For centuries the paths of the Cinque Terre have been the only link between one village and another and between them and the hinterland.

Today the network that extends for over 120 kilometers allows you to appreciate and visit the whole territory, through paths of different types.

We therefore remind you that walking on the trails of the Cinque Terre National Park must always take place in good weather conditions, with suitable footwear and by people with good hiking practice.

Check in time the practicability of the trail network at the CINQUE TERRE HIKING GUIDE link: in the App version downloadable from the Apple Store or Google Play or ask at the reception it will be a great pleasure to help you.

BELOW THE DESCRIPTION OF THE TRAILS:

From Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore, Monterosso

Hiking itineraries starting from:

Ring excursion on the high paths of the village dear to Montale: among sea flakes, Jurassic rocks, ancient lemon groves and blooms.

There is no panoramic point in the Cinque Terre that does not contemplate Punta Mesco, a promontory that closes the Marine Protected Area to the west dividing the village of Monterosso al mare from that of Levanto. This week's virtual hike takes you right up to this massive rock formation, the site of the Nobel Prize-winning poet Eugenio Montale's youth walks.

A circular route with departure and arrival in the village, passing through Valle del Morione, through a patchwork of environments and naturalistic emergencies. Within a few kilometers, Jurassic rocks, ancient lemon houses and the remains of an ancient history.

Length, 8.6 km, Difference in altitude 509 m, Difficulty EE

To get to the top and be able to "observe the distant beating of sea flakes among the leaves", the itinerary starts from the old town through the path that from Via Roma goes up along the Morione Valley: here you meet imposing sandstone walls built with lime binder that enclose ancient lemon gardens.

Going up the scenery changes and, among the coolness of holm oaks, cork oaks, chestnuts and strawberry trees, alternating with vineyards and olive trees, you get to the Eremo della Maddalena where, near the historic vineyard you can appreciate the organic installation "A Roots Discovered" by the artist Marco Nones.

Taking path no. 591 from Colla di Gritta, Sella Bagari towards Punta Mesco, the scenery changes decisively and the steps move along the back of the mountain.

On the ridge the history is told by the rocks, practically walking "on the Jurassic". Up to the promontory of Mesco you can observe a section of what millions of years ago was an ocean, the Tethys: first you meet gabri and serpentinites, magmatic rocks then argillites and Gottero sandstones which, on Mesco, appear in powerful cliffs.

The landscape becomes lunar, among the colors of the Mediterranean scrub stand out juniper, myrtle and helichrysum, in this season the blooms of thyme and ligustica thorny euphorbia are plentiful.

On one side the row on the Cinque Terre on the other Levanto up to the promontory of Portofino. Finally, among strawberry trees, cysts, and other essences, among which the Santolina Ligustica stands out, we arrive at the Hermitage of Sant'Antonio *, surrounded by the dense holm oak that gives freshness and creates an atmosphere suspended in time.

The return stretch is all downhill on the SVA n. 590, up to the Giallognola Pagoda, the villa with two palms, the summer home of the poet from Ossi di Seppia.

A plaque on which is engraved the verse "the house of my distant summers was beside you, you know, there in the village where the sun cooks and the mosquitoes cloud the air" preludes the suggestions promised by the village and anticipates the arrival at warm beaches of Località Fegina

The visible walls are what remains of a hermitage founded by the Augustinian monks probably around the middle of the 13th century. Dominating a vast coastal arch, from the island of Tino to the promontory of Portofino, it does not exclude that it was used since the early Middle Ages as a sighting and signaling point.

Excursion on the high paths that embrace Vernazza. A continuous discovery of cultural and religious testimonies, of high altitude environments that blend with the coastal ones.

Like all the other villages of the Cinque Terre, Vernazza also has two souls: that of the village clinging to the rock and that of the mountains that develop vertically from vertigo to the sea. The circular hiking trail starting from the town center, passing through the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Reggio, up to Monte Santa Croce, is a continuous discovery of cultural and religious testimonies, of high-altitude environments that blend with those of the coast. Landscapes where you can always look elsewhere, discovering a healthy and powerful nature at every step.

Expert Hiking Difficulty | Length 13.39 km

The itinerary starts from Via Brigate Partigiane meeting the first newsstands depicting the Stations of the Cross. Going up a little, you pass the former convent of the Franciscan order, located in the upper part of the town, today the seat of the town hall and then the cemetery from which it is possible to observe the village from above, its towers, the marina and the coasts , some terraced. The path becomes wide and paved until it meets a chapel dedicated to San Bernardo.

Overlooking the village and the basin of its canal, the largest of the Cinque Terre, alternate along the slope. Between walls built on large rocks, olive trees and bands regained by the arboreal heather, we arrive at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Reggio.

The church and the surrounding park deserve a stop, both for the view and for the majestic trees such as lime trees, holm oaks, horse chestnuts, tuje and the monumental cypress * of 800 years and with its record-breaking measurements (23 meters high and 490 centimeters) of circumference approximately) is a sort of vegetal bell tower that challenges the stone one. An artificial grotto houses a fountain with large marble masks immersed in the maidenhair fern from which he sees fresh water.

Leaving this spiritual oasis from the mountain side, you go up through a shortcut in the shade of a mixed forest that leads to the paved road up to the entrance to path 582 where you can enjoy one of the most evocative and vertical views of the village.

The stretch develops along the valleys between Monterosso and Vernazza at an altitude ranging from 350 to 500 meters. Thick Mediterranean scrub that meets along the path with breathtaking views.

Once in the locality of Termine, go along a stretch of paved road again until you reach the entrance to the Alta Via delle Cinque Terre. A gallery of gorse accompanies the short detour to reach Monte Santa Croce where there is a small chapel and a large lawn. With a last look at Mesco, Monterosso and the coast to the west, you cross the dense scrub until you reach a beautiful holm oak forest.

From Foce di Drignana, take path no. 508 which coincides with the asphalted road, until it meets again in the Sanctuary.

* The monumental cypress

The specimen of Cupressus Sempervirens L., now in its eight hundredth birthday, stands majestically with its flaming hair thrown towards the sky.

It is no coincidence that a cypress was planted next to the cult building: in ancient times its evergreen foliage, durable wood and extraordinary ability to recover from adverse weather events were considered symbols of longevity and eternal life.

A prodigy of nature, planted after the construction of the Vernazza sanctuary, mentioned in the 1990 National Inventory of Monumental Trees.

Discovering the high paths of the village of Cornglia, through the circular excursion from the sea to the ridge forest, up to the wine terraces, everything is connected.

The circular hiking trail proposed this week is useful for understanding the connection between the different environments of the Cinque Terre.

Walking on the stone stairways that start from the village of Corniglia, up to the ridge wood, and then cross the symphony of vineyards and dry stone walls near Volastra, it is not difficult to understand the connection between all the elements that make up the landscape and the wise use of the forest by generations of "architect" farmers. And it is almost inevitable to feel a sense of gratitude towards those who, before us, built this extraordinary maze of paths, which still today allows access to such unrepeatable and uncontaminated places.

Difficulty Expert Hiker

Positive difference in height m. 544

km. 9, 13

The route starts near the back of the church of San Pietro e Paolo ** precisely in coincidence with a fountain that invites you to stock up on fresh water before embarking on the vertical ascent on the stairway of path n. 587.

Among olive trees and vineyards, the track then proceeds through a pine forest and meets path no. 586 from Volastra. Continue to climb into the woods near Case Pianca until the route joins the Provincial Road 51 which runs north for about 200 m. Then take the narrow and steep uphill path on the right entering a majestic holm oak wood that culminates on the Alta Via delle 5 terre.

Holm oaks, Turkey oaks and gorse that develop along a flat stretch allow you to walk in the cool even in the summer season up to the entrance to path n. 506 that reach the Strada dei Santuari (path n. 530) near the village of Volastra. Primitive and laborious the Cinque Terre that are discovered on this stretch where you meet the ruins and remains of the ancient cableways. The vegetation still reveals a tale of intelligent use of the forest and of the extreme slopes as a means of transporting materials downstream, but also of connecting roads between coastal and inland communities.

To return to Corniglia, take path no. 586 from the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Salute to Case Pianca. In the first section you walk between terraces as far as the eye can see. The sea is far away yet pervades the scenery. The same sea and the same light that will then be found in the excellent Cinque Terre DOC, Bianco and Sciacchetrà wines. This scenic stretch called "Le Coste" is in fact one of the most suited to the cultivation of vines and the geometric design of the slopes is still clearly visible through the agricultural technique of the bands built with dry stone walls, useful for obtaining small patches of arable land but also for maintain the stability of the slopes.

The route proceeds on a slight slope just downstream of the Provincial Road 51 up to Case Porciana. After passing the few houses, you then enter the wood that has taken the place of abandoned vineyards and continue, but always with panoramic views, until you reach the intersection with path 587 Corniglia-Cigoletta again and then go back down to Corniglia

* The parish of San Pietro is one of the most interesting monuments of the whole coast, a beautiful example of Ligurian Gothic. The building, which shows a clear Templar symbolism, was erected in 1334, while in 1351 the rose window in white Carrara marble was built. Inside, the baptismal font from the 12th century, the statues of the evangelists and the polyptych divided into segments depicting

Verticality and peasant visions through the ring on the high paths from Manarola, passing through its hamlets, Collina del Corniolo and Strada dei Santuari.

Difficulty Expert Hiker

Length 8.32 km

The route starts from Manarola through the path n. 506 as far as Piè di Fiesse where, near a shrine dedicated to the Madonna della Salute, take n. 502.

High irregular steps, some carved into the rock, cut through gardens and terraces on which some vines cultivated according to the traditional technique with low pergolas are still visible.

You walk leaving behind a slice of the sea which, as you go up, widens more and more, as the houses of Groppo are better defined, dominated by those of Volastra, both arranged in a sunburst and immersed in olive trees.

Splendid views follow one another until you take path no. 532c, through maritime pines, chestnuts, gorse, heather, rock roses and other flowers and essences of the Mediterranean scrub.

The spontaneous vegetation gives way again to the agricultural landscape that opens onto the strips, at times still well cared for, leaving us to imagine how suggestive the design of the vineyards must have been, which in the past developed up to about 500 meters.

As you continue walking along the side of the mountain sectioned by dry stone walls, towards the Collina del Corniolo, you can see Manarola in the distance overlooking the sea at the bottom of the valley.

Arriving at Corniolo you feel the sensation of walking on the prow of a ship that divides Manarola from Riomaggiore and "watches" them from above; to the east the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Montenero, to the west, a stretch as far as the eye can see on the Cinque Terre coast. The vineyards, this time in rows, seem like notes on a musical score.

Fill your eyes with beauty, continue to climb the path n. 532 towards the Strada dei Santuari and, before returning to the mixed forest, a view in the locality of Zuncone gives us one of the most evocative and unprecedented views of Manarola.

Reached the path n. 530 continue walking at high altitude on a wide dirt road and reach the suggestive village of Volastra. Surrounded by olive trees and vineyards, the town is worth a stop and a visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Health.

To regain the descent towards Manarola, take path no. 506 c which, among gardens hidden in a narrow valley, holds a small jewel: the Vistun Fountain, an ancient spring covered with Capelveneria embellished with a bas-relief, where in the past the inhabitants of the village supplied themselves with drinking water daily.

Leaving this magical place, through the cultivated fields, we arrive at the hamlet of Groppo, where the Rio of the same name flows abundantly, and then continue on the way back with paths n. 506v and then again on n. 506, up to the village of Manarola.

In short, verticality is not scary if the reward is total immersion in nature; an experience in those same visions of generations of farmers who, stone by stone, land by land, have built this extraordinary landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The beauties of the circular hiking route from the village of Riomaggiore through its ancient pilgrimage routes.

In itself, the act of walking helps in understanding what surrounds us, even more so if it occurs in places of local collective memory, between traditions, spirituality and architectural signs that have survived time and modernity. This circular route with arrival and departure from Riomaggiore allows you to gain the beauty of the hills that dominate the village and its ancient pilgrimage routes, a centuries-old connection between the coast of the Cinque Terre and the hinterland.

An opportunity also to explore the richness of biodiversity which, within a few kilometers, develops giving life to different environments, in which the sign of man is measured and harmonious.

Difficulty Expert Hiker | Length: 8.50 km

The itinerary starts from Lavaccio along the path n. SVA - 593, along the Rio Maggiore stream whose flow, now in waterfalls between the rock, now in rivulets, pleasantly accompanies a good part of the climb up to the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Montenero.

This stretch that leads to the Sanctuary, also known as La Via Grande, develops between dry stone walls and cultivated fields, some of which regained by spontaneous vegetation, in the shade of chestnut trees, maritime pines and essences of the Mediterranean scrub.

The 13 votive shrines dedicated to the Madonna, donated by the families of the village, mark the route, partly in beaten earth and partly expertly paved. Not only the tabernacles, but also the mastery in arranging the large stones that accompany the journey, are a sign of the importance and attachment of the Riomaggiore community to this path.

Once on the top of the promontory that houses the Sanctuary (Q. 340 masl), attested starting from 1335 AD, you are welcomed by the building that proudly dominates one of the most evocative views of the area and which overlooks the entire stretch of coast of the Cinque Lands up to Punta Mesco, crossing over to Portovenere and the island of Palmaria.

Leaving the back of the church behind and continuing in the direction of the Strada dei Santuari (path n.530), you cross a gallery of holm oaks and, between views and sweeping views, the path climbs up to Località Casarino (Q. 405 masl) and then continues. along a short stretch of paved road until you take path no. 530 C in the direction of the HOLY SCALE.

The suggestive staircase seems suspended in time. Mosses, lichens and the play of light between the trees make it perfectly integrated with the surrounding nature. Its development is steep and vertical on large blocks of sandstone extracted from the nearby Schiappacasse quarry. It is a significant architectural element of the ancient pilgrimage route that connected the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Montenero with that of Agostina, located in the Municipality of Riccò del Golfo.

The staircase, in the coolness of the woods, thus leads to the Alta Via delle Cinque Terre, AV5T, a ridge path, a real hiking hinge with the nearby Val di Vara.

Once you reach the Bramapane junction (Q. 623 m.s.l.m), continue walking along the wide path immersed in the mixed wood, in this season colored by the blooms of wild saffron, heather and bifoliate scilla.

Here, too, the views do not fail to amaze with the unusual views from above on Riomaggiore, its hamlets and the coast of the Cinque Terre.

To go back down to the village, up to the Castle, take path 501 which, vertically cutting the road of the Sanctuaries, leads to the Costa del Campione (Q. 395 masl), a particularly panoramic point from which you can admire the Sanctuary of Montenero again to the east. and to the west the Collina del Corniolo and that of the Magnati two areas particularly suited for the production of White Wine and Sciacchetrà DOC Cin

Itineraries

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Hiking itineraries starting from: