Programme

Day 1

Arrival in Portovenere

In 1997 Portovenere, the Cinque Terre and the islands of Palmeria, Tino and Tinetto became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Portovenere, the village that was once a source of inspiration for famous writers such as Shelley and Byron, is situated on the tip of a peninsula. Its name (Portus Veneris) derives from a temple dedicated to the goddess Venus. This temple was built on the spot where we now find the church of San Pietro, consecrated in 1198. Its characteristic façade with black and white stripes (in Ligurian gothic style) dates back to the 13^th century.

Day 2

Portovenere – Riomaggiore: 6 hours
Today’s route will take you to Riomaggiore. You will pass the ‘Crinale dei Tramonti’ (ridge of sunsets) and will walk along the Muzzerrone escarpment with gorgeous views. Riomaggiore is built on terraces. The tall houses, in the typical cheerful colours used in Liguria, are narrow and three to four storeys high. They have an entrance on the ground floor and also a rear entrance on a higher floor due to the steepness of the terrain. In the upper part of the town you can admire the parish church of San Giovanni Battista, built in 1340 by the bishop of Luni, the 16^th century oratory 'dei Disciplinati' and the ruins of the 15^th - 16^th century castle.

Day 3

Riomaggiore – Corniglia: 3-4 hours
From Riomaggiore you will walk to Manarola along the famous 'Via dell’Amore', a romantic path in the shade of the spectacular cliffs, with beautiful views of the sea and the little beaches. This path, which was cut out of the rock between 1926 and 1928 to connect Riomaggiore with Manarola, forms part of the walking route 'Sentiero Azzurro’. You continue your walk to Corniglia, a quiet village (or 'borgo') located about a hundred metres above sea level, resting on top of a steep promontory and close to a hill with many vineyards. From here it is possible to admire all the other four towns of the Cinque Terre. To reach the town centre, you either climb the 'Lardarina', a long stairway consisting of 377 steps, or follow the street from the train station.  The parish church dedicated to San Pietro, built in 1334 on the site of an 11^th century chapel, is a beautiful example of the peculiar Ligurian Gothic style.

Day 4

Corniglia – Monterosso: 3-4 hours.
From Corniglia you will reach Vernazza in about 1 hour of walking. Vernazza is the only village of the Cinque Terre with a natural harbour. Steep, narrow alleys will take you to the main street, which ends on a small square in front of the harbour. After visiting Vernazza you continue your walk to Monterosso, which has a sheltered position between the surrounding hills covered with vineyards and olive groves. In this village you can enjoy the beautiful beaches, crystal-clear seawater and steep, rugged cliffs. You can relax after the day’s walk sipping a cool glass of the excellent local white wine! The old part of Monterosso has been well preserved and shows, of course, the same typical building style as the other Cinque Terre villages. Dominating Monterosso are the remains of the Castle. The church of San Francesco houses several important works of art, such as the Crucifixion attributed to Van Dyck.

Day 5

Monterosso – Levanto: 4-5 hours.
From Monterosso you climb to the promontory and lookout point of Punta Mesco, where you find the ruins of the chapel of S. Antonio Semaforo and from there you continue to Levanto. Today you will once again enjoy wonderful views across the Ligurian sea. Levanto is on the coast at the end of a valley which is thickly wooded with olive and pine trees. The ridges on either side of the valley thrust out into the sea, forming the headlands of Mesco and Levanto. The church of S. Andrea is worth a visit: it is another beautiful example of the Ligurian Gothic style with black and white stripes in marble and local serpentine. Inside the church is a chalice which belonged to Henry VIII.

Day 6

Levanto – Bonassola: 3 hours.
The first stretch of today’s walk will take you to the olive groves above Bonassola, from where you will descend to the village, which nestles in a bay surrounded by hills covered with pine trees alternated with the typical terraces of olive groves and vineyards. The oldest monuments of the town are the castle and the tower of Ardoino (16th century), the parish church of S. Caterina (17^th century) and the birthplace of Matteo Vinzoni, a famous cartographer of the 17^th century.

Day 7 

Departure after breakfast  

Period

Daily from 15th September till 15 June.

Level 2/ 3

moderate difficulty with many steep climbs along good, accessible walking paths. The terrain varies from ancient mule tracks to stone steps cut out of the hillside. Differences in altitude between sea level and 700 metres. Daily walking time is between 3 and 6 hours. Some walking experience and good physical condition are necessary.

Participants 

Minimum tow persons ( a single person on request)

Price 2012

Per person in double room    € 742,00

Supplement single room      € 150,00

On prior request 

extra nights