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Cinque Terre - Linear Walk

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Stage
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54.0km
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5 days
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Carefully Selected
0 to 0 star accommodations
moderate
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Starting From
€1233
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Cinque Terre Linear Map
Cinque Terre is quite possibly the most beautiful coastal walk in Europe, on the most magnificent part of the Italian Riviera. The Cinque Terre are five coastal, medieval villages in the province of La Spezia: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of a national park of the same name. The Cinque Terre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 


Make the most out of it by walking from the surfing town of Levanto, and finish your journey at the very end of the peninsula in Porto Venere. When looking at the distances from our itinerary, please bear in mind the elevation. The villages are scattered around the coast and there is no lower path available.

Highlights

Vernazza

The small fishing village Vernazza is probably the most characteristic of the Cinque Terre and is classified as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Vernazza was founded about 1000 A.D. and was ruled by the Republic of Genoa starting in 1276. The medieval castle, Belforte, was built in the mid-1500’s, primarily to protect the village from pirates. The tiny port is surrounded by subtle colorful typical Ligurian houses and the charming piazza is lined with good restaurants and bars. There is a small, sandy beach in the natural harbor the Church of Santa Margherita di Antiochia. The village is surrounded by very steeply-terraced olive groves which are said to produce among the finest olive oil in the country.

Riomaggiore

Riomaggiore and other Cinque Terre towns were the inspiration for the fictional Portorosso in the 2021 animated film Luca. Riomaggiore dates back to the 7th century and thanks to its hidden and unique position it has preserved its authenticity over the centuries as well as the nature that surrounds it: an uncontaminated but shaped Mediterranean scrub, with stone terraces and dry stone walls, by the skilled hands of man. Only in the nineteenth century the village was reached by the railway, which first connected it to the other villages of the Cinque Terre and then to the rest of Italy.

Wines of the Cinque Terre

The wines of the Cinque Terre represent one of the most renowned and sought-after products, derived from the vertical slopes on the famous terracing from the skilled hands of heroic winemakers. The vine appears in the Mediterranean area and in Liguria, around the end of the 4th millennium BC In the eastern part of the Mediterranean we have traces of wine trade around 2,400 BC and in the Cinque Terre wine has always represented the main source that fed the barter, maritime trade and the livelihood of the inhabitants of the villages.

Levanto to Porto Venere
Cinque Terre - Coastal Walk
From €1233

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Included in this package
  • Bed & Breakfast
  • Specially Hand-Picked Accommodation
  • Our Holiday or Pilgrim Pack
  • 24/7 On-Call Support
  • Virtual Face-to-Face Pre-Departure Briefing
Add-On
  • Premium Accommodation
  • Airport Pick-Up
  • Additional Nights
  • Dinners
  • Luggage Transfers from Hotel to Hotel
  • Day Tours to Local Sites of Interest
Not included
  • Flights/trains
  • Insurance
  • Drinks/Lunch

Itinerary

Day 1

LEVANTO (Arrival)

Take a train to the Cinque Terre (see “How to get there”) and check into your accommodation in the town of Monterosso or Riomaggiore (depending on the option you chose). If you arrive early enough, it would be possible to complete one of the shorter walks or you could explore, rest, or go for a swim. Levanto is a very pleasant town with a long beach (sand and pebbles). 

You will notice that the buildings are different here to those of the Cinque Terre villages. Windows, balconies are painted on the walls; they look almost real from a distance. (Trompe l'oeil) This shows that Levanto was always richer than the Cinque Terre villages.


Day 2
14.8km

LEVANTO
to
CORNIGLIA

Heading south, you will follow the coast towards the spectacular peninsula of Fegina. Once you reach Punta Mesco you will have a panoramic view of the entire Cinque Terre National Park. After passing the busy town of Monterosso del Mare you will have to pay a small fee to us access the pathway. As you pass the lemon orchards, you can see the beautiful Vernazza nestled on the cliffs. Take the time to visit Church of St. Margaret of Antioch. 

You will spend the night in the next village so keep walking across the vineyards. Corniglia is surrounded on three sides by vineyards and stone terraces. Because of its size and relative inaccessibility, fewer tourists stay here, so there is more of a local feel. The terrace and the bar La Terza Terra, at the end of the main street, is definitely one of the best places to enjoy the sunset in Cinque Terre.


Day 3
7.6km

CORNIGLIA
to
RIOMAGGIORE

Have a good breakfast as you are starting your day with a lot of stairs going up until Volastra. The name Volastra comes from the expression "Vicus Oleaster", which means "the village of the olive". Later it became Oleastra, then Volastra. The origin of the name is not surprising, as Volastra lies in the middle of beautiful olive groves. Most of the Cinque Terre olive oils come from this area.

As you are walking down you will go from olive groves to vineyard. Before reaching Manarola take the time to see the city for above and be careful as the steps are getting really narrowed. The village is all ups and downs, with steep narrow alleys carrugi, leading to the sea. Enjoy some nice seafood for lunch there. You only have 1km left until your final destination, you can easily see the stairs ahead of you.

The village of Riomaggiore climbs up along the ridges overlooking the sea and it is characterized from the typical stone houses with coloured façades and slate-roofs. Stroll along the main street Via Colombo down to the sea, where a small harbor, marina, is framed by lovely pastel houses and filled with brightly coloured fishing boats.


Day 4
13.1km

RIOMAGGIORE
to
PORTO VENERE

This walk explores the remote Peninsula of Portovenere. We head south on a path going steeply uphill through extensive chestnut woodlands. Stop by Campiglia Tramonti for lunch. This traditional Ligurian village has an unusual historic feature - an old stone windmill. The stout round structure resembles one of the many Saracen watch towers that dot the coastline, but instead of being a defensive structure, it was built to support turning blades to extract groundwater. It dates to the 1600s; it has been restored and has an exhibit inside.

As you descend down to Portovenere, take a rest at Sella Derbi for a beautiful view. Portovenere, on the Gulf of Poets, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its picturesque harbour is lined with brightly coloured houses while narrow medieval streets lined with shops lead up the hill from the ancient city gate to the castle. Go by the church for a beautiful view for sunset.


Day 5

PORTO VENERE

From Portovenere, you can travel back either by seasonal ferry or by taking the bus to La Spezia and then a train to Cinque Terre You can also spend an extra night in the city and make a day excursion to Isla Palmaria.


Cinque Terre Linear Elevation

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