Italy

Hiking the Cinque Terre

Program No. 21050RJ
Immerse yourself in a commingling of earth and sea as you explore the coastal walkways and beautiful landscapes of five villages nestled between the mountains and the Mediterranean.

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At a Glance

There are few places on Earth where the marriage of land and sea is more poetic than the Cinque Terre — the “Five Towns” along the Italian Riviera. Here, fishing villages cling to the hillsides above hidden coves, medieval fortresses still stand guard, vineyards and olive trees thrive in the Mediterranean sun and dramatic cliffs plunge to the sea below. Connecting each of the five towns are centuries-old foot paths that offer intimate views of the sea-swept landscape. Join us on glorious walks amid the beautiful ruins and rugged hillsides of the Cinque Terre. For people who love to hike and experience local culture up close, there is no place better.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Hiking up to six hours a day, steps and rugged paths. Sturdy walking/hiking shoes are required (ankle-high shoes are highly recommended). Due to the nature of the terrain, a good head for heights is necessary.
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

  • Enjoy expert-led walks on stunningly beautiful footpaths connecting the villages of the Cinque Terre.
  • Join the president of the Lunigiana Wine Route on his beautiful property and learn about the local wine, cheeses and focaccia bread.
  • Hike through a chestnut forest to the abandoned and beautifully maintained village of Vergheto.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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Leonardo Mastropasqua
Leonardo Mastropasqua graduated from a private high school in Rome before enlisting for military service. After completing his service as an artillery lieutenant, he began leading safaris in East Africa. He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro several times with a variety of groups. While he makes his home in Italy, Leonardo also feels at home in Scandinavia thanks to his Swedish mother, and he leads groups there every summer. Leonardo is eager to share his knowledge and passion for Europe with Road Scholar participants.

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

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Leonardo Mastropasqua View biography
Leonardo Mastropasqua graduated from a private high school in Rome before enlisting for military service. After completing his service as an artillery lieutenant, he began leading safaris in East Africa. He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro several times with a variety of groups. While he makes his home in Italy, Leonardo also feels at home in Scandinavia thanks to his Swedish mother, and he leads groups there every summer. Leonardo is eager to share his knowledge and passion for Europe with Road Scholar participants.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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9 days
8 nights
17 meals
7 B 4 L 6 D
DAY
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
DAY
2
Arrival, Transfer to Le Grazie, Orientation
Le Grazie
D
Hotel Della Baia

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Transfer to Le Grazie about 1.5 hours.

Afternoon: Upon arrival in Le Grazie, we will check-in at our program hotel. Orientation. 6:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Please note that water is included in the program cost at all meals. Breakfasts will offer a typical European-style buffet with breads, cheeses, cold cuts, yogurt, fruit, cereals, juice, milk, coffee, tea. Hikes are led by the Group Leader and a local expert. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: We will enjoy a plated welcome meal with one glass of wine included; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
3
Palmaria Island
Le Grazie
B,L,D
Hotel Della Baia

Activity note: Getting on/off boat, riding up to 20 minutes; hiking approximately 2.3 miles about 2.5 hours. 450 feet elevation gain and loss. Asphalt and dirt trails with some rocks, some uphill climbing, and a downhill descent.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will depart by minivan to Portovenere and then by boat to Palmaria Island, from where the famous Portoro Marble was quarried. With our Group Leader, we will enjoy a hike across this beautiful island. In 1997, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the other two islands in the same archipelago, Tino and Tinetto. Palmaria is home to about 500 species of flora and colonies of rabbits and goats.

Lunch: At a local restaurant we will enjoy a plated meal with water and one glass of wine included.

Afternoon: We will then return by boat to Portovenere and head to our hotel by minivan. At our hotel meeting room, we will hear from a local lecturer about the Ligurian Region, including an overview of the history of this part of Italy. We’ll hear about the growth of Genova into one of the most important city-states and its eventual slow decay by the time of the unification of Italy.

Dinner: Plated hotel meal, including one glass of wine. Other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
4
Cinque Terre - Monterosso to Vernazza, Riomaggiore
Le Grazie
B,D
Hotel Della Baia

Activity note: Hiking about 3 hours, approximately 2.5 miles. 700 feet elevation gain and loss. 600 steep steps to ascend at trailhead. Trails offer little shade, some steep ascents and descents, and mixed terrain including steps, cobblestone, and rugged narrow paths with dirt and rocks. Extent and duration of activities in Vernazza and Riomaggiore are dependent on personal preference. Getting on/off train; minimal time on train.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will depart to Portovenere and then we will take the public boat to Monterosso, the westernmost town in the Cinque Terre. The older, medieval part of the town is noted for its typical tower houses, crossed by narrow streets called carruggi. Upon arrival in Monterosso, we will set out for our hike to Vernazza, founded around 1000 CE.

Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like at one of the restaurants or cafés in Vernazza. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Afternoon: We will enjoy some sightseeing on our own in Vernazza before boarding a train to Riomaggiore. Here, we may choose to explore the medieval Riomaggiore Castle or the Church of San Giovanni Battista, among other sites. The town is known for its colorful stone houses. In the late afternoon, we will go to Portovenere by public boat, and from here take a private minivan to the hotel in Le Grazie. We’ll take some time to freshen up and relax prior to dinner.

Dinner: At a local restaurant in Portovenere, we’ll enjoy a plated meal with one glass of wine included. Other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
5
Colonnata - Carrara Marble
Le Grazie
B,L
Hotel Della Baia

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; riding about 2 hours. Hiking 3 miles, about 3 hours. 1000 foot elevation gain and loss. Mixed terrain of steps, cobblestones, dirt, and rocks through narrow forest trail. Sections of flat path, ascents and descents. A short, steep, rocky section of steps ascends to an old mule track with switchbacks. Extent and duration of walking through town dependent on personal preference.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will board a motorcoach to transfer to Colonnata. Upon arrival, we will hike a trail through a chestnut forest and arrive at the abandoned village of Case Del Vergheto. The beautifully maintained village provides a majestic view of the open-air Carrara caves, from which the famous Carrara marble is quarried. We’ll then walk back to Colonnata for lunch.

Lunch: We will enjoy a plated meal. Water and one glass of wine included; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We will explore the ancient core and medieval walls of Colonnata with our Group Leader and local expert. The name Colonnata is believed to derive from the Latin word for column, indicating that marble was quarried here for architecture in Rome. The town is also known for lardo di Colonnata, a salumi made with pork lard seasoned in basins of Carrara marble. We will return to Le Grazie via motorcoach.

Dinner: Explore local fare on your own at one of the restaurants in Le Grazia or in Portovenere.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
6
Cinque Terre - Manarola to Corniglia
Le Grazie
B,D
Hotel Della Baia

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving 1 hour. Hiking 4 miles, approximately 3.5 hours, on moderately challenging terrain. Steep uphill portions, followed by flat terrain on cobblestone and dirt. Some narrow paths with steep drop-offs to one side. Final descent consisting of 400 low steps. 1200 foot elevation gain and loss. Ride by train 20 minutes. NOTE: Participants may choose to skip the first part of this hike and take the public bus from Manarola to Volastra.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will depart by motorcoach to Manarola, named for an altar dedicated to the Manes, Roman deities that represented personal relationships or the souls of loved ones. Setting off on our hike, we will first make a steep ascent to Volastra. We will follow the path right along many vineyards through one of the most beautiful areas on this hike. We will end with a final descent into Corniglia, set amongst sweeping views of vineyards from its perch on a promontory hundreds of feet high.

Lunch: Explore local fare on your own at one of the restaurants or cafes in Corniglia.

Afternoon: We will depart Corniglia by train to La Spezia, then meet back up with the motorcoach to return to Le Grazie. After returning and some time to freshen up, we will meet for a lecture about religious pilgrimages throughout human history and specifically the Via Francigena, first describe by the Bishop Sigeric in the 7th century. We’ll learn about the importance of pilgrimages, the symbols, clothing, practices, and behavior of pilgrims, and how their societies have reacted.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, we’ll enjoy a plated meal including water and one glass of wine; additional beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
7
Cinque Terre - Riomaggiore to Portovenere
Le Grazie
B,L,D
Hotel Della Baia

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving 1/2 hour. Hiking 5.5 hours total, approximately 7.5 miles, in 2 sections. Morning: 3.8 miles, about 3 hours. 600 feet elevation gain/loss. Mixed terrain including stone, forest, and rocky, narrow paths with some uphills, high steps. 280 steps at sanctuary. Afternoon: challenging, 3.8 miles, about 2.5 hours. 1200 feet elevation loss. Rocky downhill terrain; some scrambling, careful footwork, head for heights required. Final descent very steep with loose stones.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will depart by motorcoach with packed lunches from the hotel and transfer to Riomaggiore. Today's hike will include the quintessential Cinque Terre trail, which follows the ridge separating the coast from the inland regions. We will begin with a walk to the Sanctuary of Montenero, a basilica maintained by Vallombrosian monks. After walking across mixed terrain including stone, forest, rocky paths, and high steps, we will find ourselves rewarded with a pleasant trail through a chestnuts forest of gentle ascents and descents. Our final leg will require much care as we descend a steep, rocky portion, finally arriving in the village of Campiglia.

Lunch: We will enjoy a packed lunch in Campiglia.

Afternoon: We will meet in the square and choose from two activities. Those of us who wish to rest after our morning hike may take a private van back to Le Grazie, which will take about 45 minutes. Those of us who are up to the challenge will continue our hike to Portovenere, with a beautiful panorama of the coast and gulf, including the islands of Palmaria and Tino, along the way. We will descend across rocky terrain, followed by a short stretch of asphalt to reach our final, rocky, slippery, and very steep push down to Portovenere. A head for heights and careful footwork along steep drop-offs will ensure we enjoy a safe, rewarding hike. After our arrival in Portovenere, we will return to the hotel in Le Grazie on a private van. At the hotel, we will enjoy a lecture about the Gulf of La Spezia and how it came to be known as the Gulf of Poets. Famed writers such as Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, George Byron, and John Keats found inspiration along the shores of the gulf in the early 19th century. It was here where Shelley drowned on his way back to Lerici in 1822, near where the Shelleys lived.

Dinner: We will enjoy a plated dinner at the hotel, including water and one glass of wine; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
8
Sarzana, Fosdinovo Castle
Le Grazie
B,L,D
Hotel Della Baia

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving up to 1 hour. Walking up to 1.5 miles. Extent and duration of free time activities dependent on personal preference.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: At 9:30 a.m., we will depart by motorcoach to Sarzana. This town, at the entrance to the valley of Marga, lies along the pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome called the Via Francigena. It is featured prominently in Italian history for its political and religious influence. A local expert will discuss Sarzana's history and the important role of pilgrimage during the medieval period. As we walk, we will observe the unique character of Sarzana, including its medieval walls, Roman city gate, cathedral, and picturesque town square.

Lunch: At a historic restaurant called Il Loggiato, we will enjoy a plated meal including water and one glass of wine.

Afternoon: After a short transfer to Fosdinovo, we will set out with a local expert to explore Fosdinovo Castle, which dates back to the 12th century. In 1306, the Malaspina family, who still own the castle today, hosted Dante Alighieri here. We will then board our motorcoach again to transfer to Massa.

Dinner: We will enjoy a plated dinner of local cuisine at the restaurant La Scurtarola whose proprietor is the president of the Lunigiana Wine Route. Water and a wine tasting included.

Evening: As we dine in a hilltop farmhouse overlooking the sea and the Apuan Alps, we will enjoy presentations on local specialties including the little-known wine produced in this region called Vermentino Nero, as well as local cheeses and focaccias. After returning to the hotel, the rest of the evening is at leisure.

DAY
9
Departures
In Flight
B

Breakfast: Hotel buffet depending on departures. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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