5-Day Hiking Tour Itinerary
DAY 1 – Settling in
We will meet you at the train station and transfer you to your accommodations. Once you have checked in and gotten a bit refreshed, there will be an afternoon tour of the town of Levanto. After the tour, there will be an orientation meeting and getting-to-know-you session with aperitivi in a café overlooking the beach.
DAY 2 – Hike + Wine
We meet up early in the morning after breakfast in front of the Sant’Andrea Cathedral in the old city of Levanto, where Trail No. 1 begins its winding way toward Monterosso al Mare, the northernmost of the Cinque Terre. The trail runs along the Mediterranean coast, past vineyards and through pine groves, providing spectacular sea views all the way to Punta Mesco. Here we stop to take a break while admiring the panorama of all 5 of the Cinque Terre. After visiting the remains of the Church of Saint Anthony of Mesco, formerly a Medieval hermitage, we begin the descent toward the town of Monterosso. The entire hike takes us past towering Maritime Pines, the curious Irish Strawberry Tree, Wild Heather, Myrtle, Wild Fennel, and Holm Oaks.
Once we have arrived in Monterosso, we stop at a nationally-renowned winemaker to visit their vineyard and cellar, where we will have a wine-tasting and lunch prepared by the owners. After lunch, we visit the town of Monterosso before returning to Levanto by train.
Hiking time: 3 hours
Hiking difficulty: Some steep parts, especially at the beginning of the trail. Otherwise, mostly slow uphill grades.
DAY 3 – Hike + Romance
This morning we meet up at the Levanto train station and hop the train to Riomaggiore, the southernmost of the Cinque Terre. After visiting the town, we begin our hike along the “Azure Line,” the world-famous Trail No. 2 that links all five of the Cinque Terre. The first part of the trail is the “Lover’s Walk” to Manarola, a very easy 30-minute walk with unparalleled views. From Manarola we head uphill to Volastra, where we visit the Church of the Holy Mary. Then it’s back downhill past vineyards and olive groves farmed on traditional manmade terraces to Corniglia. In Corniglia we will have lunch in perhaps the most unique and traditional osteria of the entire Cinque Terre. After lunch, we continue along the coastal trail to Vernazza, stopping at the panoramic views above the beach of Guvano, accessible only from the sea.
In each town there will be time for wandering around and sightseeing before heading on to the next. Once we have visited Vernazza and taken in one last view of the coastline from its Doria Castle, we return to Levanto by train.
Hiking time: 4 hours
Hiking difficulty: The hike from Manarola to Volastra is a bit strenuous because of all the stairs, but everything else is light-going.
DAY 4 – Hike + Sea
This morning, we meet up on the beach of Levanto to head out on a boat tour of hidden bays and sea caves with our captain, Marco, a local with a profound love and understanding of the sea. He will take us to the best snorkeling spots in the Protected Waters of the Cinque Terre Marine Park, regaling us with stories about Levanto, the sea, and Ligurian traditions.
Marco will drop us off near the town of Framura, an ancient Ligurian borgo that in many ways has remained true to its traditions for centuries. Here we will stop for lunch in a working farm that serves Ligurian dishes made directly from its own produce. After lunch, we will hike past tiny hamlets toward the lovely seaside town of Bonassola, where we can taste the region’s best focaccia and relax a bit on the beach before hitting the trail back to Levanto.
Hiking time: 4 hours.
Hiking difficulty: Easy.
DAY 5 – Hike + Sanctuaries
Our rendezvous point is at the station again, where we get the train to Corniglia. We first visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Grace in San Bernardino in the trail toward Vernazza, and then turn off the main trail to take Trail 8a up to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Reggio above Vernazza, hidden from view by old-growth trees including a centuries-old oak. After exploring the Sanctuary, we continue up the trail to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Soviore high above Monterosso. We will eat in the restaurant/hostel maintained by the Sanctuary for the high number of pilgrims that visit this site, the oldest of its kind in Liguria, every year.
After lunch we hike back down to Monterosso and from there take the train to Levanto. Once in town, we will have an lesson in how olive-oil is produced plus a tasting of the oils produced in this region, considered the highest-quality oil in all of Italy. There will be other Ligurian specialities on offer as well.
Tonight we all dine together in a farewell meal in a traditional Ligurian trattoria in an even-more-typical Ligurian village situated on the top of a hill. The home-style cooking is served informally to people who come from all over Northern Italy to eat here, and it will be a fitting reminder of your time in the Cinque Terre. (And no, no more hiking today … we’ll drive you up this hill.)
Hiking time: 4 hours.
Hiking Difficulty: Only the beginning, from the train station up to the first Sanctuary. Beyond that, it is smooth sailing.
