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