Post on 22-Feb-2019
PORTOFINO, THE CINQUE TERRE & PORTOVENERE
A spectacular in-depth journey on foot and by rail, exploring Italy’s glamorous Portofino, together
with two UNESCO World Heritage gems; the Cinque Terre National Park with its five classic colourful
fishing villages, and the lovely Portovenere.
The Ligurian coast, known as bella Italia’s ‘Flower Riviera’, will captivate you will its unique coastal and
forest trails, where you’ll walk or take short train rides from village to village, admiring the cobalt blue sea
and colourful collections of houses that cling to the cliff faces. Revel in the region’s delicious cuisine,
washed down with excellent local wines from the region’s terraced vineyards— this tour will delight foodies
and keen walkers alike.
Your trip begins on the Portofino peninsula, staying in the traditional fishing harbour of Camogli, from where
you can visit the impressive San Frutuoso Abbey— located in a beautiful cove and reached only by boat or
on foot, as well as the lighthouse ‘Il Faro’ which gives spectacular views of the Mediterranean and Ligurian
Seas. You’ll continue on foot to iconic Portofino, where you can relax at the harbour with a chilled caffè
freddo and watch the fishing boats and mega-yachts bobbing on the crystal-clear water.
Continue your Italian adventure with a walk through the hills of the East Riviera, staying overnight at
Bonassola with its laid-back beach, before continuing south along the coastline to Monterosso. Set amidst
terraces of olive groves and vines, Monterosso is the largest of the five villages of the Cinque Terre. Enjoy a
choice of coastal or mountain walks through vineyards and fragrant pine and chestnut forests. Alternatively,
make use of your two-day rail pass, or simply relax under a colourful beach umbrella.
Visit the town of Riomaggiore, the most southerly of the Cinque Terre villages, dating from the 8th Century
and characterised by sorbet-coloured houses perched on slate grey cliffs. Your walking tour finishes in the
lovely medieval fishing town of Portovenere, on the Gulf of Poets. No wonder this area inspired such literary
greats such as Byron and DH Lawrence.
Your walking and rail trip in The Cinque Terre includes 7 nights in superb hand-picked 2-3* hotels in rooms
with private facilities, 7 breakfasts, a 48-hour Cinque Terre Card (train pass and entrance to the National
Park), transfer from Camogli to San Rocco on Day 2 and from Monterosso to Soviore on Day 5, luggage
transfers on Days 4 & 7, comprehensive route notes and maps and a detailed pre-departure information
pack as well as emergency support.
Wandering ancient trails past flower-filled meadows, vineyards and olive groves
Exploring the colourful UNESCO World Heritage villages of the Cinque Terre
The flexibility of walking or taking the train to explore village to village
The stylish atmosphere of harbour-side Portofino; people-watching with a caffè freddo
Staying in the charming medieval town of Portovenere
Breath-taking views of the azure Mediterranean sea, and enjoying a cool dip!
PORTOFINO, THE CINQUE TERRE
& PORTOVENERE
DISCOVER BELLA ITALIA ON FOOT AND BY RAIL
SUMMARY
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Accommodation: 7 Nights in 2-3* charm-ing hand-picked small hotels.
Meals: 7 Breakfasts.
Transfers: People transfer on Day 2 and
5, and a 48-hr Cinque Terre Card which
gives you entrance to the park and use of
local trains.
Baggage Transfers: On Days 4 and 7.
Tour: Portofino, The Cinque Terre &
Portovenere
Code: WItPORT
Type: Self-Guided Walking Holiday
Price: See Website Dates: April to October on any day Walking Days: 5-6 Days: 8 Nights: 7 Start: Camogli, Portofino Peninsula Finish: Portovenere
Distance: 3-13km each day
Grade: Easy to Moderate
IS IT FOR ME?
Food, history, culture and wonderful walking
through UNESCO Heritage sites; visiting
Portofino, Portovenere and the Cinque Terre
national park—you’ve found the classic Ital-
ian experience! Coastal and mountain trails
abound, with the opportunity to shorten your
walks and take either a train or on occasion
a local ferry. This is the quintessential
Cinque Terre experience! HIGHLIGHTS
DAY 1
Arrive Camogli
Your Italian journey begins in the charming small
fishing village of Camogli, situated on the west
side of the Portofino peninsula. Camogli is
easily reached with good train connections from
Genoa or Pisa (and Florence is also an option).
If you have time when you arrive, visit the
historic centre and embrace the relaxed seaside
ambience of Camogli, with its fantastic fresh
seafood and colourful houses.
Overnight: Hotel La Camogliese**, Camogli
The following hotels are available at an upgrade
supplement: Hotel Augusta** or Hotel
Casmona***, Camogli
All hotels offer a warm welcome to walkers and
are conveniently close to the beach.
DAY 2
Walk to Portofino via San Fruttuoso
You’ll be picked up this morning from your hotel at Camogli for a private transfer to the village of San Rocco. Start your walk with a visit to the San Fruttuoso Abbey, located in a secluded bay overlooking cobalt-blue waters. From here you can choose to walk or take a ferry to the chic town of Portofino (the latter is payable locally). Enjoy the wonderful view from Il Faro (the Light House), located at the extreme point of the promontory, 1km from Portofino. A firm favourite with the celebrity ‘jet set’, this pretty town is famous for its picturesque harbour. From here you can take the train or boat back to Camogli (payable locally).
Overnight: Hotel La Camogliese**, Camogli
Choice of walks:
Easier option: 7km, 734m ascent, 394m
descent, 3h30 approx.
Harder option: 11km, 1165m ascent, 1185m
descent, 5h30 approx.
DAY 3
Train to Bonassola. Walk to Deiva
Marina via Framura
Continue your adventure along the Ligurian
Riviera by jumping on a train to Bonassola
(payable locally), a lovely town wedged between
the sea and mountains, from where you will
begin your walk through the hills of the East
Riviera.
The first part of your walk to Framura is
extremely panoramic with wonderful views over
the northern Ligurian coast. You can always
shorten your walk by finishing in Framura and
returning to Bonassola by train.
On reaching the pretty little town of Deiva
Marina, why not take a cooling dip in the ocean
to celebrate a wonderful day’s walk.
Overnight: Hotel Villa Belvedere, Bonassola
The following hotels are available at an upgrade
supplement: Albergo delle Rose***, Hotel La
Feluca*** or Hotel Pensione Moderna***,
Bonassola
Stay in a friendly property close to the beach at
Bonassola. All of our properties here offer
comfortably furnished rooms and are ideally
located for exploring the area.
Choice of walks:
Easier option: 5km, 421m ascent, 394m
descent, 2h30 approx.
Harder option: 11km, 878m ascent, 881m
descent, 4hrs approx.
DAY 4
Walk to Monterosso via Levanto
The first part of today’s walk runs along an old
railway track which has recently been
transformed into a fairly flat cycle path. Walk
through the tunnels and over the bridges whilst
revelling in spectacular views over the azure sea
and cliffs until you reach the idyllic painter’s
paradise of Levanto, located in the centre of a
charming valley surrounded by green hills.
As you reach the ridge top, pause to take in the
sweeping views to the mountains which surround
the ‘Gulf of Paradise’. Arriving at Punta Mesco
you continue your descent towards the village of
Monterosso.
Choice of walks:
Easier option: 3km, 225m ascent, 226m
descent, 1h30 approx.
Harder option: 10km, 753m ascent, 746m
descent, 4h30 approx.
Overnight: Hotel Marina***, Monterosso
The following hotels are available at an upgrade
supplement: Hotel Punta Mesco***, Hotel
Amici***, Hotel La Colonnina*** or Hotel Villa
Adriana***, Monterosso
Our delightfully charming accommodation in
Monterosso, the largest of the five villages of the
Cinque Terre, provides a welcome rest to
walkers and is again close to the beach.
Day Route Km
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Arrive Camogli
Transfer to San Rocco and
walk to Portofino via San
Fruttuoso
Train to Bonassola. Walk to
Deiva Marina via Framura
Walk to Monterosso via
Levanto
Transfer to Soviore, walk to
Monterosso via Vernazza
Free day to explore Cinque
Terre or choice of walks
Colla di Gritta / Corniglia-
Riomaggiore
Train to Riomaggiore. Walk
to Portovenere
Onward travel
-
7/11
5/11
3/10
6/10
9/11
13
-
DETAILED ITINERARY
PORTOFINO, THE CINQUE TERRE & PORTOVENERE
DISCOVER BELLA ITALIA ON FOOT AND BY RAIL
DAY 5
Transfer to Soviore, walk to
Monterosso via Vernazza
After a good breakfast, begin with a transfer to
Soviore, thus avoiding the very steep section up
an ancient cobbled path. On arrival in Soviore
you can either stop to visit the local monastery or
immediately begin your walk towards Vernazza.
Follow a panoramic path that gently descends to
the Madonna di Reggio, a Sanctuary hidden in
the hills behind the little town of Vernazza. From
here continue walking on a stone path down to
this pretty port full of colourful houses and old
fishing boats, before taking the panoramic
coastal path back to Monterosso.
To shorten the walk, you can stop in Vernazza if
you wish, and take the train back to Monterosso.
Overnight: Hotel Marina***, Monterosso
Choice of walks:
Easier option: 6km, 266m ascent, 707m
descent, 3hrs approx.
Harder option: 10km, 643m ascent, 1098m
descent, 4hrs approx.
DAY 6
Free to explore Cinque Terre or optional Colla di Gritta or Corniglia-
Riomaggiore walks
Spend today as you wish—perhaps simply
relaxing at Monterosso or returning to one of the
pretty villages of the Cinque Terre by train.
Alternatively, choose from the following optional
walks:
Monterosso loop walk via Colle di Gritta
Head inland past the ‘Chiesa dei Cappucini’ to
the Colla di Gritta. Continue over the mountain
ridge through lush forests, passing over Monte
Molinelli, Monte Rossini, Montenegro and Colla
dei Bagari until you reach Punta Mesco. Return
to Monterosso via a series of old stone footpaths.
Walk: 9km, 690m ascent, 696m descent, 3hrs
or
Corniglia-Volastra-Riomaggiore walk
Take the train from Monterosso to Corniglia, then
set out on foot as you ascend the path towards
Volastra and on to Riomaggiore. Stop for a
delicious gelato or a glass of full-bodied red wine
from the local vineyards, before taking the train
back to Monterosso.
Walk: 10km, 471m ascent, 448m descent, 4hrs
approx.
Overnight: Hotel Marina***, Monterosso
DAY 7
Train to Riomaggiore. Walk to
Portovenere
A short train ride (payable locally) takes you to Riomaggiore, the most southerly of the villages of the Cinque Terre, dating from 13th Century. Continue your walk to the edge of the chain of mountains which borders the Cinque Terre area. From Colle del Telegrafo, follow the ridgeline until you reach Portovenere, passing through the village of Campiglia. Your final walk will be rewarded with great views over the Cinque Terre coastline and the impressive cliffs of Portovenere at the end.
The stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site of Portovenere was a favourite of such literary greats as Byron, Shelley and DH Lawrence. Its photogenic San Pietro Church was built atop the remains of a 6th-century church, said to occupy the site of an ancient Roman temple to Venus.
Walk: 13km, 861m ascent, 875m descent, 6hrs approx.
Overnight: Hotel Paradiso, Portovenere
The following hotels are available at an upgrade
supplement: Hotel Belvedere*** or Hotel Royal
Sporting***, Portovenere
All of our superb accommodations in Portovenere
overlook the water. Relax and watch the world go
by as you sip a toast to your Cinque Terre
adventure.
DAY 8
Onward travel
Bid farewell to the Cinque Terre and continue
your onward journey home. You can depart
Portovenere by bus to La Spezia and from there
you can easily get to Pisa, Genoa, Florence or
Milan airports by train.
Additional Nights and Extensions
Why not extend your tour with a few extra nights
before/after or during your tour? Contact us to
tailor-make your arrangements.
Accommodation
We specifically choose our hotels for comfort,
location and real authenticity. Our small hotels
are of a good standard (some 2* but mostly 3*),
with en suite rooms offering a genuine warm
Italian welcome.
We will always try and accommodate you at the
locations detailed in the brochure, but because
of limited availability and the popularity of this
region we may have to accommodate you at an
alternative location of the same or better
standard. We will confirm your accommodation
details on confirming your reservation.
Single Rooms
Single rooms are available but attract a single
supplement.
Solo Walkers
This is a great holiday for solo walkers. If you are
travelling solo the holiday is slightly more
expensive as some costs are not shared.
Meals
The delicious Italian food and wine available
locally is undoubtedly a highlight of this holiday.
TOUR INFORMATION
PORTOFINO, THE CINQUE TERRE & PORTOVENERE
DISCOVER BELLA ITALIA ON FOOT AND BY RAIL
The price of your holiday includes breakfast each
morning. Lunch and dinner are not included so
you are free to choose from the available options.
Baggage Transfer
On Days 4 & 7 your bags will be transferred from
your hotel and moved onto your next overnight
accommodation. We ask you to limit your
luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
Equipment
Your information pack has a detailed equipment
list which includes standard walking gear such as
good walking boots or shoes, waterproofs,
comfortable walking clothes, warm and
waterproof clothes and a day pack.
Walking Grade
This holiday is graded easy to moderate because
although the daily walks are relatively short the
terrain is very hilly and summer temperatures can
be high. The walks follow ancient footpaths and
mule tracks. Many are made up of steep stone
staircases, with steps of varying sizes; some are
literally cut into the cliff so if you are not good
with heights then this may not be the trip for you.
Navigation
You will be following way marked trails for many
of your walks and we supply very detailed route
notes and maps so navigation is generally easy.
Important note:
Hydrogeological instability in the Cinque Terre
region can at times cause the closure of certain
sections of the trails. Before embarking on your
daily walk please check with your
accommodation and also if possible on the
Cinque Terre National Park website.
Getting to/from Camogli/Portovenere
Genoa or Pisa Airports are the most convenient although Florence is also a possibility.
From Genoa take a local bus to the centre (Brignole station) then it is s a 40mins train to Camogli (total journey around 1hr). From Pisa take the PisaMover bus from the airport, just a 1km ride into the train station/city centre then it’s a 2h15 train ride to Camogli (total journey approx. 2h30-2hrs). Visit www.trenitalia.it for times, prices and booking. Tickets can be purchased on arrival or online prior to departure. Our pre-departure information pack has detailed public transport information so you will have no problem reaching the Cinque Terre. Buses run every 30 minutes (15 minutes in peak season) from Portovenere to La Spezia and take about 40 minutes and cost 1.90€ single. Alternatively a taxi costs about 40€. From La Spezia trains connect to Pisa, Genoa or Florence Airports as well as other destinations in Italy. Visit www.trenitalia.it for times, prices and booking.
Travel in the Cinque Terre
The excellent local train service connects all the villages and is what you will use to access many of the walks. Another pleasant alternative is to use the local ferry services to travel between villages (ferries are payable locally).
Availability
You can start your holiday on any date between
mid- April and the end of October. The best time
of year is April through to June and September
until mid October. July and August can be very
busy and very hot for walking.
Price
Up to date prices are available on our website.
Included:
7 nights 2-3* accommodation including breakfast in rooms with private facilities
Transfer rom Camogli to San Rocco (Day 2) and from Monterosso to Soviore (Day 5)
Luggage transfers on Days 4 and 7
48 hr Cinque Terre Card— train pass and entrance to the Cinque Terre National Park
24-hour telephone assistance
Detailed route notes and maps
Excluded:
All lunches and dinners
Flights and additional public transportation
Travel insurance
Admissions and entrance fees
Personal expenses; drinks, phone calls, etc.
Any item that has not been specifically mentioned in the program
Once you have read all the information in this
factsheet or on our website and decided on your
preferred itinerary, visit our website or give us a
call to confirm availability. Book Securely Online:
www.macsadventure.com
Telephone: +44 (0) 141 530 8886
Financial Security
In In accordance with "The Package Travel,
Package Holidays and Package Tours
Regulations1992" all passengers booking with
Macs Adventure Ltd are fully protected for the
initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all
monies paid to us, including repatriation if
required (this insurance will not cover repatriation
to the country of origin for the passengers outside
of the EU), arising from cancellation or
curtailment of your travel arrangements due to
the insolvency of Macs Adventure Ltd. There is
no requirement for Financial Protection of day
trips, and none is provided. This insurance is
only valid for packages booked that DO NOT
include flights.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
PORTOFINO, THE CINQUE TERRE & PORTOVENERE
DISCOVER BELLA ITALIA ON FOOT AND BY RAIL
HOW TO BOOK
AVAILABILITY & PRICE