Cinque Terre walking

Following an extraordinary trail, this continuous walk (no trains) takes you the length of the Cinque Terre National Park along Italy’s most spectacular coastline, starting in Levanto and arriving in Portovenere 6 days later, with plenty of time to explore the charming villages you stay in each day.

This continous walking tour of the Cinque Terre follows stone paths that have linked the villages for centuries, starting in Levanto at the eastern end of the National Park and finishing in glorious Portovenere at the western end of the park. They twist and wind along the rugged coast passing through pine forests and terraced vineyards, with breath-taking views out over the Mediterranean, including the less walked routes from Riomaggiore to Portovenere and around the little island off Portovenere.  You'll be dropped off at La Spezia railway station (on the Rome/Genoa line) at the end of the walk.

vernazza strip

The highlights of this tour include the extraordinary views on all the trails; the lanes of old Levanto;  swimming at the beach in Monterosso; coming down a stone path for your first sight of Vernazza; dinner al fresco on the top of a tower overlooking the port in Vernazza; walking through the vineyards above Corniglia; a crisp glass of local Cinque Terre white wine in Riomaggiore; coming down above the cliffs into Portovenere; a moonlight walk to San Pietro at the tip of Portovenere; dinner on the terrace of your hotel overlooking the Gulf of La Spezia; the boat ride across the gulf for your last walk.

The walk

The walk

This is a Grade 2 Walk (click here for details).  This continuous walk follows good paths which are straight forward to follow and there are some steep climbs up from the villages up to the trail. The walks are from 10 to 14 kms and can be comfortably done in half a day, which leaves you plenty of time to explore the little villages you'll be staying in.

As you may be aware, the trails on the Cinque Terre have become prone to landslips in recent times and sections of the trail may be closed without notice.  At the time of writing, all the paths on the Seniero Azzurro (the trail we use on this itinerary) are open except between Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore (last section of Day 3).  Please note that we have included an alternative high trail between Corniglia and Manarola via Volastra, just in case (although a bit more challenging I personally find this a more interesting walk than the standard one anyway).

The self-guided itineraries are rewalked and the notes updated each year.

The accommodation

The accommodation

Hidden Italy uses the best accommodation available.  On the Cinque Terre this means very comfortable, centrally located, family-run hotels. All rooms have en suite bathrooms and air-conditioning.  Please bear in mind that these are essentially small fishing villages and don't have a range of accommodation options. 

Please note that because of a lack of suitable accommodation in Vernazza, you will spend two nights in Monterosso, using the regular local trains to get from and back to Vernazza for the walks.

The food

The food

Ligurians like to use their own trusted products which come from the 350 kilometres of coastline with it rough, mountainous hinterland or is fished out of ther own waters.  It is an austere but delicous style of cooking that has produced such specialities as pesto sauce and foccaccia.  Even the wines, grown with great effort on the steep, rocky terraces seems to have been invented in Liguria, and suits the local food perfectly.

Generous breakfasts are included each day (you'll need them for your walks).  With notice, the hotels wil be able to prepare a cut lunch for the walk.  A range of restaurant recommendations with contact details for booking your dinners in each town/village will be included in your tour notes.

Support on the walk

Support on the walk

To guide you through this wonderful walk, you will receive:  the Hidden Italy roadbook (an eighty-page A5 booklet that includes comprehensive daily walking notes accompanied by detailed maps, updated and revised each year):  access to the exclusive Hidden Italy App to complement the roadbook (the App is downloadable to Apple and Android devices and features information about the routes: maps, GPS tracks, altimetric profiles, etc; GPS navigation on all the routes; an alert function if you stray off the track; and an emergency function);  twenty-four-hour phone support from our Florence-based Operations Manager.

Booking conditions

To confirm the booking, a deposit of 25% of the total booking cost is required within 7 days of the issue of the invoice.  Please note that in the event of customer cancellation, deposits are refunded, less a cancellation fee of $500 per person per tours.  Click here for full T&C’s

Interested in the 1. Northern Italy: Cinque Terre Coastal, from Levanto to Portovenere Self-Guided Walk?

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This 7 day/ 6 night walking tour can be personalised to meet your interests and travel dates.

  • Cost

    $2,800

    per person
  • Six nights accommodation
  • All breakfasts included
  • Reading lists and historical and cultural notes
  • Maps and detailed walking instructions
  • Hidden Italy App with GPS to complement the roadbook
  • Daily transfers of baggage between hotels
  • Drop-off at the end of the tour from Portovenere to La Spezia station (on the Rome/Genoa line)
  • The Santa Margherita/Portofino option includes 3 nights in a 4-star hotel, sea views 
  • 24 hour backup from local manager

Cost Options

$2800 B&B only per person

Single supplement: $800

 

Optional ... Santa Margherita and Portofino Walk 4 days $1400 B&B only p/p in 4 star acocmodation

 

** Please note a high season surcharge may apply in July/August/September

Tour costs quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD)

 

Map

Testimonials

The Cinque Terre walk was all that we had been told and even better!! We thoroughly enjoyed very moment and your arrangements and guidance were first class. It finished off a remarkable holiday perfectly.

– Carol W, Cinque Terre walk

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1. Northern Italy: Cinque Terre Coastal, from Levanto to Portovenere FAQs

Find out a little more about the 1. Northern Italy: Cinque Terre Coastal, from Levanto to Portovenere tour by reading some of our most frequently asked questions.

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1. Northern Italy: Cinque Terre Coastal, from Levanto to Portovenere

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