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Italy

Cinque Terre, Carrara and Medieval Hill Towns

Program No. 14299RJ
Explore the Cinque Terre — the Italian Riviera’s colorful villages carved above the Mediterranean Sea — and learn about medieval life, Michelangelo and the history of nearby Lerici.

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At a Glance

Along this jeweled coast, the five villages of the Cinque Terre carve a charming niche where mountains plunge into the sparkling Mediterranean. By land and sea, discover the limitless inspiration of the Cinque Terre and Carrara. Learn why countless artists and authors have found muses in the seaside villages, terraced vineyards and rocky promontories of this area of the Italian Riviera.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to four miles a day; elective hiking opportunities. Extended standing during site visits with limited or no public seating. Uneven terrain, limited public handrails, unavoidable stairs, marble and terracotta flooring, cobblestones, steep inclines, loose gravel, dirt paths. Expect crowded conditions in pedestrian centers and museums. Program-related travel and transfers will be via bus and boat.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Discover how inhabitants carved vineyard terraces along the steep mountainside in the Cinque Terre.
  • Walk scenic paths with breathtaking vistas of the mountains that plunge into the Mediterranean Sea.
  • Consider the experiences of Romantic English poets who lived near and were inspired by the Bay of Lerici.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Jane Bacon-Fiori
Jane Bacon is an associate of the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art. She edited theater books, popular history, novels, and travel books for the London publisher Eyre Methuen for several years before moving to Italy. Jane lives in the little-known corner of Tuscany called the Lunigiana, where she continues to teach, write, and study Anglo-American writers who spent most of their lives in Tuscany.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Umberto Cattani
Umberto Cattani View biography
Umberto Cattani is a licensed group leader in Florence, Carrara and the Cinque Terre, and has been working with the Trinity College for 15 years. After completing his studies in accounting, Umberto worked in Parma as a sales manager for a clothing manufacturer. At the start of the new millennium, he discovered his real passion for guiding, and completed the required courses in art history, archaeology and history to achieve his new goal. Umberto lives in Carrara with his wife and daughter.
Profile Image of Jane Bacon-Fiori
Jane Bacon-Fiori View biography
Jane Bacon is an associate of the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art. She edited theater books, popular history, novels, and travel books for the London publisher Eyre Methuen for several years before moving to Italy. Jane lives in the little-known corner of Tuscany called the Lunigiana, where she continues to teach, write, and study Anglo-American writers who spent most of their lives in Tuscany.
Profile Image of Laura Gregis
Laura Gregis View biography
Born and raised in Genoa in the north-western part of Italy, Laura Gregis studied English, German, and Geography at the local university. Since the age of 21, she has worked in the travel industry leading groups in Italy and around the world. She has also worked summers as a leader in Scandinavia and Ireland since 1996. A great fan of soccer, Laura often works for the Italian national soccer team as well as other Italian and foreign soccer teams.
Profile Image of Franco Ressa
Franco Ressa View biography
Franco Ressa enjoys his work as an environmental guide in the Apuan Alps and Cinque Terre National Parks, introducing visitors to the history and natural beauty of Liguria and Tuscany. Born in a city and raised by the sea Franco has chosen to live in close contact with nature in the Lunigiana hills above La Spezia. He and his wife run a small farm. His hobbies include hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, gardening, and playing guitar.
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