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Cinque Terre & Tuscany Hiking

Hiking/Trekking in Italy with Backroads

Highlights

  • Two distinct and beloved regions of Italy in one amazing trip
  • Hike the Cinque Terre's spectacular coastline, with brightly colored cliffisde villages
  • Outstanding seafood by the Mediterranean and simple hearty fare in Chianti
  • Stroll through archetypal Tuscan villages, vineyards and cypress-flanked lanes
  • Taste crisp Ligurian white wines and full-bodied Tuscan reds

Full Description

From the Ligurian Coast to Timeless Tuscany

How do you prepare for this adventure? First you walk, and practice stopping suddenly. So that you'll be ready for the spontaneous views - colorful villages clinging to cliffs with waves crashing below. The scenery will arrest you mid-step, so be ready. Then pick the most delectable Chianti you can find. It won't match the Classico in Panzano but it's good practice. Finally get your fill of just-off-the-boat fresh seafood, hearty pork and beef, friendly people, rows of cypress, warm sunlight, patch-work hills and the blue Mediterranean. And you've got a good start.

Includes:

  • All lodgings
  • On Inn trips, all meals except 2 lunches and 1 dinner, when you'll have the opportunity to sample local fare on your own
  • Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
  • Snacks and beverages between meals
  • Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
  • Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
  • Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
  • Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted
  • All gratuities at hotels and restaurants on Inn Trips
  • On Biking and Multi-Sport trips use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
  • Park and other entry fees
  • Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel
  • Select coach transfers
  • Baggage transfers and porterage
  • Backroads water bottle

Excludes:

  • Airfare
  • Alcoholic beverages (Backroads provides wine at select events)
  • Gratuities for Trip Leaders
  • Personal expenses

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1

Meet your Backroads Trip Leaders (the folks wearing Backroads T-shirts) at 10:30 a.m. at the La Spezia Centrale train station. Please arrive dressed in your hiking clothes and have a daypack handy containing your rain gear, sunglasses, sunscreen, camera and other items you may need for today’s hike.

Shuttle to Biassa 30 Minutes
Vista Carrara Route 6.6 Miles (250-foot elevation gain)
Shorter Option: 2.1 Miles with Shuttle (200-foot elevation gain)

Benvenuti in Italia! After meeting in La Spezia we shuttle to the town of Biassa for today’s hike, which offers a great introduction to Liguria’s dramatic landscape. Enjoy sweeping vistas of the Golfo della Spezia and an archipelago, but watch your step—there are technical sections on this level and downhill route to the sea. After arriving in Campiglia, we get better acquainted over a tasty Ligurian lunch.

Our destination is the town of Portovenere, where Castello Doria stands watch from its cliffside perch. The Church of San Pietro, set on a rocky promontory, suffered extensive damage in the 12th and 14th centuries—first during the war between Genoa and Pisa and later under French occupation.The little church (pieve) was restored between 1929 and 1934. In the distance sits Isola Palmaria, a small island offering a protected bay for boaters and sunbathers. During the 1800s, it was a regular destination for English poets, including Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. (Shelley tragically drowned in a shipwreck near the town of Lerici in 1822). This corner of the sea owes its name, Gulf of Poets, to these famous bards.

After settling into Hotel Belvedere, a modest Liberty-style hotel perched above the Portovenere waterfront, we gather for a glass of prosecco while taking in the spectacular view. Then we board a boat for the short ride to Isola Palmaria and feast on fresh seafood at Locanda Lorena, a favorite among locals and celebrities—scan the pictures on the wall for folks you recognize!

Lodging: Hotel Belvedere

Day 2

Boat Shuttle to Riomaggiore 30 Minutes
Sentiero Azzurro Hike 7.6 Miles (650-foot elevation gain)
Longer Option: 11.7 Miles (1,290-foot elevation gain)
Train to Santa Margherita 1 Hour

Step into Picasso’s Mediterranean Landscape today as you connect the dots on a hike between the five pastel villages of the Cinque Terre. A scenic boat ride takes us from Portovenere along the gorgeous coast (a World Heritage site) to Riomaggiore, the southernmost village. Set out on Via dell’Amore (Lover’s Walk), a trail that clings to cliffs overlooking the sea and leads you to picturesque Manarola. The next stop is Corniglia, the only one of the five towns not on the water. Its piazza is a good place to stop for lunch at an eatery of your choosing or, if you’re not yet hungry, wait to grab a bite in Vernazza, whose beautiful harbor is perfect for people-watching.

Leaving Vernazza, have your camera ready for amazing views of the town’s colorful rooftops, bustling harbor and stoic Belforte castle. Trek past vineyards and maquis (thickets of small trees and shrubs), through ancient olive groves, over dirt paths and down stone steps. The hike ends in Monterosso al Mare, the northernmost town of the Cinque Terre and the only one with an extensive sand beach. The Enoteca da Eliseo welcomes us for a tasting of Liguria’s whites and fresh dessert wines. Afterward we hop a train to Santa Margherita Ligure, hometown of Christopher Columbus and one of the most captivating towns on the Ligurian coast. Enjoy dinner on your own at one of the town’s charming seaside restaurants before drifting in to a comfortable night’s sleep at Hotel Jolanda.

Lodging: Hotel Jolanda

Day 3

Portofino Route 5 Miles with Shuttle (590-foot elevation gain)
Longer Option: San Fruttuoso 8 Miles (1,000-foot elevation gain)

Today’s hike on rolling forested trails begins in the heart of Santa Margherita and takes you into the hills, past villas with façades beautifully embellished with trompe l’oeil (French for ―trick of the eye‖) paintings. Continue past Nozarego on a rolling hillside trail through the backyards of several beautiful homes to the Parco Naturale di Portofino, a 3,000-acre flower sanctuary. Glance back toward Santa Margherita for a stunning view before following the dirt and stone path through groves of olive and cherry trees. Stop on the way to lovely Portofino for a panino lunch. You’re welcome to stay longer and explore town, admiring the colorful buildings and lush tropical foliage. A walk along the waterfront and promenade is a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. Return by boat to Santa Margherita at your leisure.

If you’d like to continue hiking, your destination is the San Fruttuoso abbey, reachable only on foot or by boat. Located in a tiny fishing village, the impressive 11th-century abbey, with its cloisters, church, and marble and stone tombs, is certainly worth checking out.

The day’s efforts are rewarded with a delicious dinner at a renowned restaurant high above the Gulf of Tigullio, La Stalla dei Fratti.

Lodging: Hotel Jolanda

Day 4

Shuttle to Greve in Chianti 4 Hours
Panzano Hike 6.3 Miles with Shuttle (900-foot elevation gain)

The scenery changes this morning as we travel to another charming region of Italy. After breakfast we shuttle to historic Greve in Chianti, where you can stroll around town, shop for souvenirs and enjoy lunch on your own. In the Piazza Matteotti, see the statue of explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, known for ―discovering‖ New York harbor in 1524 and being the first European to see Manhattan Island.

After lunch a classic Tuscan landscape spreads out before you as you walk to the medieval hamlet of Montefioralle. Here, see if you can spot the house marked with a ―V‖ above the door denoting the birthplace of Amerigo Vespucci. Continue along cypress-lined roads and rolling hills dotted with villas and hamlets to Panzano and Villa le Barone, our home for the next two nights. This tranquil oasis offers terrific views of olive groves, vineyards and the undulating countryside. Take a dip in the pool or relax by the fireplace before reconvening for a Chianti Classico wine tasting. Afterward we enjoy a multi-course meal in the hotel’s restaurant.

Lodging: Villa le Barone

Day 5

Shuttle to Radda in Chianti 30 Minutes
Volpaia Loop 10.6 Miles (330-foot elevation gain)
Shorter Option: 4.7 Miles with Shuttle (330-foot elevation gain)

A morning shuttle brings us to the charming hilltop town of Radda in Chianti, which was the Chianti League capital in 1415 and remains a wine production center. The Chianti League’s seal, the Gallo Nero (or ―Black Rooster‖), is now the emblem of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium. Before hiking from Radda, stop at Enoteca Toscana for a balsamic vinegar tasting. Then descend through vineyards and olive groves, and past a small farm into the valley. (It’s a steep grade, so take your time.) A short stretch on paved roads gives way to open fields and Chianti’s wooded hills. Continue past the 11th-century Pieve Santa Maria Novella, the perfect backdrop for a picnic lunch. Back on the trail, drop down through shaded woods before hiking a gradual one-mile incline along an exposed trail into Volpaia. If you’re feeling energetic, you can hike back to the hotel on a strada bianca (gravel road) surrounded by vineyards.

This evening we shuttle to the nearby town of Lucarelli for our final feast and raise our glasses to the charms and pleasures of discovering Italy on foot.

Lodging: Villa le Barone

Day 6

Il Vigneto Cipresso Route 2.4 Miles (290-foot elevation gain)
Shorter Option: San Leolino Loop 0.5 Miles (30-foot elevation gain)
Shuttle to Florence 45 Minutes

This morning’s walk from our hotel to the old hilltop town of Pieve di Panzano offers a final opportunity to roam the Tuscan countryside. Or sleep in and enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hotel. Later we shuttle to Florence, where our trip ends.

About The Operator:

Backroads

Headquarters:

Berkeley, CA

Every Backroads vacation is a one-of-a-kind adventure, where serendipity is supported - often invisibly - by a well choreographed backstage effort. After 30 years of practice, we've perfected the craft of creating and delivering world-class experiences and service, both hallmarks of a carefree Backroads vacation.

We ease your trip preparation with little extras, from a recommended packing list to lodging suggestions for before and after your trip. During your vacation, we make sure your luggage is waiting in your room, you have a cool drink or a lift when you desire them, and travel logistics are handled so you can focus on fun and relaxation.

Anticipating and responding to your needs - that is our commitment!Worldwide Presence


The Best Routes

All Backroads itineraries have been carefully researched by our team of 23 Trip Specialists and 9 Regional Managers to ensure you experience the very best way to explore the region. And before your trip, the routes are once again tested by our Trip Leaders-each and every season.


Seven Days of Service

Your Backroads Trip Consultants are available 7 days a week, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, to answer your questions.


Flexible Itineraries

We've designed our trips with plenty of options that let you personalize each day and make the most of your vacation. And on each day of the trip (or the night before if you're heading out early), you'll receive a Daily Snapshot that gives you all of the important information you need so that you have control of your precious time.


Bikes & Accessories

All Biking and Multisport Trips include use of a fully equipped, custom-designed Backroads Titanium bike. Choose either upright or drop handlebars. Backroads is also unique among travel companies in manufacturing our own line of custom-designed kids' bikes. For the younger ones we offer the Burley d'Lite trailer and Burley Piccolo trailercycle.


A Choice of Lodging

We're the only company that distinguishes between Premiere Inns and Casual Inns, making it easy for you to choose a trip that suits your personal style. We provide an honest assessment of each hotel giving you an assurance of quality you can trust.


Responsible Travel

Backroads has been taking responsible travel seriously since our first trip over 30 years ago. While traveling on two feet or two wheels is the ultimate minimal-impact approach to traveling, we recognize that any travel has an impact and so we do everything we can to make the impact as light and as positive as possible.


On-Trip Support

When you're out exploring, you may welcome some time to yourself, but when needed, we are there. We pioneered on-trip vehicle support and we continue to perfect it. Read more about On-Trip Support.

Local Expertise

Local experts team up with your Backroads leaders, offering firsthand perspectives to enhance your overall experience. From explorations of historic and cultural sites, to culinary adventures showcasing traditional cuisine, to visits with special friends we've made over the years, we take you into the heart of a region with an immediacy and authenticity you'll never forget.


Fellow Travelers

One of the biggest benefits of traveling with Backroads is the wonderful folks you travel with-adventurers who appreciate the Backroads level of quality, pursue new experiences with a passion and take their fun as seriously as they take their work. "People less interested in impressing each other than in having a good time," is how Departures magazine captured the spirit of our guests. Join us-and travel in terrific company.


Family Trips

Nobody knows families like Backroads. From our designated Kid Coordinators to extra vehicle support to custom-designed kids' bikes (a Backroads exclusive), we've considered all angles important to families. Each family trip balances quality time together and apart, with welcome opportunities for everyone to take a break and recharge-something that's virtually impossible to achieve when you vacation on your own.


Your Trip is Guaranteed

At Backroads we're so committed to providing you with an extraordinary experience that we guarantee the quality of your trip. We value our relationship with you, our guest, and want it to be mutually rewarding and long-term.


Our Leaders Make the Trip

You'll find Backroads Trip Leaders to be the best you've ever traveled with. That's not an idle claim-it's backed by the most rigorous recruiting, hiring, training and guest satisfaction programs in the business. View the full scoop on our leaders and why you'll love them.