This 6-night long-distance hiking experience allows you to discover the first section of Eastern Liguria, focusing on the scenic areas of Tigullio and Portofino. Designed for individual travelers, the itinerary starts in Genoa, the capital of the Liguria region, and leads you eastwards to Sestri Levante, located at the far end of the beautiful Gulf of Tigullio, after several days of hiking along coastal and inland trails.
The journey begins with a two-night stay in the same hotel, offering flexibility and a wide choice of routes, from exploring the historic centre of Genoa to hiking in its surrounding hills and coastal landscapes, before continuing along the trail.
This package can be combined with the hiking itinerary Cinque Terre which starts in Sestri Levante - the destination of this itinerary.
As usual the package includes the accommodations in selected small hotels or guesthouses with breakfast and typical dinner, a roadbook with maps and descriptions of the itinerary and the daily luggage transport from one accommodation to the next. The suggested itinerary can be modified by the hikers – all coastal towns have a train station, so it’s easy to shorten the itineraries if needed.
Tour description
1st day
Arrival to Genoa by train or flight. Check in to your small Hotel in in the beautiful Hotel Esperia*** in Genova Nervi. Here, the charming port at Genoa’s east has the most beautiful villas and gardens of the city. You’ll stay here for 2 nights.
At your arrival you will be given the road book with all the maps and descriptions for your upcoming hike. Dinner is served I the hotel’s restaurant.
2nd day: GENOVA PORTO ANTICO – GENOVA NERVI
After breakfast at your hotel start your 1st day exploration.
Today you can choose between multiple itineraries:
--Hike between Genoa’s Forts and Walls (see here more details) and after that visit Genoa’s historical center.
--Spend one entire day to visit the City of Genoa, the historical center, the Genoa oriental market and the ancient Port with its famous large sea water aquarium.
--Visit Genova Nervi Villas and beautiful parks (see here)
--Hike from Genoa city center back to Genoa Nervi. We do not recommend this option, the trails inside Genova are interesting than the others you’ll see later.
3rd day: GENOVA NERVI - CAMOGLI
Start your hike after a rich breakfast in the hotel. The varied trail leads you to several panoramic points with view over the Golf of Paradise and the Portofino promontory. The suggested itinerary leads through nice hamlets, olive yards and Mediterranean vegetation as well as through the beautiful coastal towns Bogliasco, Sori and Recco – which is famous for the delicious cheese focaccia! The last part of the itinerary follows the coastal road from Recco to Camogli, the charming town where you stay overnight.
Accommodation in the small hotel “La Camogliese” or similar and dinner in a typical restaurant.
About 6 hours hiking time. Distance about 16.5 km/total ascent about 820 m asl.
Comments from our customers:
"On Sunday, we took the train to Genoa and did some sightseeing there. We were glad that we didn't have to start hiking straight away and that we had time to get to know Liguria.
On Monday we set off on our hike and it didn't take long before we were sweating profusely. We cooled off in the sea for the first time in Recco. The next day we started early in Camogli. Beforehand, we had decided not to make the descent to Punta Chiappa. So we hiked from San Rocco over the hill directly to San Fruttuoso and, after a swim there, continued on to Portofino. Most of us then took the boat to Rapallo - three of us walked there by land."
4th day: CAMOGLI - RAPALLO
Today you will hike through the beautiful natural park of Portofino. After breakfast and a stroll along the promenade of Camogli a long staircase leads you to the hamlet San Rocco with great view over the Gulf of Paradise. Then you follow a varied trail over the Portofino promontory, first through shady woods and later immersed in the Mediterranean shrubland until you reach the famous and elegant village Portofino. From Portofino follow the 8 km seaside promenade to Santa Margherita Ligure and to Rapallo. If needed you can shorten the walk and take a public bus.
Overnight stay in a small hotel in the center of Rapallo and dinner in a restaurant nearby.
About 10 hours hiking time. Distance about 25 km/ total ascent about 1200 m asl.
5th day: RAPALLO – CHIAVARI
From Rapallo climb up to the sanctuary Madonna di Montallegro situated 612 m above sea level. You can choose to take the famous cable railway the reach the sanctuary. From there start an interesting hike off the beaten paths to Chiavari, overlooking the sea on one side and the high mountains of the Appenine on the other. Don’t miss to visit the historical centre of Chiavari with its characteristics arcades. Your accommodation for tonight will be a nice hotel in the city centre, for example the hotel “Monte Rosa”, which has a restaurant, too.
With cable railway: About 3 hours hiking time. Distance about 10 km/ just descent: about 700 m asl.
Without cable railway: About 5 hours hiking time. Distance about 14 km/ total ascent about 700 m asl.
6th day: CHIAVARI – SESTRI LEVANTE
The last stage of the itinerary from Chiavari to Sestri Levante starts with an urban part through the town Lavagna, separated from the city Chiavari just by the mouth of the Entella river. Then the trails climbs up the church Santa Giulia on a hill with a beautify panorama over the Gulf of Tigullio. The itinerary leads you then down to Cavi and via the rocks of Santa Anna down to the sea side promenade of Sestri Levante. The charming town centre is found on a tongue of land, between two beautiful bays – the Baia delle Favole and the Baia del Silenzio.
Depending on the availability you’ll stop here for your last night at “La Casa dei Paggi”, a refined and cozy house in the center of Sestri Levante.
If the house is not available in that period, the most beautiful part of the trail awaits you in order to reach the accommodation: follow the trail up to the promontory of Punta Manara, an amazing view point above the cliffs. From Punta Manara a nice trail of about 1 hours ends in proximity of your last accommodation: the agritourism “Pergola dei Paggi”.
About 5-6 hours hiking time. Distance about 15 km/ total ascent about 550 m asl.
Comments from our customers:
"So we walked up the 600 meters in altitude after all, but didn't regret it - it's a really beautiful path. On the way from Chiavari to Sestri Levante, we refreshed ourselves in the sea in Cavi. Suddenly, some strong waves came in and washed over our clothes, rucksacks and hiking boots, which were lying close to the beach. So we changed our plans at short notice and took the bus from Cavi to Riva Trigoso. We were able to check into the agriturismo at 3 p.m. and, after a short break, walked over the mountain along the panoramic path to Sestri Levante. On Friday we did some sightseeing in Sestri and in the afternoon we went swimming and relaxing by the sea in Riva. While the other group members went home on Saturday, my wife and I booked an apartment at the Hotel La Camogliese in Camogli for a few more days and went on a beach vacation there."
7th day
After breakfast check out and end of tour.
... or decide to continue your hike with our self guided Cinque Terre package!
Final comments:
The accommodations were all great - as different as they were. But it is precisely this diversity that makes them so appealing. Every day we were excited to see where we would end up this time. We were particularly spoiled at the Hotel Monterosa in Chiavari. As there was a family celebration in the restaurant, we were the only guests in the elegant dining room with stylish service - and a fellow hiker, whose birthday was on Thursday, was surprised with a delicious Dolce for breakfast.
The food was also very good and plentiful everywhere. Here, too, we were already guessing during the day what we might be served in the evening.
The luggage transportation worked perfectly. We didn't notice a thing - but whenever we arrived at the next accommodation, our suitcases were already in our room.
Dear Ms. Unger, the hike was a special experience for us. Everything was super organized, everything went well. Arbaspaa has a good ring to the ears of all our fellow hikers and you can be sure that we will be talking about our days in Liguria with great enthusiasm here in Upper Swabia.
Thank you very much for your commitment.
Prices, Options & Services
Prices
Price per person in DOUBLE/TWIN room with HALF BOARD:
April to October: € 1.105,00 without luggage transport: € 970,00
Price per person in DOUBLE/TWIN room in B&B:
April to October: € 820,00 without luggage transport: € 690,00
Price in SINGLE room with HALF BOARD:
April to October: € 1.465,00 without luggage transport: € 1.210,00
package together with at least another person Euro 1.345,00 (without luggage transport € 1.210,00)
Price in SINGLE room in B&B:
April to October: € 1.130,00 without luggage transport: € 880,00
package together with at least another person Euro 1.010,00 (without luggage transport € 880,00)
For bookings including the 25th of April, 1st of May, 2nd June, months of July and August, Easter and Christmas holidays there is a supplement of Euro 60,00 per person to be added.
Included services
Accommodation for a total of 6 nights in guesthouses, agritourism or 2/3* hotels as by description or similar in double room with private bathroom and breakfast. 6 dinners in the guesthouse/hotel or in a typical restaurant (usually the dinner consists of 3 courses – first course, main course, dessert – drinks are not included), luggage transport every day from one accommodation to the next. Maps, roadbook and description of the hikes. Local emergency assistance (phone number to call).
Not included
lunches, tips, entrance fees, all services not mentioned under “included services”.
City tax
In some places there is a city tax to pay. This tax is local and subject of frequent changes. It has to be paid cash upon arrival and is not included in this package. However, its cost in our area is never more than Euro 3,00 per person and night.
Availability
Please take note that this service is always on request. No allotment has been blocked yet and availability will be checked at the moment of the request. The offered hotels/guesthouses are small and popular family run places. Thus, program changes can be possible as well as alternative accommodation in case of booked out spaces.
Cancellation Policy
In case of withdrawal by the customer, the cancellation costs are composed as follows, unless they are listed separately on the booking confirmation:
-
Up to 60 days before the start of the trip: 20% of the total travel price is due as cancellation fees;
-
Up to 30 days before the start of the trip: 30% of the total travel price is due as cancellation fees;
-
Up to 15 days before the start of the trip: 50% of the total travel price is due as cancellation fees;
-
Up to 7 days before the start of the trip: 75% of the total travel price is due as cancellation fees;
-
From 6 days before the start of the trip, or in case of a no show: 100% of the total travel price is due as cancellation fees.
