Cinque Terre & Tuscany Walking & Hiking
- Two distinct and beloved regions of Italy in one amazing trip
- Hike the Cinque Terre's spectacular coastline, with brightly colored cliffside 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
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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. 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.
Days
1-2 Two distinct regions of Italy in one amazing trip
Hike through the dramatic landscape to Portovenere, taking in sweeping vistas of the Golfo della Spezia
Feast on fresh seafood on Palmaria Island
Explore the Cinque Terre's spectacular coastline, a World Heritage site, by foot, boat and train
Well-groomed paths lined by ancient stone walls lead from stunning Riomaggiore through cliffside Manarola, quiet Corniglia, colorful Vernazza to inviting Monterosso al Mare.
Day
3 Pass trompe l'oeil-adorned villas en route to pretty Portofino, playground of the rich and famous
A walk along Portofino's postcard-perfect waterfront is a must before heading inland to Chianti.
Day
4 Stroll through quintessential Tuscan villages, vineyards and cypress-flanked lanes
Saunter around historic Greve in Chianti, shop for local delicacies and taste the region's best wines at a renowned enoteca
Sip regional wines at a fun and informative tasting.
Days
5-6 Savor full-bodied Chianti reds and Tuscany's simple hearty fare
Bold balsamic vinegars dance across your tongue in ancient ridgetop Radda, the epicenter of Chianti Classico wine
Visit Volpaia, a medieval village-turned-winery
Soak up grand pastoral panoramas from the strada bianca, surrounded by vineyards.
Guests Reviews About This Trip
Terrific experience. The locales were beautiful, food was amazing, hikes were challenging but gorgeous, ferry opportunities gave a nice water option, a great blend of seaside and Tuscan experiences.- Cary, NC
We love Backroads! Everything we heard about it was true - fun, professional and great service, wonderful food, super nice people on our trip that we loved getting to know, and beautiful scenery. Thank you for our first spectacular trip to Italy. We aren't sure we could have done all that on our own because it enabled us to go to small towns, meet with local people, eat at local restaurants, and workout pretty extensively (hiking) every day yet have the option to sightsee instead. I cannot recommend it enough to others.- Atlanta, GA
I had a lovely time and saw some of the most spectacular views and scenery in my life.- Westmont, IL
Casual Inns
Hotel Belvedere
Portovenere (1 night) This modest seaside hotel offers superb vistas of Palmaria Island and the Gulf of La Spezia from its terrace and balconies.
Hotel Jolanda
Santa Margherita Ligure (2 nights) Enjoy the tranquility of this family-run hotel, within walking distance of the sea.
Villa Le Barone
Panzano in Chianti (2 nights) Owned by the same family since the 1500s, this former manor house offers vistas of the surrounding countryside, olive groves and vineyards of Chianti Classico. (pool, tennis)
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Classic:
This Trip Is Rated Level 1-4
Routes For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of
interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one
day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat
from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each
day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
| Daily Route Options | ||||||||||
| Day | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | ||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | |
| 1 | 2.2* | 200 | 3.6* | 300 | 5.5 | 200 | ||||
| 2 | 7.6* | 700 | 11.7* | 1300 | ||||||
| 3 | 5.0* | 600 | 8.0 | 1000 | ||||||
| 4 | 6.3* | 900 | ||||||||
| 5 | 4.6* | 600 | 10.3* | 1000 | ||||||
| 6 | 0.5 | 0 | ||||||||
| 2.4 | 300 | |||||||||
The terrain on this trip includes seaside village paths with occasional exposed cliff views and stone steps.
The hilly terrain makes the routes feel more challenging than the mileage suggests.
* Includes a shuttle
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For 34 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Cinque Terre & Tuscany tour experts. See our award-winning Europe Italy walking tours and hiking tours, Europe Italy biking tours and Europe Italy multisport tours.