The hiking trails in the Cinque Terre are world-famous and on just about every traveler’s bucket list that visits this area.  The trails throughout our territory vary in difficulty but the average Joe will find most to be a bit challenging.  Not so for the Cinque Terre trail runners, who take things to a whole ‘nother level.  This isn’t your everyday cross country running, it’s extreme trail running.

On March 28 & 29 the Cinque Terre will host its first ever SciaccheTrail marathon & festivites.  The name of the event is a play on words, combining that of the famous and prized local dessert wine Sciacchetrà (pronounced Shock-eh-trah) and the English word trail.

The race, which will take place on Sunday, March 29, is 47 kilometers long (29.2 miles) and with 3000+ meters (9,843+ feet) of level changes.  Two hundred trail runners will make their way through the Cinque Terre vineyards on the cliffs above the Ligurian Sea; to call it picturesque is an understatement. 

For those not up for the extreme challenge, festivities are planned in Monterosso on both Saturday and Sunday (March 28 & 29, 2015).  Local products will be on showcase and there will be the possibility to taste Cinque Terre D.O.C. wines (both white and Sciacchetrà).

For more information on the event, here are some great resources:

Cinque Terre Trekking (follow them on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook)

SciaccheTrail (keep up on Facebook or Instagram)

Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre (Cinque Terre National Park)