Tranquil Cinque Terre, Italian Riviera

We very much enjoyed this holiday and everything was better than we might have expected, including the weather!  Despite travelling at the end of October, we had perfect walking weather for five of our six days. The walks were spectacular and the area is very beautiful. We found the Cinque Terre towns themselves to be very crowded, but this did not detract from our enjoyment of the area, as there are many equally (or more!) attractive towns to visit at the beginning or end of a walk. On our one wet day we enjoyed visiting Camogli and Chiavari, where the colonnaded streets provided shelter. Moneglia is a charming base to return to every day, although many restaurants and other facilities had closed for the season by the end of October, which is not surprising. The railway station is easily accessible and purchasing tickets was straightforward. Villa Edera is an exceptional hotel.

Many thanks to everyone at Inntravel for a memorable holiday! You were all unfailingly polite, friendly and professional. This was our first experience with you, but it won't be our last! We felt that we were in very safe hands throughout the whole process. We can't wait to start planning our next Inntravel holiday! 

We had a lovely holiday. The hotel was gorgeous, family run and friendly. Their Bistro was excellent and Orto, the Michelin restaurant, lived up to expectations. We enjoyed eating our breakfast outside on the terrace when the weather was kind. The hotel provided a wine tasting and tapas which was very good. The tapas were all made from ingredients from their own gardens and the wines were also local with one being their own from their vineyard. We enjoyed the three walks we completed though would not necessarily recommend walk 1 - Moneglia to Riva Trigoso, as there are few views. We also walked from Manarole to Corniglia which was perhaps our favourite walk through the vintage vineyards. We would also recommend the Levanto circular walk via Bonassola. We did enjoy going to the Cinque Terre and taking the ferry to each of the towns and hopping off to explore them. We also visited Portofino and St Margherita using the trains. Moneglia was described as the quiet rivieria and that was an apt description for our visit in October.

Once again, Inntravel delivered a memorable holiday. Moneglia was a perfect base. It is a rather sleepy little town (or was in October, anyway) with a lovely sandy beach and several bars and restaurants still open. We had great meals in Vela, Tender and Monile (which needs booking if you want to sit on the beach). The local bakeries provided great bread for picnics and we would also recommend the deli in Levanto which is on your right just before you get to the sea-front. We bought huge oranges, delicious local  meats and smelly cheeses for our picnics from here.

Hotel Villa Edera is a quirky hotel, perched on the mountainside, accessed by its own lift which was very welcome after a hard week of walking. Having breakfast sitting outside looking over the mountains was a fantastic start to the day. The meal at the bistro was excellent and different and the wine tasting was fun and informative.

We enjoyed the walking, although as others have said, we felt the overall grading of the holiday should be a Grade 2 as there is no walk without sharp ascents and descents. Our favourite walk was the walk to Portofino, which is through pine forests bringing you eventually down into the bustling port where we had a good (and suprisingly not expensive) lunch on the quayside and the best icecream ever at the small kiosk to the side. If you can get a boat back to the mainland, I would recommend it as our 15 minute journey was a great deal more pleasant than the crowded bus journey that others took. We also enjoyed the circular walk from Levante (the tunnels are a great experience) and the next day we went back and had a lovely (and well signed walk) from Bonassola to Framura - using the second part of the Inntravel walk, but following signs to Framura as the suggested walk turns back to Bonassola.

Finally, we had to walk in the Cinque Terre and chose the Corniglia to Monterosso walk. We went early (although were subject to a phantom train, see later) so was not that busy. The views were amazing and the terrace half way between Corniglia and Vernazza was a welcome stop for a fresh juice. Monterosso was a nice place for a late lunch, unlike the mayhem of Vernazza.

The only trouble we had was with the trains which were always late or didn't run, due we think to infrastructure works between end of Sept and Dec. Our top tip is to use the UK Trainline app. Not only can you buy tickets through it (so avoiding the inevitable queue) but also they gave up to date timings and route information.

Finally, we added on Genoa for a couple of days. Well worth it. An amazing city, full of hidden treasures, which was not at all crowded when we visited. 

A really fabulous holiday. We took train journeys up and down the coastal villages following Inntravel walking routes. Weather was glorious and we had such picturesque /stunning views. The walks are challenging and we'd say sticks were essential. We saw all the Cinque Terres (our favourite possibly Manarola) but equally stunning and quieter were the other villages to the north. Edera hotel is fabulous, (staff are so helpful) and in a perfect position to access trains. We added on the Genoa city walking day and enjoyed exploring all the lovely historic areas as well as a visit to the superb aquarium. Probably one of our most enjoyable holidays to date and certainly stunning. Thanks Inntravel and thanks to the colleague who helped me sort out a flight ticket problem!

INNTRAVEL NOTE: This customer combined our discovery walking holiday 'The Quiet Side of the Italian Riviera' with a city add-on in Genoa

We chose this holiday because we had heard of the Cinque Terre towns and Portofino, and wanted to visit them ourselves, but the Italian Riviera has so much more outside these tourist hotspots. Using the Inntravel recommendations enabled us to enjoy the parts of the area that Italians usually keep for themselves. Villa Edera was charming and a meal at Orto was a key part of the experience. Genoa is a hidden treasure that deserves to be seen. Go there before the rest of the world discovers it.

The hotel was charming and the owner, and all the staff, attentive and friendly. The gardens and terraces were delightful. Breakfasts were just right. Bistro dinners were good, but eating in town restaurants was expensive. It would have been good to have the option of a simple evening meal in the hotel.

We had a wonderful holiday in a beautiful part of Italy. The walking often involved a steep climb, but then magnificent views. We enjoyed every aspect of a well planned holiday. The hotel exceeded our expectations, the staff could not have been more welcoming and helpful.

I would highlight some of the hidden Gems for future travelers. Also, while the entire trip was outstanding, we both agree we would love to go back to Rome and explore more hidden gems there. 

We liked Moneglia as it was quieter than the crowded Cinque Terre towns. Avoid travelling on the trains late afternoon as they are jammed as people travel back to base having visited one of the CT towns! Unexpected steps seemed to feature quite highly. We still enjoyed Italy!

We had a wonderful holiday. Moneglia was a perfect base. The Cinque Terre towns do get very busy and we enjoyed the quieter walks probably more out of the area.

The hotel Villa Edera was wonderful in every way. A family run hotel . Beautiful , clean,  stylish and incredibly helpful and friendly staff. The food is excellent and their own red wine outstanding.

Walking between Manarola to Corniglia was a gem, but quite a challenge on the knees - particularly on the very uneven descent. Do ask the staff at Villa Edera for suggestions if the weather is inclement (as was in late September), or you could miss gems such as Chiavara - a pretty and interesting local town. 

Walk from the hotel to Riva Trigoso had stunning sea views and we hardly saw any other walkers. The wine tasting evening, provided by the hotel, was excellent and gave us a chance to learn about the local wine industry.

Food at Edi's Bistro at first hotel is sublime.

Hotel Villa Edera was excellent, and Moneglia a good choice of base. The trains from there worked well, were easy to use and not too crowded even in July. We found the walks a bit too much in the heat, and instead used most of the week for sightseeing. There is a huge choice of interesting places to visit but I wished I had done more research in advance. But, if you want to walk, then I would go much earlier in the year. I recommend visiting the Cinque Terre in the evening. Our best day was spent relaxing in the hotel and pool, with a train to Vernazza at 6pm when the crowds were reducing.

We were glad we had booked the Genoa add-on. The city was fascinating, an odd mixture of splendour and squalor, but I think it would have been too much to go for the day from Moneglia.

Pisa is well worth a visit. We spent a day in museums and other buildings near the Leaning Tower. The Camposanto, the museum (which had a surprisingly good cafeteria with tower view) and the cathedral were well presented, a refuge from the sun, and much quieter than you would expect given the crowds outside. A 30 min pleasant walk from the hotel.

The personal highlight was the walk from Moneglia to Riva Trigoso, the scenery was magnificent. We particularly enjoyed eating at Vela and Tender. 

This was a memorable holiday that we enjoyed from start to finish.The hotel was lovely with excellent staff that went the extra mile to ensure we were happy, particularly Francesco ( who made my morning mint tea with fresh mint from the garden) and Daniele who served at EDi's Bistro where we ate several times during our stay.Food was locally sourced and very tasty.The swimming pool was also very inviting at the end of a long, hot day.
Walk notes were very comprehensive and the scenery was superb. The second ( uphill)  part of walk 2 from Deiva Marina to Framura was particularly challenging even for those of us used to walking in the Scottish hills, and I notice that someone else has also remarked on this. It's also useful to note that there are few options for refreshments in Deiva Marina - most were firmly shut when we went in mid- June - though the yogutteria/ gelateria just past the railway bridge serves good coffee, snacks and chilled water and has clean loos and friendly staff.
We visited most of the Cinque Terre villages which were pretty but absolutely full of people and trains were extremely busy and packed. We were advised by the tourist office that the walks were also very busy as the Via Amore low level walk was closed and had been for some time, meaning that walkers were forced on to the upper paths.Instead we walked from Levanto to Monterosso which was delightful, well marked and with super views along the coastline.
We added on several days in Levanto which, although not the prettiest town overall, had a pleasant old town and plenty of shops and restaurants to suit anyone. It is also very easy to hire bikes( which we did) and cycle along the promenade to Bonassola and onwards to Framura through the old railway tunnels that are well lit and shared between walkers and cyclists.
Overall an excellent holiday in a beautiful area, and the sun shone every day...... though some might prefer to go earlier/ later in the season when temperatures are cooler.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Inntravel to anyone looking for a tailor made walking holiday. The hotels that they select, the walking notes and maps provided, the local and bag transfers, everything. Our hotels were lovely and characterful, all provided a warm welcome, the rooms were comfortable and the food plentiful and delicious. Everything ran like clockwork.

We really enjoyed the hotel, and despite the challenging walking we enjoyed it too. The little Cinque Terre towns are very pretty, and Moneglia is an excellent base - charming, good beach and quieter than some of the other towns, with a good selection of restaurants. We also enjoyed boat trips from Moneglia to Portofina and from Riomaggiore to Portovenere.

Excellent hotel and very friendly, helpful, charming family, english speaking staff. Nothing was too much trouble. Walking directions were excellent as well as other suggestions for the week. However the walks were more challenging than expected for 1/2 boot holiday, especially as the weather was hot. Maybe holiday should be re-graded as 2/3.

The Villa Edera is a beautiful hotel in every respect. The staff were all lovely, friendly and helpful, from reception, through housekeeping to breakfast and bistro service. The hotel is a very pleasant building, with beautiful outdoor terraces where breakfast is normally taken and food and drinks can be enjoyed at other times. The swimming pool was very attractive and immaculately looked after. The quality of food and drink was superb, as might be expected from a hotel with a Michelin star restaurant. Whilst we didn't dine in the restaurant, we used Edi's Bistro several times and really enjoyed our wine tasting with tapas on the sunny terrace with fellow guests. Our standard room, whilst compact, enjoyed a pleasant view from our balcony over the hotel pool and pine and oak clad hills. The hotel is conveniently located in relation to the town and its railway station and we were thankful for the hotel's private lift up from the station. Moneglia is an attractive, relatively quiet town with plenty of restaurant options. We enjoyed several light dinners at Ristorante Derna, where the owner is passionate about his food and wine and the service is friendly and efficient. We discovered L'Orrizonte, an excellent small restaurant, with seating under canvas awnings, and a good Blues soundtrack, located high above Framura, on Walk No2. It should definitely be added to the walking notes as it comes soon after a particularly tough climb out of Deiva Marina. When using the fairly frequent and extremely good value for money regional trains along the Ligurian coast, it's a good idea to get the Trenitalia App for mobile phones and tablets. Not only does it give timetable information, but, after a bit of practise, booking train tickets through the app is quick and easy and can be done up to 5 minutes before scheduled departure and avoids having to queue at ticket machines and validate tickets. You just show the tickets on your phone to the ticket inspectors on the trains. 
We found that the Art Hotel Boston, in Turin, was quite a long walk from the commercial and historic centre of the city. The city notes suggest that the hotel is 8 minutes walk from Porto Nuova station, but we found this to be a significant underestimate in practice, particularly if towing suitcases. We also found that the suggested walking route around the city's highlights would take a very long time to complete if one were to undertake the entire route on foot. Fortunately, we found a fairly new pizzeria, L'Angelo Verde, not mentioned in the notes, literally just around the corner from the hotel, on Corso Germano Sommeiller. It is mainly frequented by locals and the friendly staff serve excellent and inexpensive pizzas and pinsas.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers travelled by rail from the UK to Italy for our walk The Quiet Side of the Italian Riviera, with stays at our add-ons in Turin and Lyon

Expect only challenging walks. 

We enjoyed all the walks but our favourite was Manarola to Corniglia - truly spectacular. We took a boat trip to Portovenere which we really enjoyed. The hotel experience really added to our enjoyment of the week.

TIP: Walking sticks are a must.

Very good hotel, comfortable with good friendly service and good food. Some of the ascents are quite challenging - in particular the section of Walk 2 after Deiva Marina is a real scramble and merits a health warning (I am a reasonably fit 70 year old). That section would not have been suitable for my wife - happily she had decided not to do that part of the walk. Several Inntravellers had problems with the trains, ourselves included. There were a good many cancellations and delays and you could not be certain that you could take the train you were hoping to. On one morning the 8.36 south was fully booked and we had to opt to go north. At others times the trains from the Cinque Terre towns and the stations were unpleasantly busy. So train travel was generally less straightforward than expected. It would be worthwhile to suggest that travellers download the Trenitalia app which can be used to check train times and book tickets.The app does also help with delays but cannot be relied upon. The train tickets are inflexible, twice we had to repurchase duplicate tickets at extra cost. On the day we left we decided to spend some time in Pisa before our return flight and this necessitated the purchase of different tickets with no credit available for the tickets you provided. We spent a good deal on train tickets - a total of £160.  We did not investigate the Cinque Terre card but I wonder if this might have offered a saving. We were surprised how overrun with tourists the Cinque Terre towns were. We decided not to visit several for this reason. Vernazza is very pretty but unpleasantly busy, and we chose to spend v little time there. Again a health warning is required. Cruise ships are the suspect. The classic CT walks 5 & 6 are very busy and not really more attractive than several of the others. There were reports of long waits for people to pass. This is in May - I assume that in June/July this must be a real issue. We enjoyed the holiday and in general your notes and briefing were good. The biggest downside was the daily reliance on the trains, the train delays and not knowing whether or not trains would be running.

Had a thoroughly enjoyable trip. Given that it was a composite holiday (9 countries, 14 beds, 2400 miles) it is difficult to do an overall review but thank you Inntravel for pulling a number of the parts together.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: This holiday included our single centre walk The Quiet Side of the Italian Riviera and our cycling itineraries Salzburg Lake District and Villages & Vineyards of Alsace

Hotel Edera is a gem - if you're walking you need a relaxing and comfortable base to return to. Moneglia is an oasis of calm, with regular shops evidently serving the local population. On the walks we particularly enjoyed Portofino (visit Castello Brown, only 5 euros, for excellent views and to avoid any cruise ship crowds in the town) and Bonassola but prepare for huge crowds in Corniglia and Vernazza, the only Cinque Terre towns we sampled and definitely not "the quiet side of the Italain Riviera" in mid-May. The coastal train service was excellent, reliable (if occasionally a few minutes late) and amazingly cheap. 

A perfect holiday in the Italian Riviera! The Villa Edera hotel was exceptional and well situated for all the sights and walks, while being away from the bigger crowds. The walks were all stunning and strenuous enough to feel that you had earned that big bowl of pasta for lunch!

Villa Edera is a fantastic hotel with friendly, helpful staff and a lovely atmosphere.  The walks around Moneglia were excellent, there are also many other paths and walks in the area which are easily accessed using the trains and other public transport.  We went expecting the Cinque Terre villages to be the highlight but in actuality they were so busy we much preferred the quieter villages and towns.  The hotel's suggestion of visiting Chiavari on a rainy day showed us a hidden gem, a real authentic and beautiful town. We loved our holiday and discovered a beautiful part of Italy.

The Hotel Villa Edera was such a lovely place to stay. The food was excellant. We ate in the bistro every evening and for a very special treat we

had a meal in their Michelin starred resturant. A once in a lifetime experience for us,which we both felt it was worth pushing the boat out for.

The service and attention to detail in the hotel was exceptional without being stuffy or overly formal.

In Genova (optional add on) we ate at a really good resturant called Trattoria Dell'acciughett. It was recommended to us by Manager

of Hotel Villa Edera. Booking is essential.

The holiday was a great success, Villa Edera was an attractive, friendly, family run hotel with superb staff. The food was extremely good and we ate in Edi's Table on three evenings, although the restaurant itself lacked atmosphere as it was so quiet.  A shout out to Francesco who was a great barman & waiter too, running between the 2 locations, he was always very pleased to go and pick fresh mint for our nightly mint tea. Our wine tasting with Ligurian Tapas was a delight with Sommelier Daniele. The walking was challenging in the heat of the day and we recommend walking outside of the Cinque Terre for quieter experiences. The written guides were straightforward to follow and could be adapted if needed.

Personal highlights: a dinner in the hotel's Michelin starred restaurant; abundance of wildflowers; designer breakfasts al fresco; and the pleasure of speaking Italian. 

We particularly enjoyed visiting Portovenere - by ferry from Rio Maggiore. In fact it was the hotel owner who recommended us a route for a slightly more restful day. She suggested we go to Riomaggiore by train then catch the ferry to Portovenere which is a really lovely journey. We spent so long exploring Portovenere that we did not do the walk on the island. We returned via a ferry from Portovenere to Manarola then after walking round Manarola we caught the train back to Moneglie. You get really excellent views of all these villages from the boats. It's a good way to see 3 places in one day. The shopping and restaurants in Portovenere were excellent. Please pass on our special thanks to Francesca and Aurietta of Villa Edera for this suggestion. Of all the Cinque Terre villages we found Monterossa the least crowded and therefore can be visited later in the day. Along with Levanto it is the best shopping and dining experience too. Not too many large tour groups which Manarola and Vernazza suffered from. 

The hotel exceeded our expectations and is highly recommended. Restaurants in Moneglia which we found very good were La Vela (super fish) and Gran Maria (very large portions of pasta), both with good service and reasonably priced (although obviously prices have gone up since 3 yrs ago when we last were in Italy).

We found Moneglia lived up to its description as the quiet side of the Riviera. The town was charming and had a great deal of impressive restaurants to chose from. The food and wine of the region were absolutely wonderful and unlike our previous experience of Italy. The walks took us on some slightly challenging climbs to begin, but opening out on to some lovely panoramic views of the area. Villa Edera was an excellent choice as a base and the hotel and staff were superb.  

It was a lovely holiday. The walking was a bit too challenging for us. We are not as fit after the pandemic and my aging knees are still recovering. The other Inntravel guests didn't walk at all. We enjoyed our trip to Genoa, appreciated the quietness of Moneglia. I had my first swim of the year.

Boat trips around the Cinque Terre were excellent as was the hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus tour around Genoa.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our walk The Quiet Side of the Italian Riviera with our Genoa City add-on

Travelling by train all the way from York to Italy was an enjoyable part of our holiday. Views of the Alps were splendid as we wound our way slowly in and out of tunnels between France and Italy, both on our way out and our return. The Grand Hotel Sitea made a perfect base to explore central Turin and we stumbled across delightful piazzas and palazzos. The grandeur and feeling of history was impressive. There was no problem finding really good restaurants and cafes. The highlight were the views from the bell-tower by the Duomo, despite the climb to the top. We grew very fond of Moneglia on the coast. It was charming and quiet and both our hosts and locals were friendly and helpful. April was a lovely time to be there for butterflies, wild flowers and flowering shrubs. The scent of green tea will forever remind me of this holiday. The steep hills were a shock but made every walk an achievement and the views were spectacular.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: This customer journeyed by rail from the UK to do our walking discovery holiday 'The Quiet Side of the Italian Riviera', doing our city add-on in Turin on the way out and our city add-on in Genoa on the way home.

A highly recommended walking trip. Excellent variety of walks well supported by local trains and buses. Travelling in October meant it was relatively quiet but still with plenty of choice when it came to bars and restaurants. The accommodation was first rate and with easy access to local train services.

This was a great holiday in Florence and the Cinque Terra. Travelling by train made the holiday start at St Pancras and the journey was part of the experience - we'll definitely travel that way in future.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our single centre walking holiday The Quiet Side of the Italian Riviera with our Florence City add-on

Apart from the walking, it was a great pleasure to visit Rapallo, and especially Chiavari which is a wonderful town with lots of restaurants and boutiques all under ancient arcades.

The Quiet Side of the Italian Riviera is a great holiday for those wanting a really comfortable, luxurious hotel and the option to choose a lazy day, long or short walks or even a  day on the beach in response to personal preference or local weather conditions. Moneglia is a delightful town  with nice beach and shops and restaurants and indeed less busy than the cinque terre villages. The train is easy to use. The hotel is relaxed and while the Michelin star restaurant is there for foodies, Eds Bistro also provides an interesting menu and  fewer corses if you so choose.
We loved Grand Hotel Sevoia (Genoa add on) - timeless, with much reference to its special place in Genoa's history. Palazzos full of wonderful art are a great treat and just wandering the old streets and newly developed harbour area was an enjoyable end to a great holiday.

The beach at Moneglia is great and a nice place to swim. Buy your train tickets using the Trenitalia app, you avoid the line to buy tickets and you don't need to stamp your ticket, you just show the agent your app receipt. 

We had a lovely holiday on the Italian Riviera. The hotel was very relaxing, quiet and friendly. The weather was a bit too hot to to attempt any serious walking. However we made use of the local train service which takes a bit of working out .

My advice would be to allow plenty of time to buy tickets beforehand as the trains run an hourly service. We enjoyed our visit to Camogli, further up the coast. 

A perfect 9 night stay for us at Villa Edera. The hotel was beautiful and in a great location for the frequently used train station and for the many restaurants in Moneglia. We ate in Edi's Bistro one evening and the food was excellent. As said before, don't be deceived by the length of the walks, there are plenty of hills and I was glad of my walking poles. In particular we enjoyed the walks which were more local to Moneglia - it was so quiet. We visited the Cinque Terre but opted not to walk there as we heard reports the paths were extremely busy. Many thanks to Inntravel, we would not hesitate to recommend this holiday.