The Cinque Terre’s Paths

Large part of the Cinque Terre’s tourist success is due to their paths and walks which curve round the coast or reach the sanctuaries above each village. The view is breath-taking and anybody can enjoy them: young or old. One can return from these hikes using public transport, like the train, the ferryboat or the bus. One needs only minimum equipment: shoes with anti-slippery sole, long trousers, to protect oneself from the thorn bushes, some water and according to the season, a large straw hat or a sports jacket. And to end the day a relaxing, invigorating dive in the water. All in all this is the ideal marriage of sea and mountain.

The High Path (n 1 CAI)

This is known as the Cinque Terre's High Road or La Spezia's C.A.I.'s n°1 path: a footpath that begins in Portovenere and ends in Levanto. It begins at sea level (Portovenere) and reaches a height of 800 metres to then descend again to sea level (Levanto).

It is forty or so kilometres long and one needs ten hours to complete it and, though it is tiring, anybody can do it. By following the ridge one never reaches the summits so there are no difficult climbs and descents, only gentle slopes, which look over the sea. Because of this, some stretches are made up of dirt tracks and tarmac roads. Only experienced trekkers should attempt to complete the walk in one day, the others are advised to programme stops along the way.

It is possible to sleep overnight at Campiglia, at Colle del Telegrafo, at the farmhouse in the Pavi locality, at the Nostra Signora di Soviore Sanctuary and at the Colle di Gritta, while you can eat at the Nostra Signora di Montenero Sanctuary. The overall height difference is about 1,300 metres. The walk is usually split into six legs even though there are numerous alternatives thanks to the many paths that cross or spin off the main path, which is marked by a white stripe and a red stripe. It's considerable a light mountain path, thus one must wear trekking shoes and sportswear; also it must be taken with the right attention.

Last note: the path is described starting from Portovenere; however it's recommendable to take it from Levanto, since from this side the ascent is slightly smoother.

Info:

Pro Loco Porto Venere

Piazza Bastreri, 7 - 19025 Porto Venere (SP)

Tel. 0187.790691 - Fax 0187.790215

info@portovenere.it

www.portovenere.it

The Blue Path (n 2 CAI)

This is the most famous and spectacular path. It was made, over the centuries, by those who used it to move from one village to another and in many parts it is a mule track. Although anybody can take the walk one must remember that the ground can be slippery and, in places, the path is steep and narrow. Take care. The path from Riomaggiore to Monterosso is 12 km long and reaches a height of 200 metres at Prevo, a small but interesting locality near Vernazza. The itinerary is mostly made up of paths (8 km), and mule tracks (2 km) while the remaining kilometres are made up of the Via dell'Amore and streets inside the villages. This is the La Spezia's C.A.I. n°2 path but is best known as the 'sentiero azzurro' (sky-blue path). The entire itinerary is marked by a white stripe and sky-blue stripe. Besides the Via dell'Amore which dates back to the Thirties, the path is ancient and was well-known at the time of the Republic of Genoa, when Vernazza was the main docking bay of the area. It takes five hours to complete the path, which has a difference in height between the lowest and highest point of five hundred metres. Remember that the estimated completion time doubles if one visits the villages. Ideally, one should take a few days to do the itinerary stopping at each village.

IMPORTANT: to walk on path 2 one has to pay a ticket ( daily) of Eur 5.00/person. As alternative we suggest to purchase the "Cinque Terre Card"