Cinque Terre Hike 4: Corniglia to Manarola to Riomaggiore

For the last stretch of the Levanto to Porto Venere route, we must conquer Corniglia to Manarola to Riomaggiore.  Path Number 2 along the coast is still closed for this route from the mudslides of 2012, so we need to go back up into the hills and then down, with much better views from the top, but a more strenuous walk.

We catch the train from Monterosso to Corniglia and start by walking up the [reported] 382 steps from the train station.  At the top of the steps, Path Number 7 leads directly up to Path 6D, which takes us up to Volastra and then down into Manarola.  As we head up, we get a great view back toward Corniglia.

This is a serious "up" stretch

Looking back at Corniglia

As we round the corner from Corniglia, we pass through many vineyards, with people out harvesting the grapes.

Vineyards on the hill, with Corniglia down below and Monterosso in the distance

More vineyards on the way to Volastra

As we pass Volastra, Manarola starts to appear in the distance.

Manarola far away

Manarola getting closer

Descending, the the town starts to take shape and character.  As we get close to town, we can see the mudslides covering Path Number 2 along the coast.

Descending into Manarola

Looking back toward Corniglia, several mudslides cover Path Number 2 along the coast

Once the path leads us into Manarola, we look for the next path to Riomaggiore.  As the Via dell'Amore, the beautiful, paved, 1 kilometer "tourist" path along the coast, is closed, we seek the old farmer's path between the towns, Le Beccara, Path Number 531.

The only part of Via dell'Amore currently open

Path, path, where's the path to Riomaggiore

It's not obvious where to begin.  Eventually, we walk down to the train station and ask at the tourist office, where they tell us to go back up through town, past the church, and look on the right.  Aha, we find it.  Basically, straight up and, as we find later, straight down into Riomaggiore.

 Straight up to the top

 View of vineyards as we head up, Monterosso in the far distance

Another view of the vineyards with Volastra on top of the hill

 Then, the descent into Riomaggiore is straight down

All we have to do is go straight down this hill into Riomaggiore

As we start the descent, we meet a couple from Missouri.  They've just started and plan to walk to Monterosso and spend the night.  We tell them it's about a 6 hour walk from here and they smile and keep on going up with their heavy packs.  That evening, as we head from Villa Steno down the street into Monterosso's old town for dinner, we spot them coming up the street. They said that they made it all the way to Vernazza (passing through Corniglia, and Manarola), then gave up and took the train to Monterosso.  They looked tired and we congratulated them and tried to show that we understood what they had just done!  Wow!

We descend into Riomaggiore and take the walkway under the tracks to the harbor.  There, at the end, looking down on the small harbor and the ferry stop, is a great bar where we have a celebratory prosecco.

 View from the bar, Monterosso in the distance 

(The Missouri couple planned to walk all the way there today)

View of the ferry stop, looking down from the bar

Celebration complete and heading back to the train station, we find ourselves behind an unhappy American tourist.  He is muttering , "I wish I had a gun, I would shoot myself.  Why the hell am I here".  We think someone else picked this vacation for him and we don't stop to explain to him that this is the best place to be.  If he can't figure that out, then there's more of it for the rest of us.  More great hiking, dining, exploring, shopping, meeting old friends, making new friends, ...).

We buy our train tickets and hop on the next train heading north to Monterosso.  We have completed the full path from Levanto to Porto Venere in sections.  Maybe someday we'll take 12 hours and just do it.  But, taking the time to stop along the way has great benefits!

 Train tickets - either 5km (between 2 cities) or 10km for Riomaggiore to Monterosso

Cinque Terre Hike 3: Monterosso to Vernazza to Corniglia

For our next segment of the Levanto to Porto Venere trek, we decide to hike from Monterosso to Vernazza, then continue on to Corniglia on Path Number 2, the lower path along the coast.  As we climb up from Monterosso, we look back at the city and the beach.

Looking back at Monterosso as we start up on Path Number 2

As soon as we make it up the first hill, we come upon a hut where we can pay the National Park hiking fee for Path Number 2, 7.5 euros ($8.40) each for the day.  This ticket is valid to hike on the two sections of Path Number 2 that are open (Monterosso to Vernazza and Vernazza to Corniglia) and we will do both today.

Cinque Terre Trekking Cards for one day of hiking on Path Number 2

We start early, as these paths are quite popular and do tend to get congested later in the day.  As we follow the trail around the hill, Monterosso is no longer visible, just the promontory above the city, with the trail intersection on top that we passed through on our way to Levanto

Monterosso is around the corner

We walk up a bit more along the coast, passing vineyards, with continuous great views in either direction.

Passing by a vineyard on the hill

We see another of the wine tractors, this one clearly in use running on its track up and down the hill to service the grapes that make the wonderful-tasting vines of each city.

Wine tractor on single track

After about an hour, we round the corner and start to descend into Vernazza.

Approaching Vernazza on the path down

We pass one house along the path s we get closer to Vernazza that serves as a reminder of the devastating mudslides in 2012, when the hills slid into the cities up to the second floor in many cases.

House still split by the 2012 mudslide

Upon entering Vernazza, we immediately head back up to follow the path on toward Corniglia.  As we hike up the path, we pass the restaurant/bar La Torre, stick our heads in, and decide to come back for lunch.  The menu sounds good and the views over Vernazza are great.

 Looking back at Vernazza from the path up to Corniglia, Monterosso in the distance

About halfway there, we spot Corniglia on a bluff.  At the halfway point, some sharp entrepreneur has opened a bar.  What a great spot and it is full of hikers having something to eat or drink.

 Corniglia starts to appear in the distance

Bar on hilltop halfway between Vernazza and Corniglia

On the way, we get another view back toward Monterosso, with a little of Vernazza showing.

View back with Monterosso in the distance, with a tiny bit of Vernazza visible

 We keep moving along and about an hour after leaving Vernazza, we descend into Corniglia.  Corniglia is at an elevation of 84 meters (276 feet) and is reached from the train station by bus or by a staircase reported to have 382 steps (we dash down them to catch the train, but don't count).

 Closer to Corniglia

We’re still thinking about lunch at La Torre and we run down the stairs from Corniglia to the station and catch a train back to Vernazza, 1-1.5 hours on the trail (depending on your speed and the congestion), 3 minutes by train.  Of course, it helps that the train goes through the tunnel and doesn’t have to do the up part!

Dining in Cinque Terre

One thing we know about Cinque Terre – we will eat well!

Our first evening, we head down the hill from HotelVilla Steno to an old favorite, Ristorante al Carugio.  We start with two anchovy appetizers, anchovies with lemon and stuffed anchovies, then followed with pressed octopus, a great way new (to us) way to serve octopus, and trofie pesto, a simple regional favorite with pasta and fresh pesto.  Our server remembers us from last year and proudly shows us pictures of his five-month-old daughter and tells us all about her exploits.

Ristorante al Carugio is in the passageway

 Anchovy in lemon and pressed octopus

We have two dinners at another old favorite, La Cantina Di Miky, near the train station in Monterosso's new town.  I have the same special both times, octopus with capers on mashed potatoes, while Laura has tagliatelle with anchovies, capers, and olives one night and seafood stew the other.  For a starter, we share fried anchovies.

 Fried Anchovy starter

We know the Cantine fills up fast and make sure to stop in early in the day and make a reservation.  And, our server at La Cantina Di Miky also remembers us from last year.

One stop we make every year is Ristorante Il Moretto, with a great location in the old town.  We share an octopus salad, then their speciality, Risotto Fruitti Mare.  Incredible. 

 Risotto Fruitti Mare

Our best dinner (although it was really close) is at L'Ancora della Tortuga, near the ferry pier in Monterosso.  We have the most incredible seafood appetizer of assorted dishes with fish, shrimp, calamari, anchovies, octopus, and probably several others we can't remember.  One evening we each have the appetizer and that is enough.  Our last evening, we share the appetizer and then a main course of fried octopus and fish served in brown paper.

Follow the sign for great food

We have to mention one other place where we have a great lunch.  After hiking from Monterosso to Vernazza, we start up the trail from Vernazza to Corniglia, and after a hundred meters or so up, pass the entrance to a bar/restaurant.  It looks interesting, so we hike, catch the train back to Vernazza and walk back up the path to La Torre.

 Sign and entrance to La Torre

For lunch we share a bruschetta with tomatoes and anchovies and a plate of octopus, along with a half liter of local white wine.  Simple and incredibly good.  And, the views can't be beat!

Lunch at La Torre - bruschetta and octopus

View of Vernazza (and Monterosso in the distance) from our table at La Torre

A quick note about street food.  For lunch in Riomaggiore one afternoon, we share a cone of fried octopus and calamari, followed by gelatto (lemon cream and pistachio).  What a treat!

Pick your cone

The gelatto goes fast

We finish with a glass or prosecco at La Conchiglia, above the ferry stop in Riomaggiore.

 Relaxing after the hike and lunch with a glass of prosecco

Between the hiking, swimming, and eating, our days are full.

Cinque Terre Hike 2: Monterosso to Levanto

For our second hike, we decide to go up the coast from Monterosso to Levanto.  We could take the direct route, walking through to Monterosso, climbing up from the new town, and heading straight across the ridge along the sea, about a 3 hour journey.  But, we decide to add a side trip back into the hills, climbing from Monterosso to another Sanctuary, the Santuario Nostra Signora di Soviore, then following the ridge around Monterosso and joining the path along the sea to Levanto, about 4-1/4 hours.  This takes us on Path Number 1 all the way from Soviore to Levanto (after we compete the up part from Monterosso to Soviore on Path Number 9).

Soviore is at 464 meters (1522 feet) and up we go.  Basically straight up until we get there.

The bell tower at Santuario Nostra Signora di Soviore

At Saviore, we have a great view down on Monterosso, but we have trouble finding Path Number 1.  The sign seems to point to the road, but we don’t see any markers on the road. 

View of Monterosso from Soviore - we follow the ridge around Monterosso to the far point

 Where is that trail?

We wander into the building, admit to being lost, and they tell us to follow the road to Colle di Gritta and then to ask someone there.  We head down the road to Colle di Gritta and see that it is a major intersection, with a small restaurant and hotel.

Intersection at Colle di Gritta

As at Soviore, we see a sign for Trail Number 1, but can’t find it.  We ask at the hotel and they tell us that the path leads up from the back of their parking lot.  The person at Saviore was right, we would not have found the trail on our own.

We head back up and along the ridge circling around Monterosso for different views of the city on the left.  On the right side, we see Levanto, seemingly close, but several hours away on the trail we are taking.

 The trail winds along the ridge around Monterosso

View of Monterosso, looking left from the trail

 View of Levanto, looking right from the trail

The trail goes up and down across the ridge around Monterosso and eventually leads to the point where we meet the trail up from Monterosso’s new town and our first traffic jam.  We have only seen one other hiker (and his dog) on the trail so far, but the route from Levanto to Monterosso (followed by lunch in Monterosso, then a train ride back) is popular and we meet many French, German, and British groups hiking together along the trail.

 Hikers congregate at the intersection, Monterosso below and Vernazza in the distance

 Trail signs at the intersection

The views of the coast north of Monterosso are just as spectacular as those we saw heading south to Porto Venere.

Looking up the coast, Levanto around the corner

As we descend, Levanto comes into view.  Levanto is much larger than any of the five towns in Cinque Terre and often serves as a base for people exploring the region.  The train from Levanto reaches Monterosso in 4 minutes for 1.4 euros ($1.56) and Riomaggiore at the far end of Cinque Terre in 13 to 20 minutes for 1.8 euros ($2.01), depending on how many other villages it stops in.

 Levanto comes into view

The trail comes down into Levanto at the beach and, as in Porto Venere, we spot the sign of where we can go from here.   

 The trail descends into Levanto at the beach

 Where we can go from here

But, we are here, and we head over to Café Roma for lunch, caprese salad, focaccia with spicy salami and olives, pizza with anchovies and capers, and, of course, a liter of local white wine.

Then, it’s back to Monterosso on the train and another swim in the sea.