Cinque Terre Walk

Duration: 7 Days/6 Nights
Departures 2012: May 13, May 27, June 3, June 17, Sept 2, Sept 9, Sept 23 and Oct 7
Departing from: Santa Margherita Ligure, 2.30 p.m. on Sunday, Day 1
Tour finishes: La Spezia train station, 10 a.m. Saturday, Day 7
Price 2012: $3,199 USD per person based on double occupancy.
 
 
Our trip starts in Santa Margherita Ligure, where we spend two nights at the three-star Hotel Jolanda. We walk isolated cliff-side paths that provide stunning views over the Golfo di Tigullio. Sights include the 12th century Abbey of San Fruttuoso nestled below in a blue bay and the pastel-colored houses of Portofino.

Day 1 – Sunday: Arrive in Santa Margherita and transfer to our hotel on your own. Santa Margherita, known for its orange blossoms and beach-front promenade, is a lovely coastal town on the Ligurian Sea approximately twenty miles southeast of Genoa. Please plan to arrive early in the day, as you will be meeting your trip leader and traveling companions at 2:30 p.m. for a 2 hour warm-up hike to Portofino .  Our pick-up time of 14:30 means that you can depart Rome or Milan this morning and arrive in Santa Margherita in time for the hike. If you wish to arrive a day early please let us know and we can book an extra night for you at our trip hotel. Hotel and Dinner included.

Day 2 – Monday: After breakfast we begin our first full day of hiking along dramatic seaside cliffs, from Camogli to Portofino. Along the way enjoy a swim and look back onto the 13th century Abbey of San Fruttuoso. Our hike ends amongst the pastel-colored houses and gleaming super-yachts which decorate the harbor of Portofino.  Overnight Santa Margherita. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

Day 3 – Tuesday: We transfer by train this morning (your luggage is transferred separately) to Monterosso a Mare, the first of the famed “Cinque Terre” villages. Our hike takes us along the ancient footpath joining the five villages of the Cinque Terre: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and finally to Riomaggiore.  The path is well marked, so you can go at your own pace, enjoy the breathtaking views and have time to explore the villages. Indeed, if you have had enough hiking and find yourself happily lost in a sunny piazza overlooking the sea, your guides can help you get a train or ferry back to Levanto at your leisure. The walk ends in Riomaggiore. We usually all take the train back together to Levanto and check into the hotel Villa Stella Maris or Villa Margherita. The first is a Liberty Villa located in the heart of the old town, the other is also a Liberty Villa perched on a bluff overlooking the sea.  Meet up for a tasting of regional wines and local produce before dinner. Overnight Levanto. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included. ( May 13, May 27, Sept 23 & Oct 7 at  the Villa Stella Maris. June 3, June 17, Sept 2 & Sept 9 at the Villa Margherita.)
Day 4 – Wednesday: We leave Levanto on foot today and walk to Monterosso. The walk takes us gradually up and over a peninsula, rewarding us first with fine views over Levanto’s medieval walls and and tiled roofs, and eventually the whole stretch of the Cinque Terre coast is laid out before us. We arrive in Monterosso in the early afternoon so you have plenty of time to discover this little village. Return to Levanto by train or ferry. Once back in Levanto you can enjoy a swim at the sandy beach or relax in the villa’s garden, or wander through the quaint streets to find a pleasant cafe where you can watch the world go by.  Tonight we have a casual and fun cooking demonstration before dinner. Overnight Levanto. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

Day 5 – Thursday: Today’s destination is  Portovenere. Our walk takes us past a medieval sanctuary and finally down past the Genoese fortress that once protected Portovenere from marauding corsair pirates. We check into our hotel in late afternoon and have some free time to explore the cobbled streets and narrow alleys of this picturesque seaside village. Dramatic cliffs plunge into the blue waters of the Mediterranean in a setting so beautiful that Byron, Shelly, and D.H. Lawrence all fell to its charms. Check into your hotel (either the hotel Belvedere or the Paradiso, depending on the departure) and then head out on your own tonight for a “free night” dinner.  Overnight Portovenere. Hotel and breakfast included. Dinner not included.

Day 6 – Friday: Our final day starts with a boat ride around Palmaria Island to the smaller islands of Tino and Tinetto. Both islands and Portovenere itself were elected UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1997 for their beauty and historical importance. We then walk around the island on a wooded path, passing marble quarries, a neolithic cave, and abandoned Napoleonic and WWII fortifications.  We’ll return to Portovenere mid-afternoon and have some free time before dinner to explore the village or go for a swim in the “Poet’s Grotto.” Tonight we’ll drink a toast to our lovely week together, then enjoy a final dinner together. Overnight Portovenere. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included

Day 7 – Saturday: After breakfast, the tour ends with a transfer to the La Spezia train station, arriving around 9:45 a.m. Please do not schedule rail departures prior to 10:00 a.m. Breakfast included.

See all our tours by DESTINATION and ACTIVITY
See all our tours by date: TOUR CALENDAR 2012

The walks in the Cinque Terre, though not long in terms of distance, can be strenuous at times as we ascend and descend steep paths or stone stairways that have been used for years to link the villages of the region. We have designed the trip so that there is always some free time in the late afternoon so you can relax, read, or have a dip in the sea. Breakfast is included every day, and dinners reflect the excellent traditional food of the region. Daily distance between 8 and 14 kms.

Useful Links

City of Portofino: website in English from the gem of the Italian Riviera
Gulf of Tigullio: some background on this park around Portofino
San Fruttuoso: interesting site on this beautiful abbey
Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre:  basic information on the park and villages
UNESCO World Heritage Site: check out all the wonderful places in Italy!

 General Information

Qualifications: This trip is rated moderate with some challenging climbs. Each day’s walk starts at sea level and climbs as high as 500 meters (1,500 feet) before returning to sea level. This means there are some long sustained uphills and downhills. Note also that people who suffer from severe vertigo may be affected on some stretches of the trail as we often have wide-open vistas over the sea. Trip Cost Includes: All accommodations in superior 3 star properties (2 nights Santa Margherita, 2 nights Levanto, 2 nights Portovenere); 6 breakfasts and 5 dinners; bilingual guide or guides; all luggage transfers; scheduled train and boat transfers as indicated in the itinerary, and final transfer to La Spezia train station. Getting there (this will redirect you to our “Getting to the Trip” page) Booking: e-mail us to receive a booking contract (or use the “Reservation” page). Insurance: We highly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance. We recommend “Travel Guard” to our American clients, just click on the logo below, while Canadian residents can click here. Australian, New Zealander, and British travelers, please consult your insurance brokers. We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime!