Walking along the coastal footpaths offers striking views of lush Mediterranean vineyards and wild flowers abloom; while further inland there are tantalizing pine and chestnut forests. Travel by train or boat from Monterosso to picturesque villages where you can savor the delicious local cuisine and relax with a glass of white wine in an outdoor café overlooking the sea. End your holiday in the colorful town of Portovenere, south of the Cinque Terre and discover the wild nature of Palmaria, a peculiar island that faces the village.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
•The illustrious five villages of the Cinque Terre (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore)
•The nice villages of the Riviera Ligure (Bonassola, Deiva Marina, Framura, Levanto, etc.)
• The colorful town of Portovenere
• Breath-taking views of the emerald blue Mediterranean Sea.
• Steep terraced hills of olive groves, vineyards and lemon trees
• Fabulous beaches for swimming
• Outstandingly delicious sea food and the famous Trofie al Pesto


Day 1 - Arrive in Monterosso Monterosso on BB basis
As soon as you get settled in your accommodation, step outside and breathe in the incredibly fresh, crisp 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

Day 2 - Monterosso loop via Colla di Gritta Monterosso on BB basis
Today you head inland past the ‘Chiesa dei Cappucini’ to the Colla di Gritta. Continue over the graceful mountain ridge through stretches of lush forests, passing over Monte Molinelli, Monte Rossini, Montenegro and Colla dei Bagari until you reach Punta Mesco. Return to Monterosso by descending a series of captivating old stone footpaths. km9

Day 3 – Selection of walks Monterosso on BB basis
Today you have three itineraries to choose from. Both of them will offer you gorgeous views of Cinque Terre typical landscape. Before departing for your walk, go to the Park Information Office at Monterosso Train station and collect your Cinque Terre Card.

WALK A: Transfer to Soviore and walk back to Monterosso via Vernazza To avoid a very steep section at the beginning of the day, you can take a taxi in Monterosso to Soviore Monastery. Otherwise you can walk up on an ancient cobbled path to Soviore. Stop for a visit and then, from the Sanctuary you walk on asphalt road or 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 and here you take the coastal path to Monterosso. km 10,1 or km 5.8

WALK B: Corniglia-Volastra-Riomaggiore-Manarola Reach Corniglia by train from Monterosso and reach the village. Then you walk up and take the path towards Volastra that finally will take you to Riomaggiore. Once you arrive in Riomaggiore, you could take a train to go back to Monterosso or follow the famous “Via dell’Amore” to reach Manarola. At the end of your walk in Manarola, get on a train back to Monterosso. km 10

WALK C: Monterosso-Vernazza-Corniglia Today you walk along the busy coastal trail that connects the five villages of the Cinque Terre. The trail contours the coastline, ascending and descending, and it includes some stone staircases that can be challenging. The route is straightforward and easy to follow. At the end of the walk, take the train back to Monterosso km 7

Day 4 - Riomaggiore to Portovenere via Colle del Telegrafo Monterosso on BB basis
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 panoramic ridge trail and passing through the village of Campiglia. Today’s route is very scenic, with spectacular views on 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.

Day 5 - Monterosso to Bonassola via Levanto Bonassola on BB basis
The day's walk is along the coastline following the most popular trail in Liguria (n.1). You can stop in Levanto for a visit of the centre and of the Sant' Andrea Church. The trail is characterized by spectacular views on the Cinque Terre and on the Levante Ligure. To avoid the second part of the walk along the hills, you can take the train in Levanto or walk on the cycle path towards Bonassola.

Day 6 - Bonassola to Deiva MarinaBonassola on BB basis
Today you walk through the hills of the East Riviera, between Bonassola, Framura and Deiva Marina. The first part of this walk is extremely panoramic with wonderful views over the northern Ligurian coast. Visit the nice villages of Bonassola and Deiva Marina and after the walk return to Monterosso by train.

Day 7 - Arrivederci Cinque Terre!
The trip and our services end after breakfast. You can depart Bonassola by train and easily reach the Pisa, Genoa, Florence or Milan airports.


6 Day Programme
Day 1: Arrive in Moterosso
Day 2: Selection of walks to choose from
Walk A: Public bus to to Soviore and walk to Monterosso via Vernazza km 10,1 or km 5,80
Walk B: Corniglia-Volastra-Riomaggiore- Manarola walk km 10
Walk C: Monterosso – Vernazza – Corniglia km 7
Day 3:Train to Riomaggiore and walk to Portovenere via coastal or inland path. Train or boat back to Monterosso km 13 or km 17
Day 4: Walk Monterosso to Bonassola via Levanto km 10
Day 5: Walk from Bonassola to Deiva Marina km 12,5 or 5,5
Day 6: Departure

5 Day Programme
Day 1: Arrive in Moterosso
Day 2: Selection of walks to choose from
Walk A: Monterosso – Vernazza – Corniglia km 7
Walk B:Train to Riomaggiore and walk to Portovenere via coastal or inland path. km 13 or km 17
Day 3: Walk Monterosso to Bonassola via Levanto km 10
Day 4: Walk from Bonassola to Deiva Marina km 12,5 or 5,5
Day 5: Departure

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: It is possible to invert both trips. In this case the first accommodation is in Bonassola and then Monterosso

Getting there and away
The nearest airports to the Cinque Terre are in Genoa and Pisa. Florence airport also has good connections.
Nearly all trains from Genoa go directly to Monterosso, without needs to change trains (the trip takes approximately 1,5 – 2 hours). From Pisa airport you have to change at Pisa Centrale and again at La Spezia for a local train that stops in Monterosso and Bonassola (approximately 2,15 hours).

Accommodation and meals
In both Monterosso and Bonassola we use comfortable 3 star hotels with a friendly family run atmosphere. All the rooms have private bathrooms, TV mini-bar and hair drier. A good continental breakfast is served each morning. All the hotels are centrally located, near to all amenities and also to exquisite local restaurants. Alternative accommodation The Cinque Terre can be very busy during certain periods of the year so both in Monterosso and Bonassola we work with several hotels of similar standard and characteristics. Due to this, all the walks start and end at a central point of the villages and you have to make your way to it from your hotel Because use several During high season it is possible that you might sleep in different accommodation to the ones that are indicated in the description. In some cases it is possible that your list of accommodation differs somewhat. This means that start or end of the routes are slightly altered. Therefore you should check to see if your accommodation is the same as that mentioned in this programme. If not, you must be alert at the start and end of the routes. In choosing alternative accommodation we have tried to maintain the same standards and quality. We have also tried to stay in the same towns and villages, in order to change routes as little as possible.

Activity characteristics
The length of the walks varies between 7 and 14 kilometres. The maximum variety in height is 900 metres. Most of the routes are well marked. You will be out walking between 3 and 7 hours a day, not including the breaks you take.
The Cinque Terre National Park wardens try to keep all of the paths open throughout the year, however heavy rains and summer fires can cause temporary closure of certain stretches, so be sure to check with the park office in Monterosso.

Luggage transfer
Luggage transfer is included in your package; this is normally provided by the accommodation itself.
Please clearly mark all your belongings with your name and put a small note with the name of the next accommodation in order to indicate where the bags should go to next (check your accommodation list). Ask also the accommodation owner where the bags should be left in the morning. Labelling your belongings prevents mix ups, delays and loss.
Bags should be ready and at the reception or store room by 9:00 hrs. If you are unable to walk, you can always ask, if the luggage transporter can take you with him when transporting your baggage, but this is not always possible and sometimes you have to pay a small fee locally. In some countries there are special insurances for transporting peoples and sometimes the car is not suited for transporting persons.
When you travel with public transport you always take your luggage with you.

A note on our self guided adventures
Self guided walking or cycling requires individuals to use problem solving skills, be adaptable and have a keen eye. It is recommended that you are comfortable map reading, referring to route notes and that you have a good sense of direction (or are willing to work on improving this!) Sometimes route finding, losing your way, finding it again and asking the locals for help is all part of the adventure. If you’ve never been on a self guided trip, after the first couple of days you will get the hang of if as the vast majority of our first time travellers attest. Please be assured that our written material issued to you for route finding is updated regularly and we provide a 7day service hotline in the event of any problems. There is a certain level of the unknown that comes with self guided trips, however with a methodical approach potential problems will be averted. The freedom of a self guided trip is something that, once experienced, is sought time and time again.

Fitness preparation
The concept behind most of our trips is active holidays and the fitter you are the more easily you will adjust and enjoy yourself. This walk is graded introductory to moderate. We expect participants to take responsibility for their fitness and preparations on a consistent basis prior to departure, and INCREASE the regular weekly training schedule in the two months leading up to departure. That way, when you start walking, you will feel relaxed and comfortable and strong, having done more than sufficient preparation for the trip. You will also have more energy to enjoy the views, take photos and explore the sights in your spare time, rather than just make it to the next hotel.
During the day is when the most interesting features of interest will be found, and being fit allows you to optimize every situation you encounter. As a minimum, we recommend 40 minutes of aerobic type exercise; running, swimming, biking, hill walking, or gym work two to three times a week for two to six months leading up to your walk. Note the best training is the activity that you are actually going to be doing; walking up and down hill, and cross-country. Practice this as much as possible. Training should be stepped up as you get closer to departure, to an amount you feel appropriate (you don’t want to cause yourself an injury!). Using your gear before departure (boots, daypack, clothing, etc.) gives familiarity and comfort whilst on the walk. It makes sense to know that all your gear ‘works for you’ BEFORE departure, rather than discovering how things work or fit (or don’t!) on the trip you have invested so much in. Use the philosophy of ‘getting fit to go walking’, rather than ‘going on a walk to get fit’, to avoid problems.