Cinque Terre private experience
Description
Private tour. From Manarola to Corniglia through the hills overlooking the sea characterized by typical terraces made with dry stone walls that allowed the Ligurians, already in ancient times, to colonize a rugged and difficult territory. Five villages set in the rock, rich in local traditions and history. Crossing this territory on the ancient paths that connect the Cinque Terre gives glimpses of incomparable beauty on the sea and on the landscape characterized by Mediterranean scrub and vineyards, olive and citrus trees. Snack with tasting of focaccia, pesto and wine, with in-depth analysis of local food and wine traditions. The tour is personalized from time to time according to the interests and physical abilities of the participants. You will be accompanied by an environmental Hiking Guide, in love with nature, plants and ancient local traditions
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit to the village, walk along the central road to the port and Punta Bonfiglio, with introduction to the Cinque Terre National Park; history, culture and traditions of these ancient villages, strategic destination of Roman domination, of the Genoese republic and of pirate raids. Guided observation of the territory characterized by sedimentary rocks overlooking the sea subject to marine erosion and landslides. Discovery of the Mediterranean scrub and the adaptations of coastal plants to the salty climate and summer heat.
Climb to Volastra to discover the Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site since 1997 for the virtuous integration of the human landscape with the nature of this enchanting but extremely fragile place. The Cinque Terre have in fact been cultivated since ancient times with the construction of terraces supported by the famous "dry stone walls" which have preserved the integrity of the territory up to the present day from the risk of frequent landslides of the sedimentary rock subjected to marine erosion. In Volastra, a break in the shade awaits us with a snack of pesto, focaccia and white wine which will offer us the opportunity to delve into the local culinary traditions and the history of Cinque Terre wine production.
The excursion continues between terraces and Mediterranean scrub, passing through wetlands and holm oak forests, with an incomparable view of the entire marine area of the Cinque Terre and the small villages hidden among the rocks. In Corniglia a panoramic terrace awaits us that embraces the entire day.
We will be able to reach Vernazza on foot or by train depending on the strength left available. Visit to the village hidden in the only natural inlet of the Cinque Terre. Here we will end our journey through botany, geology, traditions and history of this land rich in culture and rare beauty.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We will agree on the place to meet according to the Customer's needs
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(42)
It was an awesome hike. We learned more than we ever would have expected. Village walk had some steep steps to gorgeous views. Myself and 2 teenager girls felt accomplished afterwards. Sonia engaged everyone in interesting conversations about beautiful Cinque Terre.
Sonia was an amazing guide for Cinque Terre! An effervescent personality and the utmost athlete — she was a joy to spend the day with as our leader on an amazing hike not for the weary! Sonia is also extremely knowledgeable about the land and the plants and the Italian culture. An amazing day that we’d do all over again.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Gretchen! It was an absolute pleasure hiking that trail with you, even on such a challenging, hot day. I truly hope to see you again soon for another wonderful trek together!
Sonia is fabulous! She is from this area and knows her stuff! If you are looking for a private tour, she is your girl! We saw Cinque Terre and Portofino and felt like she was part of our family when our tour was over!
Planning these days together and having the opportunity to show you both Cinque Terre and Portofino—by land and by boat—has been absolutely wonderful. Sharing my favorite spots and restaurants with you was a joy. Sometimes I wish I could see these places for the first time just to experience that initial magic again. Over these three days, I got to explore my home through your eyes and your hearts, making this a uniquely rewarding experience. See you soon, Sonia
We hired Sonia for 3 days to show us the Cinque Terre area. Wow it could not have been better. Two of the days we did some hiking between the town, she gladly adjusted for our fitness level and showed us lots of little hideaway places and unbelievable overlooks. Another day we toured by boat and stopped to see several quaint villages including Portofino. If you want a true Cinque Terre experience go no where else!
We had a wonderful hike with Francesca. She was very knowledgeable and paced the hike to meet the needs of our family. I highly recommend this tour.
Thank you, Courtney! We study hard to constantly improve our knowledge of Liguria. Nature reveals a little more of itself to us every day, thanks in large part to the curiosity and thought-provoking questions of our guests. I truly hope to welcome you back to Liguria again soon. Warm regards, Sonia
I’ve done a lot of tours and hikes, but this felt like spending the morning with a knowledgeable friend. Sonia didn’t just guide us—she shared the history, culture, trees, food, and stories that made the region come alive. The homemade focaccia, espresso, and local recommendations were such thoughtful touches. My family of 7 (grandparents, parents and kids 9-18) loved every minute of it. She continues even after the tour to message me recommendations on what else to do in our 5 days here. Honestly, after our first day, I wished she could have joined us for all five days of our trip. That’s how good she was.
Thank you, Jason! I learned so much from all of you during the day we spent together. You showed me firsthand that the most valuable thing we have is family and the deep bonds between different generations. Plants are always teaching us the value of collaboration and leaving behind a worthy legacy, and your family is proof that we can be just as amazing as nature itself! I hope to meet you again in future Sonia
We met our guide, Marco, on the train in Rapallo on our way to Cinque Terra. We chose to hike between Manarola and Cornigla with a stop in Volastra at the top for a snack over the easier train ride between towns. This left less time to tour the towns, but was a great decision for us. Warning: the initial mile of the hike is mostly all up a steel climb. About 1200 feet of elevation gain. It took a while and wore us out, but well worth it. The views are spectacular and once at the top the path is easier along the ridge as you walk thru vineyards. Marco was a wonderful host and share information as we went. He was also patient with us as we stopped to rest on our way up the climb. The entire tour left us wanting to return to the area to see more.
Hello Nick, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the experience and are sharing it with other potential hikers! As you know, I always connect with my guests to tailor the experience to their specific interests and passions. My goal is to ensure the tour fits every fitness level and expectation. Thank you so much for appreciating our hard work. I look forward to hosting you again next time! Sonia
Sonia was fantastic! She had a great personality, was energetic and knowledgeable all while being flexible with what we seen. I would highly recommend her.
Thanks a lot. I look forward to meeting you again in future. Sonia
Our time with Sonia exceeded all expectations. She is an expert guide who has a through knowledge of the land, architecture and people based on many years of residing in the area. Our 5 hour tour of the Cinque Terre region was wonderful and we all enjoyed her friendly and kind manner. Her rates were reasonable and a very good value. We all agreed we would be very happy to do another hike and tour with her in the future =))
You are flattering me, as I told you during our hiking, it is a pleasure to spend a day with a group like yours. Good vibes, a lot of curiosity and irony. I also hope to meet you again! Sonia
Our time with Sonia exceeded all expectations. She is an expert guide with a through knowledge of the land, architecture and people based on many years of residing in the area. Her rates were reasonable and a very good value. Our 5 hour tour and hike was so enjoyable and Sonia's friendly and kind manner was so pleasant to be around. We toured this area a few years ago without a guide but Sonia's explanations of what we were looking at brought everything to life for us this time. We would gladly tour again with her in the future!
