A walking break in Liguria

The Cinque Terre villages are simply stunning. We took the coastal path from Monterosso to Corniglia via Vernazza and it was certainly not a flat coastal walk. The views are fabulous and the exertion is worthwhile. We traversed the path after rain and there was mud in places. All of the fishing villages are very crowded with tourists and so are the local trains. However, once we had used the Inntravel walking routes to climb high above the coastal towns, the crowds dispersed, the sun shone, the sea sparkled and the views were simply magnificent. We would highly recommend this holiday.

This was my first time doing this type of break, and was alone. I was fearful to start with but found the travel arrangements, and the walking was all fine, and really got into it....... pity about the massive thunderstorm but I guess you couldn't sort that one out! Loved the views, the paths, and the varied routes....... but maybe there should be a tiny bit more warning about the levels of mud on the cobbles and mule tracks after rain. This made it even more slippy than expected! Sadly a couple of the coastal routes were still closed but this was not a surprise! It was very easy to follow the waymarked paths as the signs etc were very clear.

My companion and I enjoyed the holiday. The booking and arrangements for the holiday went very smoothly. We stayed in Le Giare in Monterosso which was lovely accommodation. The proprietor was very warm,helpful and accommodating, generously giving us milk for the room to make tea with the tea making facilities provided and information for Genova.   There was a lovely room for breakfast in the morning and the outlook across the valley was delightful. There was also a nice terrace to sit on. However do be prepared for the walk uphill to back from Monterosso waterfront which although not too difficult can feel hard going on the end of a long walk or after the evening meal. Hotel Paradiso was larger and less personal however nice accommodation with great sea views. We ate in its restaurant the first night and food was good and waiting staff most helpful. 

We did a mix of walks, boat trips and on a rainy day did a trip to Genova which was easy to organise and an interesting city to visit. I did the coastal walk from Vernazza to Monterosso which I find quite demanding. However it is probably one of the easier walks in this area as others have a lot more steep uphill stretches and vertiginous outlooks so be prepared. At present you can only do the coastal walk between Monterosso and Corniglia as the rest is closed due to landslides. The Cinque Terre card only applies to the coastal walk and I paid 7.50 euros. The inland paths are free. Corniglia is the highest of the Cinque Terre villages so is a good place to start a walk rather than end it ! On another day we got the boat and could hop on and off at the different villages ( apart from Corniglia which has no port so best to access by train). The towns are very busy with tour groups visiting for the day even in October. Of the villages we liked Riomaggiore most as had more features of its fishing past and was less busy. There was a lovely restaurant for lunch up the hill on the lefthand side in a building that was a butchers (sorry cant remember the name). They did a fantastic bean soup with a lovely slice of crostini with ham

We added another night in Portovenere and were glad of it. We went over to the island Palmaria and did part of the walk recommended. However we then came back down on an inland route missing out the steep paths using ropes to assist ! In Portovenere we can highly recommend the 3 Torri restaurant located to the back of the main square. It was really good fine dining but not alot more in price than other places with interesting dishes well flavoured and good texture. In the morning you can walk along the promenade watching the fishing people collect mussels or on the side fishing for octopus. We went in early October and had very good weather. 

The walking routes selected were excellent. We particularly enjoyed the routes from Manarola to Corniglia and from Monterosso to Portovenere via Riomaggiore, which, whilst of differing lengths, both have spectacular views. The rocky path from Campiglia down to Portovenere was exhilirating. In early September, it is generally a stiff, hot climb from the Cinque Terre villages to the higher paths, but well worth it when you get to the top, as the villages and lower paths are overrun with tourists, particularly cruise parties as mentioned previously.

The Restaurant Belvedere in Monterosso on Piazza Garibaldi, recommended by the hotel, was good value and good quality. In Genoa we liked Vegia Zena (Vico del Serriglio, just behind the Porto Antico), La Forchette Curiosa (mentioned in City tour walking notes) and Trattoria Il Grillo Parlante ( Via San Bernardino, again just behind Porto Antico) The latter restaurant we passed at lunchtime, when it was packed with local workers on their lunch hour. We went back in the evening, when it was quieter, but just the type of place you want to find: off the tourist track, frequented by locals, a limited menu, dirt cheap (2 courses for Euro 15 including water) but importantly great quality, freshly cooked food.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our Genova & the Portofino Peninsula city break and walk, with our Cinque Terre walking break.

My holiday went well, all travel and accomodation arrangements were as planned.  I was at the Cinque Terre June 27-July 2 and the weather was very hot.  I'd recommend doing the more vigorous hikes earlier in the year (March - May).  Because of the heat, there were not many other hikers on the higher trails.

It's very easy to move around the entire Cinque Terre area using trains and boats.  One-way hikes, returning to base either by train or boat were very pleasant.

Avoid routes that require a lot of walking on roads.  The roads are very narrow and ditches are overgrown with thorny bushes making it difficult to get out of the way of traffic.

This was an outstanding holiday the walks were breathtaking. Particularly the walk from Manorolla to Corniglia where we were walking in amongst the vineyards.   Not to be missed.

Seeing the Cinque Terre from the elevated heights above it is spectacular. We were so glad we made the choice to use Inntravel to coordinate this trip. Although the hiking is challenging, if you are prepared, it will be one of the highlights of your life!

Our personal highlight was the walk from Manarola to Corniglia - walking through the terraced olive groves and vineyards high above the sea was breathtaking and well worth the 'cardio' ascent at the start! We bought a lovely picnic lunch at the little corner shop in Volastra. It would be worth mentioning that should people decide to alight at Corniglia (we had thought - if we do this walk in reverse we could get the boat back from Manarola to Monterosso) there are 300+ steps up to the village!  Apparently there was also a shuttle bus available.

We chose to extend the holiday by 1 night and so had 2 nights in Portovenere which was very pleasant.  I think we would have felt a bit short changed if we had only stayed 1 night there.  Although the breakfast was only average at The Paradiso, we did have a very good evening meal there one night.

It is well worth setting off as early as possible in the mornings as the area soon becomes saturated with tourists and daytrippers. The inland walks were less busy and therefore somewhat more pleasant than the coastal paths where there was a lot of 'giving way' to people coming in the opposite direction.

For people of a certain age (!) walking sticks are essential and provide much needed support on what was often very uneven and rocky, not to mention steep terrain.

The transfer of our luggage was seemless - the staff at La Colonnina were well aware of the procedure and equally at the end of the trip, all we had to do was tell the hotel what time we wanted to be at the railway station in La Spezia and they organised the taxi transfer for us.

All in all it was a very well organised and thoroughly enjoyable holiday which we would highly recommend to people.

The AV5T path in the direction of Cigoletto [Monterosso to Vernazza walk] was superb - beautiful views and hardly saw a soul on a day when the coastal path was heaving. Vernazza was very busy when we arrived (around lunchtime) - hardly a vacant seat in the restaurants. Perhaps worth emphasising how busy it can get?

So many highlights. It was a truly wonderful holiday & having a day in Pisa at the end was a very good idea. Weather was great. Warm (but not too warm) ideal for walking & sunny. We were able to visit all 5 of the Cinque Terra villages and thoroughly enjoyed them all. A personal highlight was having a delicious tomato foccacia with local pesto washed down with ice cold lemoncino at a little cafe in Corniglia after the walk from Manorola via Volastra. Wish I could remember the name of it but it was next to the church! Also exploring Portovenere was a lot of fun.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined The Cinque Terre walk with our Pisa City add-on

Overall we had a good holiday, ease of booking holiday good and helpful. Transfers worked well. Cost of rail and coastal path ticket is 16 euro, not 12 euro, as mentioned in your information. You might like to advise future customers that the routes are not personally checked out by yourselves.

We loved our 4 nights in the Cinque Terre and found all the Inntravel itinerary notes very helpful. We had delicious meals at some of the recommended restaurants and would add Locanda Lorena on La Palmaria island off Portovenere. Very good food and they collect and return you by boat which is wonderful at night with the lights of Portovenere in the background. No more expensive than the main port restaurants. We would have loved a 5 night option with a second night at Portovenere! 

INNTRAVEL NOTE: It is possible to book additional nights at any hotel on almost all of our holidays

Both our hiking trips, the Cinque Terra and the Amalfi Coast, went off without a hitch. Inntravel took care of all our train and taxi connections before we left the U.S. I would highly recommend this company for their efficiency and helpfulness. We had several add-ons including nights in Pisa and Naples outside the trip itself. Inntravel also arranged a taxi to take our luggage to Naples after dropping us off for a day in Pompeii. We hadn't made any plans for Pompeii and our taxi (really a limo) asked if we would like him to line up a guide which he did before we arrived at Pompeii; our guide was ready and waiting for us. The trails were great, we hit the chestnut harvest when we took a side trip up one valley, a real unexpected highlight; the locals were very friendly. The hotels were top notch. Traveling by train was easy. Needless to say, even though we hiked everyday for 12 days we never lost a pound! Pasta, bread, mussels, galato, wine, etc. etc.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined the walking holidays The Cinque Terre and The Amalfi Coast & Villages with our city add-ons in Pisa and Naples

We have been on several Inntravel holidays and arrangements, hotels etc were up to the usual good standard. The area is very pretty and the views and hillsides are delightful. However, it was probably our least favourite because of the sheer number of people. One of the aspects of Inntravel walking holidays we really enjoy is the remoteness of many of the locations. The Cinque Terre is extremely popular, and the paths, particularly since the closure of some following the landslides, are now over-crowded. The paths are not robust enough to cope with the demands, and frankly we were concerned about the safety and suitability of some of the higher paths. It is a shame, but I wonder if the authorities will need to consider closing some of the paths.  

Liked our hotel in Monterosso. Enjoyed seeing the five villages. It was very crowded the middle of September. We would recommend going a bit later in fall or some other time of year to avoid crowds. 

A very delightful few days. we found the walks up the hills hard going in the heat although we started early but really relished getting away from the crowds in the villages. The trails were all very good with truly breathtaking views. I would recommend to anyone else to go earlier or later in the year as it was very hot for walking.

The hotel La Colonnina was perfect and all the staff were very friendly and helpful.

La Colonnina was a lovely hotel. Breakfast was one of the best we have ever experienced. Home made pasties, jams and family sourced honey. Drinks in the evening were brought with canapes. Great food at Ely restaurant in Monterosso. Best to take your walking stick. Some of the descents are steep and require care.

Amazing locations, lovely hotels, stunning scenery - a great holiday.

We especially enjoyed our lunch at Piccolo Blu, which is recommended in your notes, on the last day and our dinner in Porto Venere at Portivene Un Mare di Sapori on our last night - this restaurant which is number one on trip advisor is worth recommending in your notes on places to eat.

This was our first holiday with Inntravel and we enjoyed it immensely. The hotels were welcoming and attractive and the walks were well planned. Everything worked smoothly and we were able to switch off and just enjoy being in the Cinque Terre.

We found a restaurant/bar in Portovenere (near Chiesa di S. Pietro) that served excellent meals with really friendly service on a terrace overlooking the sea: Torre di Venere, Piazza S. Lazzaro Spallanzani 3, Portovenere and we're happy to recommend it.

My original reason for walking this Cinque Terre trip was to walk between the five villages - not actually knowing the individual distances or terrain to be encountered. I understand the landslide situation - and of course it was different when we arrived - as we could actually walk from Monterosso to Vernazza and Corniglia (the other paths were closed and presumably only approachable from the mountain routes). Day 1 went well and we arrived in sunshine in Monterosso and settled in. Day 2 we managed to walk between the 3 villages as above and trained back to M for the evening. Day 3 the weather changed (not your problem!) and we had to abandon suggested walk and took the mountain route to the Madonna di Soviore sanctuary  - just arriving before blinding mist appeared - we knew we could take bus back which we did. That afterenoon we visited Manorola and Riomaggiore by train. So I covered what I had set out to do but not following suggested notes. Day 3 we made our way via train to La Spezia and bus to Porto Venere which we loved - but not your long suggested walking route as bad weather forecast. In fact the rain came later in the day. So we arrived PV midday and then took the 5 min ferry to the Island Palmaria and enjoyed the walk round it just finishing before the next monsoon came in. We loved PV and walked round there visiting the churches etc. Again we did a different itinerary to suit ourselves and the weather but ............................

negative comments - we found your maps did not match with all the walking routes - compared to the local website etc. We also found your notes often too long and confusing - were they written by someone or had actually been on that trip? One clearer more detailed map of the whole area would have been helpful with the paths and up to date info clearly marked. Also just 2 nights in Monterosso and 2 nights in PV would have been more ideal. The travel arrangements and hotel were excellent.

Fiona and I would like to thank you for a wonderful holiday in Italy. Your attention to detail from the Ryanair flight to the walking notes for Bologna was remarkable (as experienced). All the material was relevant, accurate and easy to understand. The accommodation was very comfortable and all the on route service providers were friendly and helpful. We are actually still on holidays and will be home next week. I do have a few observations to make in regard to the notes on the walks, but I will leave that until I am in front of a proper keyboard. In the meantime thanks again, Inntravel is a great holiday provider. We will have no hesitation in recommending you to our like minded independent traveller friends and families. And we hope to be in contact again when next we are in the neighbourhood.

[INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our Cinque Terre walk with a city break in Bologna.]

The walks were quite strenuous but accomplishing them gave us a great sense of achievement and we were awarded with amazing views and persepctives of the Cinque Terre villages. 

Stay in Manarola till the sun is going down - the painted houses have a changing kaleidoscope of colours at this time.

It was so easy getting between the villages on the train.