Walking in the Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre and Riviera di Levante, 2nd edition, April 2017. Updated 12/8/2024

Updates for walks in the Cinque Terre and Riviera do Levante given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book you can “upgrade” to the latest edition at half price.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably by e-mail, to info@sunflowerbooks.co.uk.

IMPORTANT: All the path numbers in Cinque Terre proper have been changed: the current numbering is in the 500+ range. I’m speculating here, but I would guess it’s due to some national (regional?) plan to have unique numbering of paths. Often, it’s just a question of adding 500 to the path number in the book, i.e. path number 8 becomes 508; some signs even read: “path 508, ex 8”. (User) • The author has sent in the list below:
501 (former no. 01) Riomaggiore – Sella La Croce
502 (former no. 02) Tornate Groppo – Sella M. Galera
504 (former no. 4) Sant’Antonio – Schiara
506 (former no. 6) Manarola – Fork no. 1 (Sella di Monte Marvede)
507 (former no. 7) Vernazza – Cigoletta
508 (former no. 8) Vernazza – Foce Drignana
509 (former no. 9) Monterosso – Madonna di Soviore
528 (former no. 11) Campiglia – Punta Persico
530 Telegrafo – Volastra
530c Bramapane – Cava (Scala Santa)
534 (former no. 4C) Sant’Antonio – Fossola (sea)
535 (former no. 4b) Campiglia – Fossola
536 (former no. 4D) Fork 504 – Monesteroli
571 (15+16) C.Massola – Graft 591
571C Colla Bagari – Graft of the route 571
572 (former no. 14) Levanto – Colla Bagari
573 (former no. 22) Levanto – Colla Bagari
574 (former 12) Levanto – Colla Gritta
574 C Graft 591 – Graft 574
581 (former no. 8A) Reggio – San Bernardino
582 (former no. 8B) Reggio – Il Termine
585 (former 6b) Volastra – Sella M. Galera
586 (former no. 6D) Volastra – Case Pianca
587 (former no. 7A) Corniglia – Cigoletta
590 (SVA 10) Monterosso – S.Antonio Mesco
591 (former 1) Il Termine – S. Antonio Mesco
591 (former 1) Levanto – S. Antonio Mesco
592-1 (SVA2) Riomaggiore – Manarola
592-2 (SVA2) Manarola – Corniglia
592-3 (SVA2) Corniglia – Vernazza
592-4 (SVA2) Vernazza – Monterosso
593 (SVA 3) Riomaggiore – Telegrafo
593C SS. 370 – Madonna di Montenero
593V (former 3a) Riomaggiore – Madonna di Montenero
598-1 (AV5T 1) Portovenere – Telegrafo
598-2 (AV5T 1) Telegrafo – Cigoletta
598-3 (AV5T 1) Cigoletta – Il Termine
504C – Schiara – Graft of the path 535
506V (former 6 VAR) Groppo hairpin turn – graft of the path 506
531 Riomaggiore – Manarola (via Beccara)
531C Corniolo Parking area – Via Beccara
532 Beccara – Costa Corniolo
532C Graft 502 – Costa Corniolo
588 (former 14A) Colla Bagari – Felina

Walk 1: You mention in your introduction that parts of the coastal Cinque Terra route are still closed after the 2011 floods; currently the whole low level walk is closed (Oct 2017), with no proposed reopening date. (User, 10/17) + Still closed as of 10/19 according. (User, 10/19) * After 11 years of closure following landslides, the Cinque Terre’s Via dell’Amore (Way of Love) between Riomaggiore and Manarola has partially reopened. Access is confined to the initial section. (The Times, 9/23) • The entire route is now reopened (9 August 2024).  There is a new ticketing system to limit numbers to 400 people an hour, and it costs €10 euros. For information see https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/cinque-terre-via-dell-amore. (Sunflower)

Walk 1 page 20/21, and walk 7, page 39: TheVia Beccara from Manarola to Riomaggiore has recently been closed by the Cinque Terre park administration because of damage to the terrace walls caused by the large number of walkers who have used this steep and narrow trail over the last years. Only local farmers are still allowed to walk it. There is however an alternative route between the two villages, which is less steep and which offers fine views. It is about half an hour longer than the Via Beccaria; here is a description and map.

Start in Manarola from the Chiesa di San Lorenzo at the upper end of the village. Take the small main road Via Antonio Discovolo rising out of town. Within 3 Min. you come to a parking. About 30 m after its end turn right onto an asphalted track (red-white waymarks of route 506, signpost for Volastra). The track runs to the right of a small creek. Where it touches the road again take a flight of steps to the right, which changes to a cobbled or cemented old path. After some ten minutes from the start cross the Manarola – Road a few meters before its entry into bigger Volastra – La Spezia road. A path runs towards Volastra for about 250 metres parallel to the embankment of the road and then joins it (15 min).

Leave route 506 here und follow a path to the opposite, leading to the right of a tabernacle into a small valley. After about 30 metres from crossing the Volastra – Road branch off right onto an small old path between dry stone walls (red and white waymarks, route 502, signpost “strada dei santuari”). It rises steeply out of the valley. While climbing you go under an electric wiring and past the turn-off left of route 532 C to Groppo. At the forking some 100 metres uphill from an old stone hut turn right (red and white waymarks of route 532 C, signpost “Costa del Corniolo”). A more or less flat small path follows the upper edge of steeply terraced vine fields. Two wooden gates can easily be opened. (Take care to close it behind you!). After a right-hand-bend at the foot of the Corniolo ridge the path rises smoothly through pines and heather to take you onto the Costa del Corniolo (265m). Follow a well-worn path through grapes some 10 min along the top of the ridge towards the coast; all the way you enjoy superb sea-views. At the steep dropping end of the ridge you come to a viewpoint with wooden railings (55 min).

Turn left in front of the railings and follow the well-worn rocky path descending towards Riomaggiore (red and white waymarks). A good five minutes down from the viewpoint, some 30 metres after crossing a second time the iron track of a vine harvesting railway, turn sharply to the left onto a flat path between two pines (red-white waymarks of route 531 C, signpost “parcheggio”). It runs along the southern slopes of the Corniolo Ridge towards the big road bridge spanning the valley of Riomaggiore. Where the path ends, steep stone steps take you a short way down to a small parking between a tunnel and the road bridge (1 h 15 min).

Cross the bridge towards La Spezia. At the end of the railings turn right onto a path (red-white waymarks of route 502, signpost for Riomaggiore). After some 100 m from the road you arrive at a short cemented staircase. It takes you down to an old cobbled mule trail, which descends rapidly between old walls and olive trees to the upper edge of Riomaggiore, where you cross a road to the ruin of a small medieval castle. Turn all to the left in front of the castle walls, pass a chapel and follow the small lane Via Lino Pecunia down to the main church San Giovanni Battista. The central village lane Via Colomb takes you downhill past the entrance of the station tunnel to the small harbour bay of Riomaggiore (1 h 45 min). (Author, 8/17)

Walk 2: We did the opposite to your suggested route: walked up the hills and caught the bus down which was wonderful. (User, 10/17)

Walk 6: The website of the Cinque Terre National Park (www.parconazionale5terre.it) states the route 535 (ex route 4b) to be closed from Fossola to the Monesteroli staircase. But in fact it is still open. The route has clear waymarks and on the way I could not notice any sign of closure. (Author, 8/17)

Walk 13: Page 72 says ‘follow track which veers left and joins a small road. Turn right  for 30m to the start of a stepped lane.’ We found that we needed to turn LEFT for 30m. Otherwise a lovely route that we really enjoyed. Excellent book. (User, 9/18)

Page 38, from 1 h 50: It is now possible again, to walk via Monesteroli all down to the sea, as the old path has been cleared a little. But take care: for the final descend you have to be absolutely sure-footed: Walk down the steep staircase to Monesteroli and turn right behind the last, still inhabited house of the hamlet. Follow a small path rounding the hillside (red-white waymarks, route 536). It soon descends more steeply over stone steps and in bends all the way down to the seashore, which is reached near the rocky outcrop Scoglio Montanaio rising from the sea. Only if the waters are calm, you may clamber over the boulders, to have a swim here. (Author, 8/17)