0  
+44 (0)1653 617001
back
back
back
back
back
back
back
back
back
back
back

Cinque Terre & Ligurian Coast - Short Break

Liguria - the Cinque Terre & Portovenere
 
Leisurely adventure | Discover breathtaking high paths and a striking coastline.
Cultural insight | Visit all five iconic villages that give the coast its name.
Great cuisine | Delight in fresh, delicious seafood on your journey.
Comfort | Enjoy family-run hotels and great hospitality throughout.
Constant views | Across your holiday you’ll be met with wonderful vistas.
What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 4 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • return rail from Pisa or Genoa
  • Cinque Terre & Ligurian Coast - Short Break
    Liguria - the Cinque Terre & Portovenere
  • Vernazza
  • Pasta Trofie - traditional Ligurian pasta
  • Monterosso
  • Terraced slopes of the Cinque Terre
  • Riomaggiore
  • Portovenere
  • Portovenere
What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 4 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • return rail from Pisa or Genoa
 

Holiday information

 

A walking break in Liguria

The Ligurian Riviera, which stretches from the French border all the way to Tuscany, is marked by its drama: wooded slopes plunge towards the Mediterranean, where fishing ports and small resorts of tall, brightly painted houses huddle in small bays and sandy coves. Naturally, fish and seafood dominate the local cuisine, as does pesto and unusual white wines such as Sciacchetrà.
This delightful break focuses on the famed Cinque Terre (the ‘Five Lands’), where we suggest some superb walks along the quieter high paths, and romantic Portovenere. Endlessly changing scenery makes for some of Europe’s finest coastal walks, and ancient paths – often following long flights of stone steps built over the centuries to tame the steep terrain – make this holiday as enchanting as it is challenging. Please book well in advance (or travel in spring and autumn, which are quieter) to avoid disappointment.

 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 11 11 15 17 22 25 28 28 24 20 15 11
    mm 104 69 85 118 88 55 63 32 77 135 170 107
  • Arrival in Monterosso
    Night 1: at La Colonnina or Le Giare (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of walking.
  • Choice of walks from Monterosso: 5.5km to 9.5km
    Monterosso is one of the five villages of the Cinque Terre. By following our recommended and rewarding routes both alongside and above the coast, you can visit one or two of the others (Vernazza, or Manarola and Corniglia).

    Monterosso to Vernazza: 9.5km, 4hrs; ascent/descent 590m
    This challenging but thrilling 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 can either take the train back to Monterosso or return on foot via the main coastal path (add 3km).

    Manarola to Corniglia: 5.5km, 2.5hrs; ascent 460m/descent 420m
    Take the train (pay locally) to Manarola, 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. Return by train or, for a longer walk, on foot via the coastal path (add 7km).

    Please note: some sections of the main, and very popular, lower coastal path may sometimes be closed, especially following heavy rain or a bad winter. However, our recommended routes incorporate only some segments of these; we use the lesser-used paths higher above the coast as far as possible, rewarding you with satisfying walking and superb views.
    Between Manarola and Corniglia
    Monterosso to Vernazza: 9.5km
    Manarola to Corniglia: 5.5km
  • Choice of walks from Monterosso to Portovenere: 10.5km or 13km
    Whichever route you choose, today starts with a short train journey (pay locally) to Riomaggiore, another of the five villages of the Cinque Terre, from where there's a steady ascent to the panoramic Sanctuary of Madonna di Montenero. Your path then continues to rise and fall through attractive woodland, before descending to the medieval village of Campiglia...

    Longer option: 13km, 6hrs; ascent 880m/descent 905m
    From Campiglia, our longer route continues through woodland to emerge onto the red rocks that give this part of the coastline its name (Costa Rossa). As you approach your destination, and the stylish Hotel Paradiso, the challenging coastal path rewards you with sweeping views of Portovenere and the islands that lie just off the coast.

    Shorter option: 10.5km, 5hrs; ascent 685m/descent 710m
    Alternatively, this shorter option descends along an ancient way through the woods on a stone staircase to Acquasanta, from where you take a bus (pay locally) to Portovenere.
    Monterosso to Portovenere, longer route: 13km
    Approaching Portovenere
  • Circular route on Palmaria: 6.5km, 3hrs; ascent/descent 275m
    For a final walk, we suggest taking a boat over to Palmaria and following our circular route around the island.

    Be sure also to enjoy a leisurely exploration of Portovenere itself: here, narrow streets meander among tall slender houses painted in the pastel colours so typical of the region. Or why not take the ferry to explore the nearby town of La Spezia?
    Circular route on Palmaria: 6.5km
    Palmaria Island
 

Accommodation

You stay in two excellent and stylish hotels.

In some places, we work with more than one hotel, as shown below. All are hand-picked by us and, unless there is a price implication (in which case we will contact you to discuss your options), we will tell you which one we have booked for you on your booking confirmation.

Wherever you stay in Monterosso, we recommend adding extra nights to give yourselves time to enjoy both walks and thus visit all five of the Cinque Terre villages.
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
Currency converter

We can only accept payment in GBP, but you can use this converter to find out how much the holiday equates to in your own currency.

Please enter an amount Please enter a valid amount British Pound Sterling (GBP)
Currency is required
NB: this should be used as a guide only. Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in significant variation by the time you come to pay.

  • 4 nights: 01 April 2025 - 14 July 2025, 23 August 2025 - 19 October 2025, 01 April 2026 - 14 July 2026 & 23 August 2026 - 19 October 2026

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 - 30 Apr 2025 £830 £200
    1 May - 10 Jul 2025 £905 £200
    23 Aug - 27 Sep 2025 £910 £200
    28 - 30 Sep 2025 £850 £215
    1 - 15 Oct 2025 £725 £220
    1 - 30 Apr 2026 £880 £210
    1 May - 10 Jul 2026 £960 £210
    23 Aug - 27 Sep 2026 £965 £210
    28 - 30 Sep 2026 £905 £225
    1 - 15 Oct 2026 £770 £230
    3rd & 4th person discount -£104 to -£110
    Single traveller supplement £104 to £110

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Included travel: rail from Pisa/Genoa to Monterosso al Mare on outward journey; taxi and rail from La Spezia to Pisa/Genoa on homeward journey

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

    4 nights: 01 April 2025 - 14 July 2025, 23 August 2025 - 19 October 2025, 01 April 2026 - 14 July 2026 & 23 August 2026 - 19 October 2026

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 - 30 Apr 2025 £1195 £200
    1 May - 10 Jul 2025 £1250 £200
    23 Aug - 27 Sep 2025 £1265 £200
    28 - 30 Sep 2025 £1205 £215
    1 - 15 Oct 2025 £1100 £220
    1 - 30 Apr 2026 £1260 £210
    1 May - 10 Jul 2026 £1320 £210
    23 Aug - 27 Sep 2026 £1335 £210
    28 - 30 Sep 2026 £1275 £225
    1 - 15 Oct 2026 £1150 £230
    3rd & 4th person discount -£104 to -£110
    Single traveller supplement £104 to £110

    Includes all elements in the 'walk price', plus standard-class travel by Eurostar from London St Pancras to either Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, or Lille, with onward travel as described below.

    If you book your holiday less than 6 months in advance of your travel date, seats may no longer be available at the tariffs on which our prices are based, but we may be able to offer you seats on the same services at a supplement.

  • Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    La Colonnina, Monterosso (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Apr - 30 Apr 2025 £135 £199
    01 May - 30 Jun 2025 £155 £224
    01 Jul - 14 Jul 2025 £165 £234
    23 Aug - 30 Sep 2025 £165 £234
    01 Oct - 19 Oct 2025 £135 £199
    01 Apr - 30 Apr 2026 £143 £211
    01 May - 30 Jun 2026 £164 £237
    01 Jul - 14 Jul 2026 £174 £247
    23 Aug - 30 Sep 2026 £174 £247
    01 Oct - 19 Oct 2026 £143 £211
    Hotel Paradiso, Portovenere (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Apr - 14 Jul 2025 £160 £240
    23 Aug - 30 Sep 2025 £160 £240
    01 Oct - 19 Oct 2025 £124 £185
    01 Apr - 14 Jul 2026 £169 £253
    23 Aug - 30 Sep 2026 £169 £253
    01 Oct - 19 Oct 2026 £131 £195
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Pisa or Genoa
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Milan or Rome.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Pisa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Genoa (via Munich) Lufthansa 
    Birmingham - Pisa jet2 
    Birmingham - Pisa (via Munich) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Genoa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Bristol - Pisa easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Nottingham East Midlands - Pisa Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Genoa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Edinburgh - Genoa (via Paris) Air France 
    Edinburgh - Pisa Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow Prestwick - Pisa Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Humberside - Pisa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Pisa Ryanair 
    Leeds Bradford - Pisa jet2 
    Leeds Bradford - Pisa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Pisa Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Genoa British Airways,  Vueling 
    Gatwick - Genoa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Gatwick - Pisa British Airways,  easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Genoa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Heathrow - Genoa (via Rome Fiumicino) Alitalia 
    Heathrow - Pisa British Airways 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Pisa easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Genoa Ryanair 
    Stansted - Pisa Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Genoa Ryanair 
    Manchester - Genoa (via Paris) Air France 
    Manchester - Pisa easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Genoa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Pisa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Southampton - Genoa (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Teesside International - Pisa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Milan or Rome.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Genoa

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Genoa to Monterosso al Mare (1h30), walk Monterosso al Mare to hotel (0h10) included 1800
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    transfer hotel to La Spezia (0h20), rail La Spezia to Genoa (1h15-1h40) included 1100

    Connecting travel options - flying via Pisa

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Pisa Centrale to Monterosso al Mare (1h40), walk Monterosso al Mare to hotel (0h10) included 1600
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    transfer hotel to La Spezia (0h35), rail La Spezia to Pisa Centrale (0h40-1h20) included 1300
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 10 reviews
  • Anon
    09 October 2024

    Stella Di Lemmen stop off as mentioned before.

  • Jennifer, Melbourne Australia
    25 September 2024

    Inntravel made our holiday easy - booking great hotels, train tickets & providing a useful background information. Best of all they suggested great hikes off the beaten path we would have struggled to find ourselves. They were always a phone call away to smooth over any hiccups. 

  • Dr P Zachar
    USA
    20 May 2024

    We really enjoyed our late May Cinque Terre hiking trip. The selected hikes were wonderful and we particularly enjoyed the walk from Riomaggiore to Portovenere. We were pleasantly surprised that the suggested hiking routes were not at all crowded. Route descriptions were clear, and we were able to upload the provided route maps to the AllTrails program which was handy. The accommodations were comfortable and the service was excellent particularly at Hotel La Colonnina. We were very happy with Inntravel's resolution of an issue we had with the luggage transfer. We would definitely recommend Inntravel to friends and family and will hope to return for another walking holiday in the future!

  • Mrs C Child
    Richmond
    07 April 2024

    Memories of this holiday will stay with us. It is throughly recommended. A joy to walk the high trails - through woods and vineyards - and early April is a good time to miss the worst of the crowds on the coastal path. The Genoa add-on provided an interesting contrast. Great accommodation, friendly staff, clear directions. Wish we had stayed a couple of extra days. We hope to return.

  • Anon, Waterlooville
    23 September 2023

    La Colonnina and Hotel Paradiso were 2 very good 3* hotels in the Cinque Terre, both exceeded expectations. The terrain is really quite difficult with paths and especially steps irregular and poorly maintained - walking poles are helpful.  Plus of Cinque Terre is that it is very easy to get around using a combination of trains and ferries, and the views and villages ARE beautiful. We ate lots of delicious seafood [especially in Trattoria Tre Torre in Portovenere]. The only poor meal was at the Agriturismo Buranco in Monterosso - chef more interested in singing karaoke. It was a lovely setting but I would remove from your recommendations. Consequence of ease of access is that the villages were still "rammed" in the last week of September [also apparently in May and June], so to avoid the crowds consider April/Oct. Portovenere much calmer!

  • Mrs M McKeogh
    Oxford
    07 July 2023

    As usual a lovely holiday from Inntravel. I wouldn't do it in July though - it was very hot. If you take option B Riomaggiore to Acquasanta then the bus from Acquasanta terminates on the street of Hotel Paradiso - you can walk back up the street to find it on the right. Restaurant Ciak in Montorosso was excellent - the shared tapas starters were amazing - and Trattoria Tre Torri in Portovenere was lovely too. Ristorante Pizzeria IL Timone on the seafront was a rip-off. The historical walk in Genoa was very good and well worth doing.

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

  • Louby Lou
    16 June 2023

    Fabulous holiday; the scenery is stunning!

    NB. the climbs out of the villages are steep and rocky so you need to be sure-footed and relatively fit

    If your legs are tired then the boat is a must ... you get to see all 5 towns and can get off wherever you want to.

     

     

  • Mr P Wickenden
    London
    07 June 2023

    Both hotels were very good with friendly and helpful staff. We are glad that we stayed an extra night at La Colonnina to enable us to walk both options. The five villages are, of course, delightful places to visit but it has to be admitted that the crowds are a problem. Arriving hot and tired in Vernazza in the early afternoon needing an icecream and a drink and place to sit down we discovered that you had to join a long queue to acquire any of them! 

  • Nancy S.
    05 October 2022

    try to coordinate your schedule to avoid hiking on the weekend on the popular SVA routes as the Italians also hike these areas on the weekend. We hiked one on a Saturday and even in late October it was very crowded.

  • Anon
    21 August 2022

    It was hot, the walls often started with a 2km climb, but it was worth it. We had a wonderful mother and daughter time, thank you.
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Italy, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The principal official language is Italian, though some regions have a second official language, such as South Tyrol, where German is widely spoken. The currency is the Euro. Italian time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
Price from
£725pp | 4 nights
Cinque Terre & Ligurian Coast - Short Break. 4 nights
Price from
£725pp
Book
Last fetch time is : 7/16/2025 6:59:13 AM

currency iplookup:

cookie value: null

querystring value: null