Cinque Terre & Ligurian Coast

We had a fantastic 6 days of walking on the Cinque Terre coastline. The Inntravel routes wisely avoid the very busy official SVA coastline walk, and the small daily climbs are well worth it for the views and to avoid the snail-paced trudges along the official route. The hotels on our stay were all of good quality and without exception provided a hearty breakfast to set us up for the day. 

I think I've already covered this in other comments....but here's a summary...and you have my permission to publish:

"I thought we would be the last people on earth to buy any kind of holiday package. Especially as we are experienced hikers and travellers. Inititally we thought we were going with Inntravel to merely take the luggage transfer problem away so we could hike baggage free without worry...with the added bonus of not having to work out all the walks we wanted to do ourselves. Having now completed the holiday we are so glad we booked our Cinque Terra Ligurian coast 6 day walk with Inntravel. The amount of work that would have gone in to the itinerary and information we received was incredible. We would have had to have been extremely lucky to have worked it out ourselves that well on the first go. The trails were fantastic. The mapping was really straightforward to import in to your favourite hiking app. The hotels were lovely. Knowing every day was going to be different but equally wonderful was so reassuring....not to mention knowing our luggage would be safely transferred and waiting for us at the next hotel! 

Camogli was a delightful place and the hotel Cenobio dei Dogi was superb. We enjoyed this more than the Cinque Terre proper, because there were much fewer tourists, the hotel was excellent with a pool , own beach and grounds and reasonable sized room, good restaurant and lovely views over the town. I'm not sure I would recommend the Cinque Terre to anyone as even in May it was over-crowded so you couldn't enjoy/appreciate the little towns we visited as they were so packed.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: This customer did our self-guided walking holidy 'Cinque Terre & Ligurian Coast (7 nights)' followed by our add-on at Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi, Camogli.

This was our first experience of an Inntravel walking holiday and we were really impressed by the detailed walk notes and additional information on each of the places we visited.  It would have been helpful to have included a plastic sleeve so that we could have inserted the relevant walk sections from the file into the sleeve for each day's walking.  We had some wonderful walks and really enjoyed especially the flora, woodland areas at the peaks of the peninsulas and of course the views of the sea and picturesque Cinque Terre villages. We liked staying in Levanto, Monterosso and Portovenere and were very glad not to be staying in the madly busy Cinque Terre villages. We especially liked having a sunny terrace at our hotel in Monterosso.  We only had one disappointing meal at one of the recommended restaurants in Portovenere, 'Ristorante Pizzeria II Timone' which we would not recommend.

Walking in the Cinque Terre was a great way to see the area. We had been warned that it was a very popular area and indeed each of the towns was very crowded with tourists - but walking away from the towns we got away from the crowds. We avoided walking on the SVA which connects the towns and chose other paths. The train service between the towns is fantastic, and easy to use.

Weather in Liguria was damp and dull and the Mediterranean was far from azure blue (it was much better in the UK while we were there!) but we still had a very good holiday. Inntravel was very helpful with travel rrangements for some add-ons - we went to Ravenna and Lucca as well as Liguria.

The most spectacular walk was between Vernassa and Campiglia with few tourists and wonderful scenery. The food in all the villages was easily available and excellent quality.

A great holiday with a good mix of sightseeing, walking and relaxing. Both Genoa and Menton were good to explore. The Cinque Terre was beautiful, although, as other have mentioned the small villages were extremely crowded which is a real downside. We highly recomend the upgrade to the Hotel Porto Roca in Monterosso and the adding on a stay in the Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi in Camogli. 

It is very worthile making sure you take a boat trip along the coast. We were planning to do the walk around Palmaria on our second day in Porto Venere but due to very heavy rain all night, continuing early in the morning, we decided instead to take a boat trip to Riomggiore then walk to Manarola and take the boat back. If we hadn't done this we would have missed out on the amazing view of the coast line from the water with houses and hamlets precariously balanced on the cliffs which would have been a real shame.

We ate extremely well everywhere and would particularly recommend the restuarants J R Bistronomie in Menton, Sapori in Levanto, Hotel Porto Roca and Buranco in Monterosso, Restaurante Portivene in Porto Venere and SA, Restaurante Bossa and Izoa in Camogli.

Excellent in every way and will definitely return

The view from the Hotel Paradiso was stunning.  The official Cinque Terre walks were better than expected.  The suggested walk on Palmaria, the island off Portavenere, was really enjoyable and very quiet compared to the busy walks on the mainland.  Locanda Lorena is towards the end of that walk and both the location and the food were wonderful.

Useful to water refill points ! Have listed other recommendations for dinner ( also restaurant Miky in Monterossa ). The walk from Volastra across to Corniglia is stunning and not to be missed. The entire coastline is beautiful. Make sure people visit Byron's grotto in Portovenere- easy to miss ! 

Loved this trip. The accommodation was great, the local people were so friendly and helpful and the company provided everything we needed to know about the area, restaurants, route notes and gpx files. Was all we had hoped for.

This was our first holiday with Inntravel and it was a really good experience. We will definitely be booking more. However, the Cinque Terre was not for us. The villages were packed with tourists and as a result, had lost their charm and authenticity. It was often difficult to find anywhere to have a drink or lunch, or even buy an ice cream without having to queue for lengthy periods. Also everything was extremely expensive. This is the downside or the train and ferry services to the villages being so good and of the cruise ships dropping thousands of passengers at one time into the very small and narrow streets. It was a real shame. The Ligurian coast was beautiful and we were able to get away from the crowds on most of the walks, although some were very crowded, especially from Levanto to Montorosso. I would also like to comment that the walks were very adaptable due to the very good transport links, so if they do prove to be too challenging for people, you can always walk part of the way and then get the train, bus or ferry back, which was always very reassuring.

Wonderful scenery. The Inntravel routes took us away from the most crowded areas. There are good things for non walkers: swimming, train and boat rides.

Excellently constructed mix of hotels and walks with many opportunities to extend or reduce. Thoroughly recommend this holiday. We travelled early October fortunately had fantastic weather, swam every day in sea. But October is still very busy, especially in the Cinque Terre. Hate to think what it would be like in peak season!

We very much enjoyed this holiday although found the walking on the recommended routes, slightly challenging for us. The add on at Camogli was great with a magnificent hotel. The upgrade to hotel Porto Roca at Monterossa was also worth it. Coming upon the villages from on high had tremendous views.  However the villages themselves were so very busy, it rather spoiled them. Travelling by boat between villages was good as you get a view from seaward. The trains were very useful too. We enjoyed the walk on La Palmaria best at Portovenere as it was less busy than the SVA routes in Cinque Terre.

We had a fabulous walking holiday along the Ligurian Coast - Inntravel did a great job. Approaching each village was a personal highlight, the view was absolutely stunning. It was great fun using the ferries and the trains to allow us to visit all the Cinque Terre villages. The hotels were in excellent locations. 

The walk from Manarola to Corniglia is one of the most beautiful we have ever done. The tiered vineyards and the coast below is simply stunning. 

This was an superb holiday in every respect.  We thought the choice of walking routes away from the main SVA paths was excellent. The trip notes were easy to follow and very accurate making navigation easy.  We went in September and found that all the villages were very busy so it was always good to get onto the quieter paths. The weather was quite hot during our trip so we found that it was worth starting early which left time for a swim in the afternoon.

We would strongly recommend anyone going at that time of year to book restaurants for dinner in advance in order to be sure of getting a table.  This generally required a telephone call which was always easy as English is widely spoken.  We enjoyed all our meals: in Levanto at Antico Trattoria Centro and Moresco; in Monterosso at Hotel Porto Roco, L'Ancora della Tortuga and Restaurant Miky (especially good); in Porto Venere at Portivene and Palmaria.

In Monterosso we upgraded to Hotel Porto Roca which we very much enjoyed.  The sea views from our room, the swimming pool and the restaurant were lovely and the inclusive access to the private beach area was an added bonus.

An excellent holiday. Accurate details, very well organised. Beautiful setting, great walks.

It was a wonderful trip and I think our advice would be to trust the company. Don't try and search for reviews on the hotels as they don't do them justice. In Monterosso, look on some of the quieter streets for some wonderful restaurants. 

We really loved this walking holiday. The walks are quite challenging with lots of steep climbs, worth it for the spectacular views but would be easier in the cooler months. Fortunately we could pick some easier routes and hop on and off the ferries. The  beaches are gravelly so appropriate footwear needed for bathing. All the resorts had some small public beaches but much of the beaches are private and usually unavailable and expensive. However we were able to have a cooling swim every day and the hotels all supplied beach towels. Hotel La Colonia was delightful with a lovely cool shady garden, and a great location in the old town of Monterosso. All the staff very friendly and excellent service. Luggage transfer went well.

Brilliant holiday! Start early with the walks so you can finish well before lunch and then chill! The beaches are amazing for a swim too! May want to carry a towel and shorts in some sections of walk with beach access!! 

Highlights for us were our experience at the Hotel Coloninna in Monterossa where we were greeted with homemade lemonade & cake & had the best of hospitality through our stay. Our room's terrace and the hotel's rooftop terrace were wonderful places to wind down at the end of a day while also taking in the wonderful bell-ringing and ambience of the streets & promenade below. The route from Monterrossa to Vernazza entailed splendid isolation with a picnic at the Chiesetta (519m) and welcomed cafe stop at the Col. 

We really enjoyed the whole week with a variety of experience. 

The hotels were well positioned and catered for our needs. 
Hotel Paradiso in Porto Venere ( mistakenly I referred to train find error from Monterosso to Camogli in previous responses but think it was Porto Venere to Camogli) had lovely views of the wider bay and Camogli hotel had fantastic views of the town and bay. 

The paths were quite challenging at times....we are quite fit and active 60 year olds and s lot of the walks had pretty testing inclines that I would be nervous of if I was a bit older and less fit!

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip, thank you

Some food recommendations - the hotel in Levanto is delightful and they own the restaurant on the opposite side of the street, where you can get 10% discount and the food is excellent. In Monterosso, we would highly recommend La Taverna for its food and great friendly service, interestingly all the staff were women! In Portovenere, our hotel recommended Elettra, also excellent. (The hotel no longer has its own restaurant) We loved every meal we had, but you definitely need to be a fish lover, quite a few restaurants had few or no meat options.

The walks are very rewarding but quite tough on the steep rocky sections and you need to be very careful if the weather has been wet. The SVA walk from Portovenere to Vernazza is also quite narrow in places and very busy, so it can be a little intimidating when people are pressing up behind you or towards you. 

Levanto - good gentle introduction to area. enjoyed aperitifs at bar Bardelino in Levanto. FAI farm on Levanto ~ Monterosso walk closed even at w/e due to water shortage. Monterosso - restaurant in Vineyard very pleasant. Venazza spoilt by far too many people, couldn't wait to get out. railways very impressive. enjoyed Porto Venere the most of the three towns. Restauraunt Elletra very good in P. V. Good views and good food. Enjoyed especially the Manarola to Corniglia walk Along the vine terraces. The Riomaggiore to Porto Venere walk was easier than billed. The descent on the Palmaria walk was more challenging than the descent into PV. 

The combination of old paths and picturesque (though very busy) coastal villages was great.  Lots of magnificant views and nice to be walking on many paths that weren't too busy. We followed several restaurant recommendations from your notes - and all were pretty good.  One additional restaurant we could recommend is Osteria Dei Cavalieri in Pisa.  Very nice though a bit pricey - booking essential.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers added a stay in Pisa to our Along The Ligurian Coast holiday

I had the most wonderful holiday at Cinque Terre. The Inntravel organisation has been fantastic, efficient and spot on.

Another fantastic walking holiday. The Cinque Terre villages were picturesque but very busy. The walks between them were quiet, with magnificent views and wonderful spring flowers. There were many steps up and down along the way, but there was always plenty of time to stop and admire the view. 

Walking highlights included from Camogli to Portofino and from Manrola to Corniglia was spectacular & worth adding on the walk back to Vernazza from where the ferry or train back to Monterosso can be caught. Bistro Tosco in Monterosso (go early from 6:30pm to get a table) and restaurant Bossa in Canogli were excellent. We were surprised by limited vegetarian options if you are veggie.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers extended their Ligurian Coast holiday with our Camogli add-on

We travelled at the end of April/beginning of May. The weather was perfect for walking apart from one day of rain (although this was not heavy enough to stop us). The Cinque Terre towns were extremely busy with tourists so we were very pleased that the Inntravel accommodation was in quieter Levanto and Portovenere and in Monterosso which is big enough not too feel too crowded. We really enjoyed the walks which were just the right level of challenge for us and were very well-planned to take us into the countryside away from the crowds. The hotels were all welcoming and comfortable with both Hotel Paradiso and Hotel Porto Roco offering fantastic sea views.

Recommended restaurants: Antica Osteria del Carugio in Portovenere, Gattabriga in Levanto, Da Eraldo in Monterosso. Bar: Bar da Brigida in Levanto

A super holiday - very busy but that did not spoil it. We enjoyed the hotels and the walking and many of the restaurant recommendations. We did think that walking boots and poles were a real safety asset on some of the days in particular.

A great holiday, well organised, no hiccups. All went according to plan, would definitely book again. Mid seventies age one of us but all walks very good, quiet beautiful views. A lot more tourists near the train stations and villages, but no problems. Thank you 

An excellent walking holiday set in stunning scenery with great food and wine everywhere.  But don't expect it to be a solitary affair - it is as crowded as the English Lake District on holiday weekends.

Make sure you buy train tickets before getting on a train. Nevertheless, the railway system is both first class and cheap (compared to UK). We found it surprising that the Cinque Terre villages offered lashings of fast food (pizza, foccaccia etc) whilst a good Mediterranean salad was difficult to come by. For non-fish eaters like us the menus were restricted but with a bit of perseverence we were quite happy.

Of all the villages, we enjoyed Vernazza the most for its charming estuary and fascinating harbour front and the fact that the heart of the village seemed to be concentrated right on the front. However, despite not being strictly speaking one of the "Cinque" we considered Porto Venere the most attractive visually and architecturally, especially as it can be viewed so well from Palmaria. As a student of military history, I would say that Palmaria should not be missed!

A really lovely holiday with excellent  walking, food and beautiful scenery. We enjoyed unusually warm weather for October and felt very glad we were not visiting in the height of the season when the trails would have been much more busy. To fully enjoy the walking you need to be reasonably fit and active. The trails are noticeably slippery after a heavy dew or rain. It's really worth investigating the back streets of the towns away from the tourist areas. 

Cinque Terre is a unique area and its towns are delightful. The Inntravel package enables you to sample it at its best, but make you feel as if you have earned it.

Although Portovenere is not strictly a Cinque Terre town it is just as beautiful. We spent much of our last day with a cold beer, simply gawping at the stunning view from the terrace of the aptly-named Hotel Paradiso.

I will go back. 

We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday, the hotels you chose and your reccomendations for restaurants.

We are both in our mid-seventies and the attraction of the long uphill sections on steps began to pall after a while but that is simply a consequence of the terrain. Any discomfort was temporary and easily off-set by the scenery, the villages of the Cinque Terre, the weather (only one day of rain) and prospect of sitting in a bar by the sea at the end of the day's walk.

My only recommendation is the point on bus tickets made above.

We loved the walking routes, such a beautiful area to hike!

Lovely holidays with the addition in Camogli (to the Along the Ligurian Coast walking holiday) really adding the icing to the cake.  Some fairly challenging walks but all add to the sense of achievement and fun.  We would do again.