guided hikes in Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre guided tours & excursions: August 2018

/ Amy Inman / 5 Comments

August has arrived and boy, is it hot! Be sure to have plenty of water with you and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! If you’re visiting Italy this month I recommend on checking out my post with 8 tips on how to survive a hot Italian summer.

Below you’ll find the August 2018 schedule for the Cinque Terre National Park guided tours & excursions.

If you have the Cinque Terre Card you can join these tours and excursions for free. If you’d like to buy the Cinque Terre Card in advance you’ll want to check out my post on the subject here.  If you don’t plan to purchase the Cinque Terre Card you can still participate by paying €6.50 per person.  As these tours have picked up in popularity, you’ll definitely need to book in advance (details on how to do that can be found at the bottom of this post).

The calendar is color coded:

BLUE: A historical and cultural tour of one of the Cinque Terre villages (in comparison to the hikes this is a less strenuous experience)

YELLOW: A hike

GREEN: A hike which requires the purchase of the Cinque Terre Card (as you’ll be hiking on a portion of the coastal trail which requires a pass)

PINK: An e-bike tour

PURPLE: A plogging* hike

*Plogging is a movement that started in Sweden in 2016 and has since spread worldwide.  It’s an eco-friendly activity where joggers, hikers or walkers pick up litter while they are out and about.  It gets two thumbs up from me! Those joining in on the plogging days will receive a free t-shirt and a certificate of participation.

Keep an eye out for the asterisks on the calendar:

• One asterisk (*) denotes the possibility to add on a wine tasting with a local vintner. I highly recommend this! TIP: Be sure to mention it if you’re interested when you reserve your spot.

• Two asterisks (**) indicates a tour on an e-bike.  Not sure what an e-bike is?  It’s a bicycle with an integrated electric motor which can be used for “pedal assist” (which makes climbing those steep Cinque Terre hills a breeze!).  These tours require a minimum age of 14 years and they are very limited in size (max. 8 participants).  Each participant will be provided with a helmet and a bottle of water.  And of course, proper footwear and attire is required.

• Three asterisks (***) is for the option to visit a local farm (for an additional €3 per person).

To reserve your space you’ll need to either ring (+39) 0187 743 500 or email visiteguidate@ati5terre.it

You can follow Cinque Terre Walking Park on Facebook! Chiara (one of the local guides) does a great job of posting photos, schedules and updating in case of cancellations (due to weather conditions).

Enjoy!

Amy

Cinque Terre guided tours & excursions: July 2018

/ Amy Inman / Leave a comment

Hello, July!

Below you’ll find the July 2018 schedule for the Cinque Terre guided tours & excursions.

If you have the Cinque Terre Card you can join these tours and excursions for free. If you’d like to buy the Cinque Terre Card in advance you’ll want to check out my post on the subject here.  If you don’t plan to purchase the Cinque Terre Card you can still participate by paying €6.50 per person.  As these tours have picked up in popularity, you’ll definitely need to book in advance (details on how to do that can be found at the bottom of this post).

The calendar is color coded:

BLUE: A historical and cultural tour of one of the Cinque Terre villages (in comparison to the hikes this is a less strenuous experience)

YELLOW: A hike

GREEN: A hike which requires the purchase of the Cinque Terre Card (as you’ll be hiking on a portion of the coastal trail which requires a pass)

PINK: An e-bike tour

PURPLE: A plogging* hike

*Plogging is a movement that started in Sweden in 2016 and has since spread worldwide.  It’s an eco-friendly activity where joggers, hikers or walkers pick up litter while they are out and about.  It gets two thumbs up from me!

Keep an eye out for the asterisks on the calendar:

  • One asterisk (*) denotes the possibility to add on a wine tasting with a local vintner. I highly recommend this! TIP: Be sure to mention it if you’re interested when you reserve your spot.
  • Two asterisks (**) indicates a tour on an e-bike.  Not sure what an e-bike is?  It’s a bicycle with an integrated electric motor which can be used for “pedal assist” (which makes climbing those steep Cinque Terre hills a breeze!).  These tours require a minimum age of 14 years and they are very limited in size (max. 8 participants).  Each participant will be provided with a helmet and a bottle of water.  And of course, proper footwear and attire is required. 
  • Three asterisks (***) is for the option to visit a local farm (for an additional €3 per person).

To reserve your space you’ll need to either ring (+39) 0187 743 500 or email visiteguidate@ati5terre.it

 

You can follow Cinque Terre Walking Park on Facebook! Chiara (one of the local guides) does a great job of posting photos, schedules and updating in case of cancellations (due to weather conditions).

Enjoy!

Amy

Cinque Terre guided tours & excursions: May 2018

/ Amy Inman / 2 Comments

Are you planning to visit the Cinque Terre and wanting a guided tour or excursion? You’re in luck! The Cinque Terre Walking Park offers daily excursions (read: hikes) or tours of the villages themselves. If you have the Cinque Terre Card you can join in for free! If you don’t have the Cinque Terre Card it is possible to participate by paying €6.50 per person.

Here’s the schedule for May 2018:

The calendar is color coded. If the date you’re interested is yellow or green, it’s considered trekking (read: a hike). If the date is green then it is *required* that you have the Cinque Terre Card (as you’ll be on a portion of the trail where you’ll need the hiking pass). If the date is blue, it’s a historical and cultural tour of one of the villages (a less strenuous experience compared to the hikes).

Keep an eye out for the asterisks. one asterisk (*) denotes the possibility to add on a wine tasting with a local vintner. I highly recommend this! TIP: Be sure to mention it if you’re interested when you reserve your spot. Three asterisks (***) is for the option to visit a local farm (for an additional €3 per person).

To reserve your space you’ll need to either ring (+39) 0187 743 500 or email visiteguidate@ati5terre.it

You can follow Cinque Terre Walking Park on Facebook! Chiara (one of the local guides) does a great job of posting photos, schedules and updating in case of cancellations (due to weather conditions).

Don’t forget, you’ll need proper footwear to hike the trails. No flip flops, heels or sandals on the trails (I know this seems like common sense but believe it or not we’ve seen it all!). Hiking boots or shoes aren’t required but at the very least you’ll want a pair of athletic trainers with decent tread on the soles.

Enjoy! And tell me all about it afterwards.

Ciao for now,

Amy

Holiday happenings in the Cinque Terre

/ Amy Inman / 2 Comments

The off-season in the Cinque Terre typically spans from the beginning of November through the week before Easter. However, things pick back up a bit for the holidays between Christmas and New Year’s.

Here’s a running list of happenings over the 2017 holiday period in the Cinque Terre (keep checking back as I will update as more events are released):

December 22nd: A free concert will be held in Vernazza’s church at 9pm. Advance reservations are requested (although I highly doubt they’ll turn people away at the door).

December 23rd: The highly awaited inauguration and lighting of Manarola’s Presepe (nativity scene), which covers the hillside opposite the village, will take place at 5:30pm. Expect fireworks (and lots of people). I recommend arriving early as there will be events preceding the lighting.

Photo credit: Michael Pasini

December 24th: At 9:30pm Monterosso will hold a religious procession which will start in the sea (spectators will be at the water’s edge) at the Molo dei Pescatori in the historical center of the village. The procession will lead to the church where at circa 10:30pm a special Christmas Eve Mass will be held. Following Mass, hot chocolate, panettone (Italian Christmas cake) and Christmas cheer will be shared.

December 26th through January 5th: On various dates there will guided excursions of Manarola’s world famous Presepe (nativity scene) as well as planned visits to local wineries. Advance reservations required (see details below).

December 31st: New Year’s Eve party with deejay in Monterosso’s Piazza Garibaldi starting at 11pm.

From my family to yours, Happy Holidays!

Amy

Cinque Terre National Park guided tours & excursions: September 2017

/ Amy Inman / Leave a comment

Aaaaaaaah! September is *finally* here. After a scorching summer I’m ready for at least a slight drop in the temperatures. If that happens, hiking will be a pleasure again!

With that in mind, here’s the September schedule for the Cinque Terre National Park guided tours & excursions:
 Keep in mind that if you’ve purchased a Cinque Terre Card then the scheduled tours and excursions are free for you! If you don’t have the Cinque Terre Card you can still participate at the price of €6.50 per person.

Many of the dates on the Cinque Terre Walking Park calendar offer the possibility to tack on a wine tasting at a local cantina (recommended!) at the end of the tour or excursion for an additional fee. The fee for the wine tasting varies (depending on which cantina will be visited and which wines will be tasted), but most are right around the €10 mark (per person). This is a great way to get to know our territory and all that it stands for while also helping to support our local winemakers.

The Cinque Terre Walking Park calendar is color coded so I’ve created a key for you. First, look at your interested date(s) on the calendar above and then take note of the color for that day.

BLUE = Walking tour. This is going to be the least strenuous of the guided options available. The tours are of the five main villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza & Monterosso (just one village per day).

YELLOW = Hiking excursion. The days highlighted in this color will get you off the beaten path (as they are secondary trails rather than the popular coastal trail).

GREEN = Hiking excursion with mandatory purchase of either the hiking pass or Cinque Terre Card. This requirement is due to the fact that the excursion will take place on the coastal trail (Sentiero Azzurro), which is the only trail within the national park that requires a pass.

PINK = E-bike tour. This option is brand new for 2017! While traditional cycling of the Cinque Terre sounds like (and is!) hard work, these new bikes have power assisted pedaling when the going gets tough. I’m seriously going to try this out myself this year! Keep in mind that there are only eight (yes, EIGHT) spaces available per E-bike tour so you’ll want to act quickly and book your spots ASAP. IMPORTANT: The minimum age for this tour is 14 years.

RED = Expert hikers, only. For Septembe, there are currently no red dates on the schedule.

Be prepared

  • For the village tours, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
  • For the hiking excursions, either hiking boots or trainers with decent tread are required. Trust me, you’ll want all the grip you can get!
  • For the E-bike tours, you’ll need to wear comfortable athletic shoes.
  • All of the aforementioned tours & excursions take place in good weather. In case of rain or wet conditions, the tours & excursions will be cancelled.

BOOK IN ADVANCE. Don’t expect to show up and find a spot available. Reserve your spot in advance by ringing (+39) 0187 743 500 or emailing visiteguidate@ati5terre.it

Keep up with Cinque Terre Walking Park on Facebook by liking and following their page! Chiara (one of the local guides) does a great job of posting updates, schedules, photos and more.

While you’re at it, have a look at my post on the 8 things you need to hike the Cinque Terre.

Enjoy!

Amy

Cinque Terre National Park guided tours & excursions: August 2017

/ Amy Inman / 2 Comments

For those heading to the Cinque Terre and seeking a guided experience, look no further. The Cinque Terre National Park offers a different guided option for each day of August. If you’ve purchased a Cinque Terre Card then the scheduled tours and excursions are free for you! If you don’t have the Cinque Terre Card you can still participate at the price of €6.50 per person.

Many of the dates on the Cinque Terre Walking Park calendar offer the possibility to tack on a wine tasting at a local cantina (recommended!) at the end of the tour or excursion for an additional fee. The fee for the wine tasting varies (depending on which cantina will be visited and which wines will be tasted), but most are right around the €10 mark (per person). This is a great way to get to know our territory and all that it stands for while also helping to support our local winemakers.

The Cinque Terre Walking Park calendar is color coded so I’ve created a key for you. First, look at your interested date(s) and then take note of the color for that day.

BLUE = Walking tour. This is going to be the least strenuous of the guided options available. The tours are of the five main villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza & Monterosso (just one village per day).

YELLOW = Hiking excursion. The days highlighted in this color will get you off the beaten path (as they are secondary trails rather than the popular coastal trail).

GREEN = Hiking excursion with mandatory purchase of either the hiking pass or Cinque Terre Card. This requirement is due to the fact that the excursion will take place on the coastal trail (Sentiero Azzurro), which is the only trail within the national park that requires a pass.

PINK = E-bike tour. This option is brand new for 2017! While traditional cycling of the Cinque Terre sounds like (and is!) hard work, these new bikes have power assisted pedaling when the going gets tough. I’m seriously going to try this out myself this year! Keep in mind that there are only eight (yes, EIGHT) spaces available per E-bike tour so you’ll want to act quickly and book your spots ASAP. IMPORTANT: The minimum age for this tour is 14 years.

RED = Expert hikers, only. For August, there’s currently no red dates on the schedule.

Be prepared

  • For the village tours, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
  • For the hiking excursions, either hiking boots or trainers with decent tread are required. Trust me, you’ll want all the grip you can get!
  • For the E-bike tours, you’ll need to wear comfortable athletic shoes.

All of the aforementioned tours & excursions take place in good weather. In case of rain or wet conditions, the tours & excursions will be cancelled.

BOOK IN ADVANCE. Don’t expect to show up and find a spot available. Reserve your spot in advance by ringing (+39) 0187 743 500 or emailing visiteguidate@ati5terre.it

Keep up with Cinque Terre Walking Park on Facebook by liking and following their page! Chiara (one of the local guides) does a great job of posting updates, schedules, photos and more.

While you’re at it, have a look at my post on the 8 things you need to hike the Cinque Terre.

Enjoy!
Amy

Cinque Terre National Park guided tours & excursions: July 2017

/ Amy Inman / 2 Comments

For those heading to the Cinque Terre and seeking a guided experience, look no further. The Cinque Terre National Park offers a different guided option for each day of July.  If you’ve purchased a Cinque Terre Card then the scheduled tours and excursions are free for you! If you don’t have the Cinque Terre Card you can still participate for €6.50 per person. 

Many of the dates on the Cinque Terre Walking Park calendar offer the possibility to tack on a wine tasting (recommended!) at the end of the tour or excursion for an additional fee. The fee for the wine tasting varies (depending on which cantina will be visited and which wines will be tasted), but most are right around the €10 mark (per person). This is a great way to get to know our territory and all that it stands for while also helping to support our local winemakers.

The Cinque Terre Walking Park calendar is color coded so I’ve created a key for you. First, look at your interested date(s) and then take note of the color for that day.

BLUE = Walking tour. This is going to be the least strenuous of the guided options available. The tours are of the five main villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza & Monterosso (just one village per day).

YELLOW = Hiking excursion. The days highlighted in this color will get you off the beaten path (as they are secondary trails rather than the popular coastal trail).

GREEN = Hiking excursion with mandatory purchase of either the hiking pass or Cinque Terre Card. This requirement is due to the fact that the excursion will take place on the coastal trail (Sentiero Azzurro), which is the only trail within the national park that requires a pass.

RED = Expert hikers, only. The date highlighted in red will take you on the ancient Beccara trail (see more details about that trail on my previous post, here). This is probably the hardest trail you’ll encounter in the Cinque Terre so it’s only for the fit and sure-footed.

PINK = E-bike tour. This option is brand new for 2017! While traditional cycling of the Cinque Terre sounds like (and is!) hard work, these new bikes have power assisted pedaling when the going gets tough. I’m seriously going to try this out myself this year! Keep in mind that there are only eight (yes, EIGHT) spaces available per E-bike tour so you’ll want to act quickly and book your spots ASAP. IMPORTANT: The minimum age for this tour is 14 years.

What you need to know

  • For the village tours, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
  • For the hiking excursions, either hiking boots or trainers with decent tread are required. Trust me, you’ll want all the grip you can get!
  • For the E-bike tours, you’ll need to wear comfortable athletic shoes.
  • All of the aforementioned tours & excursions take place in good weather. In case of rain or wet conditions, the tours & excursions will be cancelled.

BOOK IN ADVANCE. Don’t expect to show up and find a spot available. Reserve your spot in advance by ringing (+39) 0187 743 500 or emailing visiteguidate@ati5terre.it

Keep up with Cinque Terre Walking Park on Facebook by liking and following their page! Chiara (one of the local guides) does a great job of posting updates, schedules, photos and more.

While you’re at it, have a look at my post on the 8 things you need to hike the Cinque Terre.

Enjoy!

Amy

Correction: A few hours after initially publishing this post I amended the price (for those wanting to participate but without a Cinque Terre Card). The rate has always been €2.50 per person but as of July 1st the rate will increase to €6.50 per person. 

Cinque Terre National Park guided tours & excursions: May 2017

/ Amy Inman / Leave a comment

For those heading to the Cinque Terre and seeking a guided experience, look no further.  The Cinque Terre National Park offers a different guided option for each day of May.  The rates are exceptional (free to those that have purchased the Cinque Terre Card for that particular day, otherwise €2.50 per person).  Many of the dates offer the possibility to tack on a wine tasting at the end of the tour or excursion for an additional fee (recommended).  The fee for the wine tasting varies (depending on which cantina will be visited and which wines will be tasted), but most are right around the €10 mark (per person).  This is a great way to get to know our territory and all that it stands for while also helping to support our local winemakers.

I’m loving the new Cinque Terre Walking Park color coded calendar for 2017 (although the fine print is pretty teeny-tiny).

img_5460

Let me break it down for you.  Each date is color coded so look at your interested dates and then look below on my key for more details:

BLUE = Walking tour.  This is going to be the least strenuous of the guided options available.  The tours are of the five main villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza & Monterosso (just one village per day).

YELLOW = Hiking excursion.  The days highlighted in this color will get you off the beaten path (as they are secondary trails rather than the popular coastal trail).

PINK = E-bike tour.  This option is brand new for 2017!  While traditional cycling of the Cinque Terre sounds like (and is!) hard work, these new bikes have power assisted pedaling when the going gets tough.  I’m seriously going to try this out myself this year! Keep in mind that there are only eight (yes, EIGHT) spaces available per E-bike tour so you’ll want to act quickly and book your spots ASAP.  IMPORTANT: The minimum age for this tour is 14 years.

GREEN = Hiking excursion with mandatory purchase of either the hiking pass or Cinque Terre Card.  This requirement is due to the fact that the excursion will take place on the coastal trail (Sentiero Azzurro), which is the only trail within the national park that requires a pass.

RED = Expert hikers, only.  The dates highlighted in red will take you on the ancient Beccara trail (see more details about that trail on my previous post, here).  This is probably the hardest trail you’ll encounter in the Cinque Terre so it’s only for the fit and sure-footed.

What you need to know

  • For the village tours, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
  • For the hiking excursions, either hiking boots or trainers with decent tread are required.  Trust me, you’ll want all the grip you can get!
  • For the E-bike tours, you’ll need to wear comfortable athletic shoes.
  • All of the aforementioned tours & excursions take place in good weather.  In case of rain or wet conditions, the tours & excursions will be cancelled.
  • BOOK IN ADVANCE.  Don’t expect to show up and find a spot available.  Reserve your spot in advance by ringing (+39) 0187 743 500 or emailing visiteguidate@ati5terre.it

img_4740

Keep up with Cinque Terre Walking Park on Facebook by liking and following their page!  Chiara (one of the local guides) does a great job of posting updates, schedules, photos and more.

While you’re at it, have a look at my post on the 8 things you need to hike the Cinque Terre.

Buon divertimento!

Amy