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The Cinque Terre Nights: 4 Starting point: La Colonnina (3*), Monterosso. The Raffellini family's comfortable hotel is located in the town’s delightful historic centre, with a panoramic roof terrace.
Accommodation: La Colonnina, as above. Accommodation: Hotel Paradiso (3*), Portovenere. The Della Croce family welcome you warmly to their delightful hotel. The bedrooms are all decorated in typical Mediterranean style, and enjoy the same views over the sea afforded by the restaurant (pay locally if you choose to dine here) and the terrace, the perfect spot for leisurely breakfasts in the sunshine. Prices & travel 2008
*Price includes: 4 nights' bed & breakfast; return rail from Genova (0h45) or Pisa city centre (3h), plus transfer to La Spezia station on homeward journey > Any queries? Let us call you back  |
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Days 1 & 2: spend your first two days exploring the Cinque Terre and its other four villages from your base in Monterosso. You can complete the famous – and very popular – path of the Cinque Terre, returning either by train or boat (pay locally for these and for access to the paths) or, for an even more rewarding end to your holiday, explore the quiet, little-used paths high above the coast to discover the ‘real’ Cinque Terre. A challenging but thrilling 7-hour circular walk leads inland from Monterosso to two chapels which boast astonishing views across the terraced slopes to the sea. The route then takes you across several small valleys, through woodland and vineyards, before zigzagging steeply down to the very traditional village of Vernazza from where you follow the main coastal path back to Monterosso. A shorter option is to take the bus (pay locally) to Manorola from where you ascend stone stairways through olive groves to the hill-top village of Volastra to pick up a path that leads across steeply terraced vineyards towards the smallest Cinque Terre village, Corniglia. The views throughout the walk stretch for miles – you can even see Corsica on a clear day. 
Day 3: you start the day with a short train journey (pay locally) to Riomaggiore, from where you ascend gradually to the panoramic Santuario della Madonna di Montenero. Your path then continues to rise and fall, the attractive woodland through which you walk providing welcome shade. You descend to the medieval village of Campiglia, then head through more woodland to emerge onto the red rocks that give this part of the coastline its name (Costa Rossa). As you approach your destination, the challenging coastal path rewards you with sweeping views of Portovenere and the islands that lie just off the coast. (14km, 5hrs)