. If you wish to make a shorter walk, you can also start in Moneglia. The hike follows the jagged coastline and crosses a few valleys until it ends in Riva Trigoso, 1 train stop from Sestri Levante that is worth visiting. Take the train back to Bonassola.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 6h, ↑1,010m ↓996m // shorter option: 5.5km, 2-3h, ↑396m ↓386m
- Accommodation: Hotel Villa Belvedere or similar in Bonassola
Day 5: Monterosso al Mare | 3-10km
The first part of today’s walk runs along an old railway recently transformed into a flattish cycle path. You walk through tunnels and bridges with spectacular views over the sea and the cliffs until you arrive in the nice town of Levanto. Reach the ridge top to enjoy the spectacular views over the mountains surrounding the gulf. Arrive in Punta Mesco and walk down towards the village of Monterosso, where you overnight.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 6h, ↑1,010m ↓996m // shorter option: 5.5km, 2-3h, ↑396m ↓386m
- Accommodation: Albergo Marina or similar in Monterosso al Mare
Day 6: Vernazza | 6-10km
A short transfer takes you to Soviore Monastery, where you can stop for a visit before starting the walk back to Monterosso via Vernazza. From the Sanctuary, you walk on an asphalt road for 1.5km, then take a nice panoramic path that slightly descends to the Madonna di Reggio. Continue walking on a stone path down to Vernazza, where you take the panoramic coastal path back to Monterosso. You can stop in Vernazza and take a train back to Monterosso to shorten the walk.
- Walking for the day: 10km, 4h, ↑645m ↓1,100m // shorter option: 6km, 3h, ↑266m ↓710m
- Accommodation: Albergo Marina or similar in Monterosso al Mare
Day 7: Porto Venere | 13-17km
A short train ride takes you to Riomaggiore, where the day’s itinerary starts. The first 1.3km climb gradually to Colle del Telegrafo, from where you gently descend to Portovenere, walking on a panoramic ridge trail and passing through the village of Campiglia. Today’s route is very scenic, with spectacular views of the Cinque Terre coastline, Portovenere and the Gulf of La Spezia, walking on well-beaten and well-marked footpaths. If you want to shorten the walk, from Campiglia walk or take a bus to Marola and then another bus to Portovenere. At the end of the walk, return to Monterosso.
- Walking for the day: 17km, 5h, ↑723m ↓744m // shorter option: 13km, 4h,↑723m ↓744m
- Accommodation: Albergo Marina or similar in Monterosso al Mare
Day 8: Departure or onward travel
The tour ends after breakfast. You can leave Monterosso by train and easily reach the Pisa, Genoa, Florence and Milan airports.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in comfortable 3-star hotels as indicated in the itinerary, all offering private en-suite rooms. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that are close to the trails, offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
- La Camogliese (Camogli)
- Hotel Villa Belvedere (Bonassola)
- Albergo Marina (Monterosso al Mare)
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
All breakfasts are included. No evening meals are included, and you are free to choose from the wide choice of restaurants in the area. Your accommodation host can give you useful tips. On some occasions, you can also choose to eat at the premises of the hotel. Products for picnics can be purchased in the villages where you stay, or you have the option to have your lunch in a restaurant along the way.
Difficulty and terrain
The Cinque Terre walking tour is suitable for those who might have limited walking experience in the mountains but are in good general physical condition. A high level of fitness is not necessary, but you should be able to walk for up to 5h a day in the hot sun on dusty, stony and mule tracks with steep hills. It can be tiring walking along stone steps of diverse sizes. On all days, alternative longer or shorter walks are possible (read more about difficulty grades). You have to use local trains to get to and from the walks. Most of the walks are on good paths, some of them recently restored by the local authorities. Most parts of the trails are waymarked. Elsewhere you have to follow the route notes provided together with the maps. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from the beginning of March until the end of October. Late spring, the whole summer and early autumn are beautiful on the Liguria coast. It may become very hot in July and August, and some of the resort towns – especially Portofino – may become overcrowded in these months, although the trails along the mountain slopes above the coast are far from the tourist rush. Without a doubt, the best time to see the Liguria Coast is from April to June when the spring flowers are in bloom, the weather is just warm enough, and the temperature of the Mediterranean allows for the first dips of the season. The months of September and October are also an excellent time to visit the region while the temperatures are still mild. The flexibility of the self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date in the season – so please indicate desired beginning date when booking.
Important note: The park wardens try to keep all of the paths open throughout the year. However, heavy rains, summer fires or too many tourists can cause temporary closure of certain stretches, so be sure to check with the park office. We cannot guarantee that all sections of the itinerary listed above will be accessible during your holiday.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival airport for this holiday is Genoa. Other Italian airports (Pisa, Florence) are also well connected to Levanto.
By train or bus
The tour starts in Camogli. Regular trains run between this town and most major Italian cities (Genoa being the closest). Visit the Italia Rail website for up-to-date timetables and fares, or use the Omio planner above.
The tour ends after breakfast in Monterosso on Day 8. You can reach by train all major cities and airports (Genoa being the closest).
Airport transfers by public transport are recommended for this trip, as they are much cheaper and faster compared to car transfers. All internal transfers are by train and not included in the trip price; all the villages are well connected by local train services, and you should buy a Cinque Terre Train Card. The card allows unlimited train travel on the Levanto – Cinque Terre – La Spezia line (on regional trains in 2° class) and also includes access to all hiking trails, use of ecological park buses, and wi-fi internet connection.
Luggage Transfers
Hotel to hotel luggage transfer is not included on day 3 as all your ground transfers are by convenient local trains. You will never have to carry your main luggage while walking. The reason behind this is that luggage transfers by car are relatively costly here as while by train the distance from village to village is very short (the train shortcuts through tunnels), by car one has to drive a long way around the mountains and often it’s difficult to enter the villages by car, as a special permit is required.
Inclusions
Included
- Detailed digital holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you prior to departure, and no printed documents are mailed or provided on-site (from 2024)
- 7 breakfasts
- 7 nights in private ensuite rooms
- Luggage transfer Bonassola-Monterosso on day 5 (1 piece up to 20kg per person)
- Private transfer to Santuario di Soviore on day 6
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Train fares on the walking days
- Luggage transfer on day 3
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist tax and entrance fees (payable on the spot)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- Supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room / single use of a double room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights
- The Cinque Terre Train Card is an affordable and easy-to-use option. The card allows unlimited train travel on the Levanto – Cinque Terre – La Spezia line (on regional trains in 2° class) and also includes access to all hiking trails, use of ecological park buses, wifi internet connection.
- Cinque Terre is not an area to be visited by car due to local restrictions and limited parking options
- Printed tour materials at the first accommodation
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