Cinque Terre 3-day hiking tour, with Portofino option
Join Fabrice on this great hiking tour and discover the Cinque Terre, with the option of hiking to Portofino or Portovenere.
3 Days
Mar - Jun, Sep
Intermediate
Intermediate
Highlights
* Discover a unique UNESCO World Heritage Site destination in Italy
* Hike on trails with impressive vineyards terraces and amazing sea views
* Enjoy great wine and a selection of the best Italian food and local products
Description
I’d like to invite you to a fascinating hiking trip in Italy. Join me on this 3-day tour and discover the Cinque Terre, one of the most unique destinations in Italy, with the option of visiting the beautiful villages of Portofino or Portovenere.
The Cinque Terre -meaning Five Lands in Italian- is a beautiful rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera, in the Liguria region, nearby Genoa and next to Tuscany. It comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Corniglia, Vernazza, Riomaggiore and Manarola. The villages, together with the coastline and the surrounding hillsides are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and they are part of the Cinque Terre National Park.
For hundreds of years, the inhabitants of this land have built terraces on the steep, rugged terrain, right up to the cliffs overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. It is the unique landscape of the Cinque Terre that makes it so special. This is definitely a very special hiking area in Italy, with the most charming colorfull villages and stunning steep vineyards terraces. And finally, it offers an amazing mediterranean atmosphere and sea views.
I am an experienced guide and I have been guiding groups in this area for more than 14 years, coming from the French Riviera nearby where I live. I will take you to discover this region a little off the path, avoiding the crowds, as this is a very popular touristic area. During these days, I will take you to enjoy a wine tasting, to meet the local people and I will give you advice on how to get the best local Ligurian gastronomy. I can also give you a choice of good hotels or B&B to enjoy your stay.
I propose you 3 different hikes during these days. The first one takes us from Levanto to Monterosso. On the second day, we will take the azzurro (blue) trail, hiking over the seashore between Monterosso and Corniglia, and also visiting Riomaggiore. We will hike through amazing vineyard terraces right above the Meditteranean Sea, from Corniglia to Manarola, on the third day.
However, you can also choose to replace some of the hiking days by other two amazing destinations: Portofino or Portovenere.
Portofino is a famous Italian fishing village and holiday resort, with a colourful beautiful harbour and a favorite destination for celebrities and artists .It is located near the city of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. It is also possible to do a nice boat trip at any time to enjoy the Cinque Terre from the sea before or after the hike!
The other option is Portovenere, an impressive village with its big castle, thick walls and ramparts and a church built right on the cliff above the sea (the village is also Unesco Heritage Site). Hiking on the Portovenere trails is a great way to discover the natural beauty of this part of Liguria. You can check more details of the Portofino and Portovenere hikes below.
It is highly recommended to visit Cinque Terre in fall or spring, from April to June, and from September to October, as summer is usually too hot and crowded.
Please note this hiking program can be modified and shorten, depending on your physical condition, skills and things you’d like to discover. We can make it sportier or easier, according to your level and wishes. Also note train transportation is available in every village, so we can pick up a train anytime to go back to the hotel.
Don’t miss out on this great hiking trip. Send me a request, book your trip and come discover the fascinating Cinque Terre in Italy. Please note this is a 3-day trip. You could also check out my Cinque Terre 4-day hiking trip, including Portovenere. You may also want to check out other hiking tours I also guide around the French riviera, Provence and Southern Alps.
Price includes
- Guiding fee
Price details
The price listed is for the private guiding option and includes: Guiding Fee, Snacks, and Wine Tasting. The price does not include: Accommodation and meals
- National park fee, local train transportation to come back to hotel (all together about 40 € needed for the 3 days)
- Pic Nic (wit local food and specialities) may be provided with 10 €/pers charge.
- Transportation may be proposed from Genoa, Nice, Monte Carlo or any other French Riviera cities (please contact me for more informations and pick-up rates).
PRICE PER PERSON:
-Group of 8 to 10 people: 210 EUR
-Group of 11 to 12: 195 EUR
Bigger groups are possible (with 2 or 3 guides). Ask for more information.
Itinerary
Day 1: Levanto to Monterosso al Mare
This is a nice introduction to the Cinque Terre National Park. We start from Levanto, which was an important port during the Middle Age period. The trail going up and above the seashore takes us to 12th Century monetestary ruins. We can enjoy a great panorama over the “Golfo dei poeti”, where the 5 villages are located. 400 meters ascent/ 3h30 minutes duration + village visits
Day 2: Azzurro Trail: Monterosso to Corniglia + Riomaggiore Visit
Today we will take the “azzurro” trail, between Monterosso and Corniglia, and also visit Riomaggiore. This is the main seashore trail going up and down between Monterosso, Vernazza and Corniglia.
450 meters ascent /4h duration + villages visit
Day 3: Corniglia to Manarola
We will enjoy the most impressive trail, going through amazing vineyard terraces right above the Meditteranean Sea. Views are incredible above Manarola and Corniglia. 450 meters ascent/ 4h30 minutes duration +village visits
Day 3: Option 1: Portofino
Portofino is an Italian fishing village and holiday resort famous for its picturesque harbour and historical association with celebrity and artistic visitors .It is located near the city of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is clustered around its small harbour, and is known for the colourfully painted buildings that line the shore. We hike in the foreste regional park of Portofino, enjoying nice views to the cristal clear blue water of the mediterranean sea. Before the hike we take a shuttle boat and enjoy the sea trip to the the famous San Fruttuoso abbey built right on the stone beach where we start the hike from! From the Cinque Terre, we need to take the train (1h30 min ride) to get there or by car.
250 meters ascent, 2h30 duration + villages visit.
A little bit sportier option would be to hike back to Santa Margherita Ligure, another nice little town nearby.
Sporty option to Santa Margherita Ligure : add 150 meters, and 1h min duration.
It is also possible to do a nice boat trip at any time to enjoy the Cinque Terre from the sea before or after the hike!
Day 3: Option 2: Portovenere
Portovenere is a very impressive village with its big castle, thick walls and ramparts and a church built right on the cliff above the sea. The village is also Unesco Heritage Site.
Walking the Portovenere hiking trails is an amazing way to get better acquainted with the natural beauty of this part of Liguria. Much of the territory of the municipality of Portovenere is in fact part of the Regional Natural Park of Portovenere which has an area of around 400ha and includes the hilly cape as well as the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto.
Two hikes are possible here: 1) Sportier Option: From Riomaggiore to Portovenere crossing trail. This trail is a nice balcony perched at 500 meters above the Mediteranean Sea with great views. The arrival in Portovenere is spectacular. 700 meters ascent, 6h30 duration + villages visit. The trail is rocky in the final downhill to Portovenere. Very good hiking boots required. 2) Easy Option: We can get to Portovenere by a nice boat trip or by train and bus. Then we can hike to enjoy a great viewpoint above Portovenere. 200 meters ascent, 2h duration.
Equipment you will need to bring
Walking boots. Light hiking tee shirts (if possible avoid cotton tee-shirts). Cap. Water bottle (1 liter/pers). Sun protection, eye protection, hat. Light Vest (if you want to take the boat).
FAQs
What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?
About the guide
Fabrice
4.90
(39)
Mountain Leader
I am a hiking guide (International Mountain Leader) who has been working all over France (including Provence and the Alps), Italy and Portugal since 2001. I speak fluent English due to my frequent trips to Taos Ski Valley (in New Mexico, USA where my family runs a great hotel and ski school), and my hiking trips in the American Southwest.
I live mainly in Nice (French Riviera), but I also move all over the Alps working in different alpine valleys. I often visit Martinique (French Caribbean island), where I enjoy rainforest and tropical hikes.
When I´m not guiding, I also work as a photographer, and like to climb, ski, play tennis, or kitesurf in my spare time. Additionally, I really enjoy botany and history.
I can guide you for a half day or for as many days as you like. I´ll take you to discover my favourite French Riviera alpine region, and the wild and large Mercantour National Park (counting 8 different valleys) near Nice, Monte Carlo and Cannes.
In my region we can enjoy the Mediterranean landscape at sea level. As we move into higher altitudes, we will discover alpine lakes, larch or pine forests, orchids and alpine flowers, open meadows, spectacular medieval perched villages and old baroque chapels and churches, with great historic value.
We can also discover the hiking hotspots in Provence such as Calanques National Park, Verdon gorges, Sainte Victoire and the Var region, with Saint Tropez a particular highlight.
I also love to hike in Italy in the very famous world heritage Cinque Terre (the amazing national park of the "Five Lands"), or in Liguria near San Remo.
And finally, I always enjoy taking my guests to the northern Alps: to Chamonix and Mont Blanc´s amazingly large panoramas or to the great Vanoise National Park, the largest in the heart of French Alps.
Languages
French | English
Certificates
UIMLA
What people are saying about Fabrice
Mark
5.00
Highly recommend hiring Fabrice as your guide for exploring southern France. As someone unfamiliar with the region, I wasn't up to the task of planning a hike on my own. Particularly a hike in the winter. Fabrice made it all easy. He is incredibly knowledgeable of the region's geography and weather and so was able to tailor a hike just based on the next day's weather forecast. A critical skill for hiking in December. I learned about the natural landscape, vegetation and even how to hike with less stress on my knees. He also taught me about Nordic hiking which is something I definitely want to try again. For sure, I'll be hiring Fabrice again on my next trip to France.
Sue
5.00
Fabrice is a first-class guide! Taking into account last-minute weather changes and after assessing our fitness, he quickly customised an exciting itinerary that led us from the Préalpes to the beautiful hilltop villages of Gourdon, Tourettes-sur-Loup and Saint-Paul-de-Vence. He pointed out great photo opportunities, so we managed to take plenty of nicely-framed photos on our smartphones. Fabrice also introduced us to the game of pétanque and thanks to him, we were able to understand and appreciate the games as they were being played by the locals during our trip.
Daniel
5.00
Fabrice was a wonderful guide with a wide knowledge of not only the history of the area but the flora and fauna of the French Mediterranean coast. The hike provided beautiful views of the cities along the coast as well as the mountains behind them. Highly recommend both the hike and the guide.
5.00
The trip was great! Fabrice was a wonderful guide and I’m contemplating further trips with him and explore share.
5.00
We spent a day hiking with guide Fabrice in Mecantaur Park. It was a great hike with different levels of difficulty. We rested at the lake at around 2000 meters and then made our way to the mountain pass high above. We were rewarded with a lot of wildlife sightings and even a patch of snow in August. Patrice was great and gave us a lot of information about the area and the flora and fauna. He was also great at pointing out historical events that took place in the area in the past.
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