PATHS 5 Terre

This is the most famous and spectacular path. It was made, over the centuries, by those who used it to move from one village to another and in many parts it is a mule track. Although anybody can take the walk one must remember that the ground can be slippery and, in places, the path is steep and narrow. Take care. The path from Riomaggiore to Monterosso is 12 km long and reaches a height of 200 metres at Prevo, a small but interesting locality near Vernazza. The itinerary is mostly made up of paths (8 km), and mule tracks (2 km) while the remaining kilometres are made up of the Via dell'Amore and streets inside the villages. This is the La Spezia's C.A.I. n°2 path but is best known as the 'sentiero azzurro' (sky-blue path) The entire itinerary is marked by a white stripe and sky-blue stripe. Besides the Via dell'Amore which dates back to the Thirties, the path is ancient and was well-known at the time of the Republic of Genoa, when Vernazza was the main docking bay of the area. It takes five hours to complete the path, which has a difference in height between the lowest and highest point of five hundred metres. Remember that the estimated completion time doubles if one visits the villages. Ideally, one should take a few days to do the itinerary stopping at each village.

IMPORTANT: to walk on path 2 one has to pay a ticket (daily) of Eur 4.00/person. As alternative we suggest to purchase the "Cinque Terre Card". 


Paths completion times: 
Riomaggiore - Manarola : 1,0 km. Completion time: 25 min. 
Manarola - Corniglia : 2,8 km. Completion time: h 1,00. 
Corniglia - Vernazza : 3,4 km. Completion time: h 1,45. 
Vernazza - Monterosso : 3,8 km. Completion time: h 2,00.

Track n. 1 - Longitudinal over the hills (Red Path ) 

Portovenere - Levanto 12 hours.
Portovenere - Campiglia 2 hours.
Campiglia - Telegrafo 1 hour.
Telegrafo - Sella La Croce 1 hour.
Sella La Croce - La Cigoletta 1 hour 40 min.
La Cigoletta - Drignana 2 hours.
Drignana - Soviore 1 hour.
Soviore-S.Antonio-Levanto 2 hours 30 min. 

The track starts at Portovenere with steps flanking the Castle's walls, climbs up rapidly to Sella Derbi, keep upwards with breathtaking views of the coast until it reaches Campiglia (382 m.) and through a beautiful landscape of pinetrees featuring an open well equipped exercise area joins the Colle del Telegrafo (516 m.)
Continuing sweetly uphill amongst Mediterranean vegetation, the track arrives at the Bramapane fork, then leads to Valico La Croce where it starts to climb again among chestnut and pine trees overlooking the coast, and passing the two Selle del Marvede, reaches the Sella della Cigoletta (605 m.)
From here, up to Mount Gaginara (800 m.), the highest point between Portovenere and Levanto. Now the track twish down to Termine, where it loses itself into the main road which, passing the Santuario of Soviore, leads to Colle di Gritta (330 m.)
Here, after crossing the square with a coffee-shop, some steps lead to a pine-tree forest and the path continues over the hills dominating the coast (views of Monterosso and Levanto) until it reaches Sella di Punta Mesco from where one enjoys stupendous views. The path then climbs down to end in Levanto , in the promenade under the Castle.

Track n. 2 Longitudinal at sea-level (Blue Path) 

Riomaggiore - Monterosso 4 hours 30 m.
Riomaggiore - Manarola 20 m.
Manarola - Corniglia 1 hour.
Corniglia - Vernazza 1 hour 30 m.
Vernazza - Monterosso 2 hours. 

From the square of the Railway Station in Riomaggiore, following the Via dell'Amore (Path of Love),in 20 minutes the path takes to Manarola, where it starts to climb slightly, then flattens up and reaches the Railway Station of Corniglia. Unfortunately  from April 2016  La Via dell'Amore is closed and is not possible except for a short distance from Manarola station. 
This was due to a landslide in September 2012 Here, steep steps reach the village (1 hour) where the track starts again and for a long while keeps at the same level above the sea; then, with some difficult points to negotiate carefully, climbs down to Vernazza (1 h. 30 min.). From Vernazza the longest and most tricky part of the track (great care and attention are needed) leads up to 180 m. above the sea, then plunges down towards Monterosso (2 hours).

     

Transversal Tracks (Green Path): 

3 Riomaggiore - Telegrafo 1 hour and 40 minutes 
3a Riomaggiore - Telegrafo 1 hour e 40 minutes 
4 Biassa - Schiara 2 hour e 15 minutes 
4b Fossola - Campiglia 1 hour e 20 minutes 
4c Fossola - S. Antonio 1 ora 
01 Riomaggiore - Sella La Croce 2 hour e 15 minutes 
02 Manarola - Innesto n. 1 2 hour 
6 Manarola - Aia del Cane 2 hour e 30 minutes 
6d Volastra - Case Pianca 1 hour 
7 Vernazza - La Cigoletta 2 hour e 20 minutes 
8 Vernazza - Foce di Drignana 1 hour e 30 minutes 
8b Madonna di Reggio - Il Termine 1 hour e 30 minutes 
9 Monterosso - Madonna di Soviore 1 hour e 30 minutes 
10 Monterosso - S. Antonio 1 hour 
12 Colla di Gritta - Levanto 40 minutes

ATTENTION!

The Via dell'Amore Path  from April 2016 is unfortunately not viable except for a short distance from Manarola Station. This was due to a landslide in September 2012

 The blue path is closed between Riomaggiore and Vernazza due to numerous landslides that have severely damaged the trail