Liguria travel:
Cinque Terre trails

 

Corniglia from the Trail - Photo © Blaine Crowther

Cinque Terre walking trails.

C.A.I. route no.2 (Club Alpino Italiano - Italian Alpine Club)
Riomaggiore - Monterosso (Sentiero Azzurro - Blue Trail along the coast overlooking the sea)
Walking time: 5 hours

The route starts from the Railway Station square and proceeds along the Lovers' Way or "Via dell'Amore" to Manarola (30 minute-walk). From Manarola it rises slightly then levels off along a lovely bridle-path and arrives at the Corniglia Railway Station. From here it continues on to the center of the village climbing up some steep steps (1 hour). From Corniglia the route maintains more or less the same level, with some difficult points along the way and eventually drops down to Vernazza (1 hour and 30 minutes). This is where the longest and most difficult part of the pathway starts. It is important to take extra care here because of frequent landslides. Here the route reaches a height of 180 meters and goes down sharply to Monterosso, finishing near the Town Hall (2 hours).
footpath map

Riomaggiore - Photo © bianca

C.A.I. route no.3
Biassa (312 m ) - Riomaggiore
Walking time: 2 hours

The route starts in the village near the bus terminal, rises gently up through a chestnut grove and reaches the telegraph hill (516 m). From here onwards the pathway goes downhill, passing Lemmen (a small part of the village), through the Sanctuary of Montenero and along a lovely bridle-path to Riomaggiore ending at the Railway Station square.
footpath map

C.A.I. route no.01
La Foce 242 m - Riomaggiore
Walking time: 3 hours

The route starts from the road to Castu, following it up to the village then, crossing cultivated lands to Carpena (408 m). From here it passes through a chestnut grove, rising up to the "La Croce" pass after which there is a steep descent with offers a lovely view of the sea down to Riomaggiore. The route ends at the Railway Station square.
footpath map

Vernazza from the Trail

C.A.I. route no.7
Ricco del Golfo 148 m - Vernazza
Walking time: 3 hours

The trail starts from the road to Casella and follows it as far as the village. From Casella the trail enters the wood and goes up the Valle del Torrente Chiose that is crossed several times till it reaches the Sella della Cigoletta 605 m, then continues abruptly down through vineyards and dry stone walls joining route number 2 which leads to Vernazza.
footpath map

C.A.I. route no.9
Monterosso - Santuario di Soviore 464 m.
Walking time: 1 hours 30 min.

The pathway starts from the road that crosses the old part of the village and proceeds along a lovely bridle-path. It rises through olive groves, crosses the coastal ("Litoranea") road and passes the shrine Saint Mary Madeleine ("Santa Maria Maddalena"), finishing at the Sanctuary of Sovoire ("Santuario del Soviore") square.
footpath map

Resting in the Cinque Terre
Photo © Blaine Crowther

C.A.I. route no.10
Monterosso - Punta Mesco 314 m.
Walking time: 1 hours

The pathway starts from the road in front of the Railway Station.

After passing above the Sailing Club it rises through a pinewood along a bridle-path which becomes a steeply, stepped path that leads to the top of the promontory.

The path, which offers breathtaking views of the area, finishes at the church of Saint Anthony.
footpath map

MORE DIFFICULT TRAILS IN CINQUE TERRE... >>>

Cinque Terre map of trails - Click on it to enlarge.

How to get from one place to another:

Today the main communication is with the train, that runs in tunnels along the coast, and stops in every one of the five villages. In alternative there are boat services that run more frequently during the high season, while the train runs all year around.

The area was recently designated as part of the national park system and is considered a protected area, to the effect of limited development and resource usage.

If you want to walk the Cinque Terre Path, you have to buy a ticket either in one of the Tourist Information Offices or just at the beginning of the paths. In 2009 a day ticket was 3 EURO. The proceeds of the tickets are used to maintain the trails and to save the Cinque Terre from decline.
Courtesy in part of Consorzio Turistico Cinque Terre

36 Hours in the Cinque Terre, Italy, an article by the New York Times