Italian Riveria 1 overview
This 8 days/7 nights walk takes you along the first half of the Italian Riviera Levante starts in the Genoa and finishes in the charming Sestri Levante, following forested trails and seaside paths along an arc of coastline dotted with fishing towns and glam resorts.
This wonderful walk follows ancient trails that have connected the villages and towns for centuries, as well as picking up sections of the higher routes have carried trade between Italy and France since Roman times. Liguria is a region steeped in maritime history: seafaring, shipbuilding and fishing and the buzzy towns you'll stay in along the way still retain much of their colourful pasts.
Many of these trails have been restored and waymarked. They take you through terraced farmlands, vineyards and olive groves, staying in bustling Genoa, sleepy fishing villages and some of Italy’s fanciest resorts, including Portofino, Rapallo and Setri Levante. With its blend of sea, mountains and forest, the Italian Riviera offers some of Italy’s finest coastal walks.
Why choose this tour?
- You will have the pleasure of walking along one of Italy’s most spectacular and varied stretches of coastline
- Your luggage is moved each day so all you have to carry on the walks is a daypack
- You will pass through Portofino National Park
- You stay in some of the most celebrated coastal towns in Italy (including Genova, Portofino and Sestri Levante)
- You have 24-hour phone support from our Florence-based staff
- You have use of the exclusive Hidden Italy app and walking notes
- You will have a curated list of restaurants in each town (from fancy to cheap and cheerful) with booking details and links
The walks
This is a Grade 3 walk: several walks on this tour are between 12 and 15 kms; orientation is straight forward and the paths are well-marked and maintained; and there are some long climbs. The walks are very varied, including an urban walk, hill climbs along ancient trails; coastal walks and a bushwalk through a national park.
One of the characteristics of this route is its flexibility: all the towns are connected by regular local trains, which means you can hop on and off the train to shorten the longer legs. Full details on each walk are on the itinerary. Click here.
The accommodation
You will stay in a variety of accommodation: fancy 4-star hotels, comfortable 3-star hotels and a lovely family run ‘agriturismo’, which has its own restaurant. Hidden Italy uses the best available in each place: it is comfortable and welcoming, with seaview, when possible. Several of the hotels have their own swimming pools but there are also plenty of beautiful beaches along the way.
The food and wine
Like its inhabitants, the food of Ligurian is austere and reserved, based on the finest ingredients hard won from the rocky slopes of the Apennine Mountains and the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The classic dishes are pesto (a basil, pine-nut and garlic paste, traditionally served with a local short pasta and diced potato); focaccia (a dimpled, rustic bread served with herbs and lashing of the excellent local olive oil) and farinata (a delicious flat-bread made from chick peas with more olive oil). There is an abundance of very good seafood, complemented with very good, locally grown vegetables. The most celebrated wines of the region are dry whites (Cinque Terre and Vermentino) but Liguria also produces some good reds (Rossese di Dolceacqua, Ormeasco and Colli di Luni Rosso).
Generous breakfasts are included each day (you'll need them for your walks). Hidden Italy will provide you with a curated list with descriptions and locations of three to four restaurants for each town/village you visit (from fancy to more relaxed). This information will be on the Hidden Italy walking App and you will be able to book your meals directly through the App.
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.
Please note, there is a shorter version on this walk (6 days/5 nights, Camogli to Sestri Levante). Click here for details.
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 tour. Click here for full T&C’s
Interested in the 1. Northern Italy: Italian Riviera Section 1, Genoa to Sestri Levante Self-Guided Walk?
Don't miss out, places are limited. Make your booking now. Book Now › Make an Enquiry ›An 8 day/7 night walk along the Italian Riviera from Genoa to Sestri Lavante
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Cost
$3,300
per person
- Seven 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
- 24 hour backup from local manager
- City taxes are not included in the cost of the tour
Cost Options
$3300 b&b per person
Single supplemente: $900
** Please note a high season surcharge may apply.
Tour costs quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD)
Map
Testimonials
What a fantastic walk! The accommodation was across the board excellent. Luggage transfers were seamless. The walk itself was brilliant. This is a quality product, and I’ve recommended it to several people. Thanks so much for a wonderful experience!
– Julie F
View all Testimonials ›1. Northern Italy: Italian Riviera Section 1, Genoa to Sestri Levante FAQs
Find out a little more about the 1. Northern Italy: Italian Riviera Section 1, Genoa to Sestri Levante tour by reading some of our most frequently asked questions.
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