Our tours / Liguria

Cinque Terre & the Ligurian Coast

The northern coastal region of Liguria has a rich history, from the naval power of Genoa to the Roman settlements of Portofino and Portovenere, and it’s also one of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe. Add to all of that the culinary delights of pesto, focaccia, fresh seafood, and Vermentino wines and you’ve got a winning combination!
Duration: 6 nights / 7 days
Dates: Available upon request, contact us for details
Trip starts/ends: Genoa / La Spezia train station
Activity level: 3+ moderate: More sustained hills, steeper grades, very rocky terrain [more info]
Group size: min 4 - max 14

Highlights

  • guided walk in Genoa
  • 5 guided walks along the Ligurian Coast
  • visit of the Cinque Terre villages
  • wine tasting with a sommelier at a local producer
  • boat ride along the Cinque Terre Coast
  • 6 nights in charming accommodations

Trip price includes

  • 6 nights accommodation in 3 and 4 star hotels
  • 5 dinners, 1 lunch and all breakfasts
  • 1 ferry ride along the Cinque Terre coast
  • 2-days Cinque Terre park entrance
  • all other visits and transfers as per itinerary

Not included

  • 5 lunches and 1 dinner
  • drinks other than water at meals
  • activities not listed in the itinerary

ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival in Genoa
Make your way independently to Genoa, one of Italy’s most fascinating cities. For  centuries it was one of the most powerful maritime republics in Italy and its fleet  controlled territory from Corsica to Crete. Check into your hotel and enjoy dinner on  your own tonight to allow for a relaxed first evening. Overnight Genoa. Dinner not included.

 

Days 2-3: Camogli and the Gulf of Tigullio
Discover the fascinating history of Genoa on a guided visit this morning and then head out for a lovely walk along the coast. Eventually we transfer by train to the colorful fishing port of Camogli, which is famous for the painted trompe l’oeil facades on the houses. On our second day we fortify ourselves with an extra coffee and one of the town’s famous rum balls before  setting off on a challenging hike around the promontory that separates quiet Camogli  from elegant Portofino. We climb through verdant forests of oak and chestnut before  descending down to a tiny cove that shelters the monastery of San Fruttuoso and a  lovely pebble beach. From there you can continue to hike or else hop a ferry over to  Portofino, whose small harbor attracts some of the swankiest yachts in the world.  Return to Camogli by ferry or else continue by water taxi to the seaside town of Santa  Margherita before returning to Camogli by train. We dine together tonight at a local trattoria. Overnight Camogli.

 

Days 4-6: The Villages of the Cinque Terre and the “Port of Venus”
For the next three days we hike and explore the towns of the famed “Cinque Terre,” five villages that are tucked into tiny crags and bays along the coast. For centuries they eked out a living on fishing and wine, but in the last 25 years they’ve become one of the most visited destinations in Italy. We stay 3 nights in the largest of the towns so you can see it with fewer tourists once the day-trippers leave. We have glorious (and challenging!) hikes every day that begin with steep rocky steps before flatter trails that curve around the coast before dropping down into the next village. Any of the walks can be traded for easier options as there are trains and ferries that connect all of the towns. Our final hike goes over to beautiful Portovenere. Named after the Goddess of Love  (Venere = Venus in Latin), this narrow strip of houses began as a Roman enclave and  eventually became one of Genoa’s most important fortresses; but it was the town’s  beauty that eventually captivated visitors like Lord Byron and D.H. Lawrence, both of  whom lived in the area. 3 nights in Monterosso.


Day 7: Tour Ends
We offer one group transfer to the La Spezia train station for connections back to Genoa or on to Rome, Florence or Milan.


Getting there and away: You can fly directly into the Genoa airport, which has some connections to European hubs, or take a train from Rome or Milan. La Spezia is an hour from Pisa by train and from there you can connect to the rest of Italy.

from €2,800
[info on prices]

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Activity Levels

Some tours have a range of activity levels through the week, where some walks may be more challenging than others, but this will give you a general idea of the type of walking/hiking involved on your tour.

1 – EASY: City walking, all or mostly paved, minimal climbing
2 – GENTLE: Moderate hills & easy terrain
3 – MODERATE: Some sustained hills with occasional steep grades on a mix of terrains
4 – HIKE: Classic hiking with rough/rocky terrain, sustained hills, and longer mileage
5 – CHALLENGING: Challenging hiking with steep climbs and descents over rocky terrain and some longer mileage

See below for more detail:

1 – EASY: City walking, all or mostly paved, with minimal climbing (though some cities may have steeper inclines). Archaeological sites may be unpaved but the grades and difficulty level is easy. TOURS: Sicily Coast-to-Coast and any “light active” version of a tour

2 – GENTLE: Moderate hills & easy terrain
The terrain is easy to navigate with packed earth or gravel roads. There are some climbs but nothing too challenging. TOURS: Tuscany, Puglia, Provence
[2+ The “plus” indicates more challenging terrain though the walks are gentle].

3 – MODERATE: Some sustained hills with occasional steep grades and rocky terrain
Here you find a mix of terrain with some steep stretches.
TOURS: Corsica, Sardinia, some of the Dolomites tours, and some hikes on the Greek Islands
[3+ The plus indicates rockier terrain or lots of stone steps (Amalfi, the Cinque Terre) or greater elevation gain/loss (the Dolomites)].

4 — HIKE: Classical hiking with rough terrain, sustained hills, and more mileage. These hikes are on a mix of rough terrain, sometimes involving steep stretches and difficult footing. TOURS: some of our hikes in Sardinia, some of the days in the Cinque Terre, some of the variants of our Dolomites tours.

5 – CHALLENGING: Longer days, challenging climbs, rocky terrain. We don’t do a lot of seriously challenging tours but we do have a Dolomites trip where we hike from hut to hut, so that’s probably the closest we get to a 5.

Info on prices

The price indicated is for a minimum of 6 people and our basic itinerary based on double occupancy (a “single supplement” covers hotel prices only, we apply no extra fees). Departures with fewer people or with upgraded hotels will have a higher price. We can organize private departures for any number of people but prices vary depending on number of participants. Please contact us for details!