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The Cinque Terre
Springtime walks by the sea. Code 2022CA016_01
The trip
In 1963, National Geographic published a report by Howell Walker in the June issue entitled ‘Italian Riviera, Land that Winter Forgot’. The author suggests that the best way to visit the Cinque Terre, a place then out of this world and time, is on foot. Today many things have changed and the five villages are at the centre of global attention as a UNESCO site. But walking is still the most rewarding and, above all, sustainable choice.
The crystal clear blue of the sea, the bright green of the typical Ligurian stripes and the intoxicating scent of the Mediterranean vegetation. Between Portovenere and Levanto, the mountains plunge into the clear water with a high, rugged coastline, devoid of inlets and dotted with rocks. A place of wild beauty, the coast of Tramonti and the Cinque Terre has been inhabited and cultivated since ancient times. Its mule tracks and paths are known throughout the world and, like the whole area, are protected by Unesco. In four days we will explore at a slow pace some of the famous paths, but above all the lesser known ones, and for this reason more exciting. We will discover the sanctuaries on the coast, the terraced vineyards, the surprising wilderness of Punta Mesco and, of course, the famous villages nestled at the mouths of so many streams. Always with a view of the deep, clear, cobalt blue sea. We will walk along a short stretch of the route that from Luni follows the entire Ligurian coast on sheep tracks and “creuze”, until it connects with the Provençal stretch of the path to Santiago.
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Departure: La Spezia, in front of the Central train station, around 12 noon. Frequent trains on the Genoa-Ventimiglia and Parma-La Spezia (Pontremolese) lines.
Arrival: Levanto, FS railway station, approx. 2pm. Regional and Intercity trains from about 3pm.
Highlights:
- The view of the sea and the Cinque Terre coastline from the sanctuary of Montenero.
- Watching the sun set over the sea among the vineyards of Tramonti
- Waking up in Corniglia, the most secluded of the Cinque Terre
Guide: Roberta Ferraris, GAE guide Piedmont region
Degree of difficulty: medium
The itinerary: itinerant journey, with possibility of luggage transport. It is possible to walk on paths and mule tracks, with a considerable difference in height. It is essential to be used to walking in the mountains and to have good training. Various transfers with the comfortable trains of the Sestri Levante - La Spezia line.
Flavours and products: excellent wines to accompany traditional Ligurian dishes: trofie with pesto, octopus with potatoes, anchovies in white sauce, mes-ciua, among the best known. Don’t miss the street food: farinata and mixed fried fish and vegetables in foil.
Territory, society and environment: you cannot get to know the Spezian Riviera except on foot. This is an extremely fragile territory, where the agricultural landscape of terraced vineyards, created by man over a thousand years of work, can only be handed down to posterity if traditional crops are preserved, at least in part. We will get to know some virtuous realities, which bet on the products of the land and on the advanced tourism of those who go on foot.
Day 1 From Portovenere to Campiglia. We cross the magnificent coast of Tramonti, passing through Campiglia. Vineyards and saffron cultivations alternate with shady woods. Memorable views of the islands of Palmaria and Tino and the limestone cliffs of Muzzerone. (8.8 km, 3h30 walk, difference in altitude 550 m uphill, 210 m downhill).
Day 2 From Campiglia to Volastra. We overlook the Cinque Terre, visiting Riomaggiore and Manarola. The scenic trail that climbs to Monte delle Tre Croci takes us through the olive groves of Volastra. (8 km, 3 hours walk, difference in altitude 510 m uphill, 520 m downhill).
Day 3 From Volastra to Corniglia. We follow a path halfway up the hillside through the vineyards, one of the most beautiful in the Cinque Terre. We visit Corniglia and take a train to Monterosso. In the afternoon, we walk along the Sentiero Verde Azzurro (Green Blue Trail), stopping in Vernazza and returning to the eagle’s nest in Corniglia, where we spend the night. (12 km, 4h30 walk, difference in altitude 430 m uphill, 800 m downhill).
Day 4 From Corniglia to Levanto. We take the train to Monterosso, to tackle the climb to Punta del Mesco and the Romanesque hermitage of Sant’Antonio, a resting place for pilgrims. Visit to the Case Lovara farm, to admire the vegetable gardens recovered by the FAI. (7 km, 3 hours’ walk, difference in altitude 400 m uphill, 400 m downhill).
Trip details
Destination:
Liguria - Cinque Terre
Duration:
4 days, 3 nights
Period:
24 March to 27 March 2022
Minimum participants: 6
Maximum participants: 15
Included:
- Overnight stay and breakfast
- 3 dinners
- Transfer as per programme
- Guide GAE Piedmont region - Roberta Ferraris - web-site - Facebook
- Medical and Baggage Insurance including Covid-19 and cancellation coverage
- Video call to present the excursion
- A nice gift
Not included:
Anything not specified in “included in the offer”.
Extras:
- Possibility of requesting a transfer
- Possibility of requesting luggage transport
- Single supplement € 25,00 per day in the facilities where this is possible
Insurance:
Medical Baggage Insurance including Covid-19 and cancellation cover
Price per person: from € 529.00 per person from 6 to 9 participants; from € 455.00 per person from 10 to 15 participants
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