cinque-terre-cinque-terre-villages

Self-guided

Hiking

lvl. 2 to 3
Confort
Appli Mon Roadbook
Hotel
Day-hikes
Réf : E68V
6 days from 795 € Book / Enquire

Our trip


  • Discover Cinque Terre italian National Park.
  • Scenic villages with terraced gardens.
  • Enjoy local wine, limoncello, italian food and creamy gelato
  • Depending on the season, the possibility of a boat excursion to enjoy the views from the sea.
  • Accommodations are ideally placed in the most accessible village of Cinque Terre

This trip offers you the keys to taste the "italian dolce Vita". Hike village to village among olive trees and vineyards in a site classified as World Heritage: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore, but even more Portovenere or Portofino !  Discover all these old colorful fishermen's villages, lively, perched above the sea and enjoy the local specialities. You stay in a 3-star hotel in Levanto, the perfect starting-point for visiting the picturesque villages of Cinque Terre.

Your choice of lodging + Meals

Hotel From March to October

Hotel From March to October

Half board From 795 €* Book / Enquire Devis

Are you looking for a singular experience with family, friends, colleagues, or a club, organized and led by one of our professional mountain guides?

Travel with a guide

* Price based on 4-person group

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Itinerary

Hiking : a relatively accessible activity, hiking offers the opportunity to explore a country or a region up close, on foot, and to meet and mingle with the locals. On a traverse or loop, whatever your skill level, embark on one of our through-hikes to immerse yourself in the natural wonders of the great outdoors.

Level 2: An average of 4 to 5 hours of hiking per day on a well-marked hilly path or trail.

Level 3: An average of 4 to 5 hours of hiking per day on well-marked trails and/or 600 to 800 meters of vertical gain, and/or distances up to 15 kilometers.

Mon Roadbook app: designed for the self-guided trips, "Mon Roadbook" travel assistant guides you throughout your journey via a mobile application to download on your smartphone.
Duration : 6 days
Luggage transfers : Only your day pack
Lodging : Hotel
Guiding : Self guided
Group : Minimum 2 persons
Season : From March to October

Day by day

Day 1

Welcome to Levanto

Lodging : hotel. Included meals : dinner. Meals not included : breakfast, lunch.

Welcome to Levanto!

Levanto is a famous seaside resort located in a magnificent bay enclosed on the east by the promontory of Mesco. After checking in at the hotel try a scenic walk into the old historical center or enjoy the sunset on the sandy beach!

Day 2

Levanto - Monterosso - Vernazza

Ascent : 600 m. Descent : 600 m. Hiking : 4 hrs 30min.
Lodging : hotel. Included meals : breakfast, dinner. Meals not included : lunch.

On foot from the hotel you will first join the beach before starting the ascent to the Punta Mesco. The itinerary offers really nice views and after the pass you'll see the Cinque Terre villages that you will visit through over the coming days.
Take time exploring the village of Monterosso before to leave to Vernazza. The steps are not so easy but the seascape views are wonderfull. The arrival above Vernazza is one of the most beautiful landscape of Cinque Terre. The small  fishing village of Vernazza is the most characteristic one.

Day 3

Corniglia - Manarola - Riomaggiore

Ascent : 600 m. Descent : 600 m
Lodging : hotel. Included meals : breakfast, dinner. Meals not included : lunch. Transfer : train.
In the heart of Cinque Terre, you discover Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.
Corniglia  differs from the other old villages of the Cinque Terre by virtue of its rural character and the way its houses have been built in rows. These houses are not at the water's edge but on a steep and inaccessible headland, 100 metres above the sea. From this viewpoint over the sea you can see dolphins and the different villages of the Cinque Terre.
Manarola, built on a high rock 70 metres above sea level, is one of the most charming and romantic of the Cinque Terre villages. The tiny harbor features a boat ramp, a tiny piazza and picturesque multicoloured houses facing the sea.
Riomaggiore ends the bay of Cinqueterre. Few years ago it was link to Manarola by the "Via dell Amore" known for the romantic atmosphere. Sadly, this path is closed following a landslide.
Day 4

Portofino

Ascent : 480 m. Descent : 480 m. Hiking : 4 hrs 30 min.
Lodging : hotel. Included meals : breakfast, dinner. Meals not included : lunch. Transfer : train - bus.
Today you'll experience the beauty of Portofino, an exclusive seaside village, situated  one hour away from the Cinque Terre. This jewel of the Italian Riviera was the favorite of the rich and famous during its 1950s heyday.
Depending on the chosen  itinerary you will discover  the abbey of San Fruttuoso, hidden in a cove of turquoise waters, accessible only on foot or by boat. 
Enjoy walking along a beautiful balcony trail with wonderful views, shade among the local pines, and other flowery sights and smells.

Day 5

Riomagiore - Portovenere

Ascent : 680 m. Descent : 680 m. Hiking : 5 hrs 30 min.
Lodging : hotel. Included meals : breakfast, dinner. Meals not included : lunch. Transfer : train - bus - bateau.

To begin the final walk take the train back to Riomaggiore to walk out of Cinque Terre. Portovenere is another UNESCO world heritage. Grouped on the mountainside the colorful houses open a way to the black and white stripped gothic Church of san Peter. From here, you can see the cave from where Lord Byron wrote some of its poems !

The itinerary is a long one from Riomaggiore. The ascent to Campiglia is rough and the descend some steepy. but the landscape is beautiful ! There is an alternative to this hard route, the tour of Palmaria, a small island in front of Portovenere.
To end this trip in the best possible way go back to Levanto with the boat! From the sea the view of the Cinqueterre villages is breathtaking!

Day 6

Onward travel from Levanto

Included meals : breakfast. Meals not included : lunch, dinner.
Your stay ends after breakfast, but according to the time you have and your wishes, you can choose one of the walks we offer.
NB : no boat in March and November
If there is a clear and elevated risk, we reserve the right to: Reinforce our guide team (for guided trips), Modify the itinerary for our tours, Place a tour or destination on hiatus for an extended period of time when we consider the level of risk to be too high. Your safety and your enjoyment are our priority.

Pricing

Prices (incl. taxes) from march to october 2023

Hotel
Price per person		Half board
Low seasonPeak season
2 people 1 double room825 €875 €
3 people 1 room with 3 beds815 €865 €
4 people 2 double rooms795 €840 €
5 people 1 double room, 1 room with 3 beds810 €860 €
6 people 3 double rooms805 €855 €
  • Low season : From 05 June 2023 to 09 June 2023, from 15 September 2023 to 31 October 2023
  • Peak season : From 28 May 2023 to 04 June 2023, from 10 June 2023 to 14 September 2023

Pricing

The price includes / does not include

The price includes
— 5 nights in a 3-star hotel (local rating system), in a double bedroom.
— Breakfast from day 2 to day 6.
— Dinners from day 1 to day 5.
— A guidebook and a Italian map (1 per 2 to 4 persons).
— Access to the new mobile phone application (including GPS guidance).
— Free outdoor parking at the hotel for the duration of your stay (except on day 6).
— Fees for organizing the trip.
—  Emergency hotline 24/7.

The price does not include
— Transportation to the meeting point at the start of the trip and from the point where the trip officially ends.
— Insurance for trip cancellation/interruption, lost/stolen baggage, or assistance.
— For reservations made less than 15 days before the start, all additional fees for priority processing.
— An additional information pack send to the first hotel (€40).
— Anything that is not specified in the "included in the price" list.

Other expenses
— Lunches,drinks, and personal expenses.
— The access pass for local trains and access to park trails (€7.5 to €16.5 / person / day).
— The sea ferry trip from Portovenere to Levanto (€22 in 2022).
— Local occupancy taxes (about €4.50 per person for the entire stay, to pay there).

Currencies

France and Italy are part of the Euro zone. You may find ATMs easily in the main cities and towns.
Better to have cash in the most remote areas to purchase extras (ex.: for drinks). Huts do not always accept credit cards.

Access

Access

By plane and train

The nearest airports are Pisa and Genoa :

Pisa Airport: www.pisa-airport.com
There are low-cost flights from Paris to Pisa. Pisa airport is 110 km from Cinque Terre.
The train station is right near the airport, and trains from there can take you all the way to Levanto.
Trains from Pisa's main station run to Levanto and Cinque Terre (some trains are direct; in other cases you have to change in La Spezia). It costs about €9 to €20 per person, depending on how quick the train is. The trip takes between 1 and 2 hours.

Genoa Airport: www.airport.genova.it
Go from Genoa Airport to the main train station (la Stazione Piazza Principe de Genova) and take the train to Cinque Terre: the center of Genoa is 6km from the airport and the main train stations connect to the airport via local city AMT buses. Service 100 for the Volabus shuttle (VOLABUS LINEA 100) will take you to the train stations of Genova Piazza Principe, the city center, and Genoa Brignole very quickly. Departures are every 20 or 30 minutes, starting at 5:30 p.m. - the time of the first departure to Brignole Station - to 11:45 p.m.; this is the last shuttle departure from the airport. Allow at least one hour to be on the safe side: there may traffic, since Italian train stations are usually located in town centers. Please note, this station is not the final stop. This stop is also called Piazza Acquaverde (stazione FS principale = main station). For Levanto, there are more direct trains from Genoa. Service is a frequent if you do not arrive too late in the day.

Taxis: Between Genoa airport and the stazione FS Principe (main station), the official fares are €8 per person (minimum 2 clients). It costs €15 for one person. There is a surcharge on Sundays, public holidays, and at night.

All fares provide are for information purposes only. Please check for exact fares right before you travel.

By car
First you have to reach Genoa. Continue then direction south ( Livorno). Exit from the motorway in Carodano Levanto, turn left towards Levanto and follow the main road for about 10km. When you get into Levanto, follow the signs for the town center and pass in front of the train station parking lot, which is on your right. Then pass under the railway. Ignore the main entrance to the train station on your right and continue towards the main intersection (about 150 m), still heading towards the city center. Continue straight, and then take the road on the right; signs with the hotel name indicate the route to follow.

During your trip

Our team

— The hotel team will be very hepful. It will help for any information, how buy train tickets, passes for trails, tickets for the boat.

In this national park, you will use train, bus and boat. Your car will stay at the hotel. Cinque Terre National Park has required fees for people who want to hike certain trails (€7.5 per day). The purpose is to pay for trail maintenance and safety, especially on the steeper, more exposed sections. The permit system covers you for 1 or 2 days, provides unlimited access to the trails, electric minibuses, and to local trains. However, it may not always be clear which of these permits you should buy, since it depends on your holiday program. We recommend that you do a little homework beforehand to figure out the most cost-effective way to pay for return train trips and for the trails. Study the train timetables carefully. Trains run on time, but the timetables vary according to the time of the year and day of the week. We highly recommend that you check all the timetables you will need for your week's stay as soon as you arrive in Levanto.

Lodging

In a 3-star hotel (local rating system) in double or twin room,  located in Levanto.Rooms with private bathroom. No sea view.

Private parking, except on day 6 (you have to check out room and parking lot in the same time). If you want to stay in Levanto you will have to pay 10 € / day to park the car (directly at the hotel!)

Single room: Subject to availability at the time of your registration, you can book a single room with a supplement. The single rooms are a double room for single room (DUS).

Meals

— Breakfasts an dinners are included in our offer.
— Lunches, drinks, including water, are not included.


For lunches it is easy  to stop in the villages and shop in the small grocery stores, which are full of local products, or to make a gourmet stop in a restaurant. You must try the marinated anchovies, the octopus salads, the pesto, the schiacchetra wines...

Luggage transfer

Walks start and finish at the same point every day. You only need to carry a small pack with the things you will need for the day, plus a picnic lunch.

Trails

The overall vertical gain and drop per day is always reasonable. However, due to the region's rugged terrain, each hike includes several uphill and downhill sections, often on steep stairs and balcony trails interspersed with views of the ever-present sea. An average day's walk takes from 4.5 to 5 hours.

 

Itineraries

On self-guided trips, you are responsible for knowing how to read a map and use a compass. The roadbook and "Mont Roadbook app" we provide at the beginning offers a few additional details. For each stage, make sure you check the latest information on trail conditions; the manager at your accommodations should also be able to provide you with up-to-date information if you ask. 

Activities

— Due to the inclement weather some hiking trails may be impacted during the season. We will keep you informed of any changes in addition to the alternate trails listed in your guide book.
— Boat transfers are optional and based on weather conditions and boat availability (no boats are available before April and after October).
— Swimming may be possible during certain times of your trip but at your own risk.

Required before leaving

Health

Some tips for staying healthy:
Tap water is mostly good for drinking all other the Alps. Unless notified as not, you can consider it as drinkable. Even if they are recyclable we request you consider the waste impact of your bottles.
Your hands are perhaps your biggest enemy in terms of your health as they get very dirty during the day. Wash your hands before every meal or snack. People often think they get sick from the food, but it's far more likely they forgot to wash their hands!

During the trek, don't try to overpass your strength and walk too high, too quickly! Keep a regular pace and take time to enjoy the view while walking.
Listen to your guide and take their advice as they are trained to look after your safety.

If you have any special dietary requirements, please advise us when booking your trek so that we can cater for you. Note: sometimes not all dietary requirements are able to be met, but please inform us and we will certainly do our best! 

Recommended vaccinations

Please check to make sure that all your vaccinations are current: DPT, whooping cough, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, hepatitis A and B.

Dentist and general physician

We recommend a checkup with both before leaving on your trip.

Getting ready

Physical fitness level 2

To take full advantage of your trip, make sure that you stay in good shape by walking or hiking at least twice per week (12km to 15km).

Physical fitness level 3

To take full advantage of your trip, make sure that you stay in good shape by walking or hiking least once per week (around 15km) on a trail with considerable vertical gain (250m/hr) or by participating in a moderately intense athletic activity for 1 to 1.5hrs.

Your first aid kit

For the medication and pain relievers listed below, we recommend that you check with your doctor beforehand, adding what you need based on personal requirements and the specificities of your trip.

  • An analgesic.
  • An anti-inflammatory (pills or gels).
  • A broad-spectrum antibiotic.
  • An antispasmodic, anti-diarrheal tablets, an intestinal antibiotic, and an antiemetic (for nausea or vomiting).
  •  Cough medicine (in tablet or pill form).
  • A disinfectant, band aids (several sizes), mole skin, sterile compresses, medical tape, Steri-Strips, non-stick bandages, and an elastic bandage.
  • An antiseptic.
  • A phlebotonic.
  • Sunscreen and a burn cream.
  • Eye drops.
  • Other: tweezers, scissors, 2 or 3 safety pins, a tick remover, a pair of latex gloves, sleeping pills (mild) and/or earplugs, any personal medication. See the paragraph on “Health” for indications on specific medications for altitude sickness, malaria, etc.
  • Iodine or other similar tablets to purify water.

Safety

The Mont Blanc Experience promise

No region in the world is 100% safe and without danger.

Mont Blanc Experience keeps you informed and is fully transparent when it comes to the potential risks. We gather security risk information from multiple sources: in-house research, monitoring specialized websites, meetings with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "safety and security" trips in the field, constant contact with our regional specialists, local teams on the ground, and France's travel agency federation.

Nevertheless, it is important to keep in mind that we cannot make any decisions for you.

If there is a clear and elevated risk, we reserve the right to:

— Reinforce our guide team (for guided trips).
— Modify the itinerary for our tours.
— Place a tour or destination on hiatus for an extended period of time when we consider the level of risk to be too high.

Your safety and your enjoyment are our priority.

Extend your trip

Additional nights

Vous pouvez réserver des nuits supplémentaires avant ou après votre voyage.
  • Levanto
    • Hotel 3 star : from 95 to 155 € (depending on the season and / or service chosen)
      • Double room, single room, twin room
      • B&b or half-board
Price per person