Seven days, Six nights
Camogli, Portofino, Cinque Terre
Day One – Arrival in Camogli; Hotel Il Cenobio dei Dogi
In its prime, hundreds of years ago, Camogli was one of the major ports of the Ligurian coast, offering a harbor to over 700 vessels including the fleet of Napoleon. Today, this tranquil fishing village with its colorful facades seems centuries removed from the bustling port of Genoa, just 25 miles to the north.
Here in Camogli, the 16th century Villa and Four-Star Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi will be our base for our first three nights as we explore the Portofino promontory. Official check-in time is 2:00 PM though our rooms are often available earlier.
At 6:30 PM, we will all meet for a welcome cocktail and dinner on the terrace above the water. Here you get acquainted with your guides and hear more about your trip. While we admire our view of the sea, our welcome dinner will also introduce us to the many seafood specialties we will sample this week, such as “Fritto Misto”, a delectable assortment of lightly breaded and sautéed crustaceans.
Day Two – Camogli, Portofino; Hotel Il Cenobio dei Dogi
This morning, our walk begins in the village of Ruta, which lies above Camogli and where our trail enters the National Nature Park of the Portofino Promontory. We walk up to the Monte di Ruta, through the pass of the Portofino Vetta and into the lush forest area on the northern slope of Monte Portofino. Shoulder high ferns line our path as we begin our long gentle descent towards Portofino itself. Well before our arrival in this very exclusive port, we begin to pass small farmhouses and, further along, beautiful villas. In Portofino you will have plenty of time to explore. Our lunch is at an outdoor café, with a full view of all of the magnificent yachts, and proscuitto and melon, seafood salad, or linguine in a white wine clam sauce are just a few of our choices.
The slopes surrounding this tiny bay are covered in cypress and olive trees and this afternoon’s walk to the lighthouse, castle and the church of St. Giorgio offer a beautiful perspective of the village below. Afterwards, we will board our private boat for the journey by sea around the promontory and back to Camogli.
Dinner tonight is a unique treat. We are off to Trattoria della Nonna, or Grandma’s Restaurant. It is one of the few restaurants in the area that does not only specialize in seafood. Nonna herself will prepare an array of antipasti including stuffed vegetables and cheese tarts. A robust Tuscan red wine could complement an entrée of herbed rabbit in an olive sauce.
Day Three – Camogli, San Fruttuoso; Hotel Il Cenobio dei Dogi
This morning we walk up among the gardens surrounding Camogli to the sanctuary village of St. Rocco which offers a spectacular view of the coastline from Camogli beneath us to Genoa in the distance. From St. Rocco, we continue along the slopes directly above the water around the Punta Chiappa and onwards toward the abbey of San Fruttuoso in a small bay at the waters’ edge, which may only be reached on foot or by boat. The abbey, which spans the width of the bay, dates back to the year 711 and was originally built as a home for the relics of St. Fructuosus brought here after the Moorish invasion of Spain. Grilled lobster and shrimp is a great choice at our lunch spot here and in the afternoon you may continue along the shoreline path to Portofino or return directly by boat to Camogli for a little relaxation or a dip in the pool.
Sadly, this is our last night in Camogli, but before we leave we will enjoy dinner at a local seaside restaurant and enjoy their delicious “branzino”, a delicate Mediterranean whitefish, and “Pasta Camogliese”, a handmade, twisted pasta with pesto, potatoes and beans.
Day Four – To Monterosso; Hotel Porta Roca
This morning, we journey to Levanto, a small resort town just northwest of the Cinque Terre. Our walk begins just above town where we pass ancient buildings and charming villas that line the hillside. As we wander, high above the water, we eventually pass through small forests of oak and pine as the path takes us up to the site of the ancient lighthouse of St. Antonio. From this vantage point, we can see all five of the villages of the Cinque Terre stretching into the distance to the southeast. Just below lies Monterosso, the first and largest of the Cinque Terre.
We will enjoy a late lunch here at what may seem to be an unusual choice of locales. The restaurant Belvedere sits directly under a railway trestle and may shake a bit when trains pass. We all forget about this though when dish after dish of antipasti, such as stuffed olives or tuna tartar arrive at our table, followed by the most unique black and white (literally) pasta with clams and mussels.
In the afternoon there will be ample time to explore town, relax on the terrace of our hotel, the Porta Roca, which is perched on a rock shelf above the sea, or enjoy a swim at the small private beach below our hotel. This evening, we will dine together at the hotel's excellent restaurant.
Day Five – Monterosso and the Cinque Terre; Hotel Porta Roca
Today, from Monterosso, we will explore the other villages of the Cinque Terre. We begin with a hike to Vernazza, one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in Italy. As we hike up out of Monterosso, we pass through an abundance of vineyards and olive groves, which cling to the steeply terraced hillsides. As we continue, the terrain becomes too steep to cultivate and the views become truly breathtaking. When our path turns around the Punta Lina we have a wonderful vantage point of the tiny harbor of Vernazza below. From here, chiseled stone steps lead down into the colorful waterside piazza where we will have lunch. If we haven’t tried “Muscoli Ripieni”, or mussels stuffed with meat, cheese and bread, this could be a great opportunity.
After lunch, we hop via local train to Corniglia, the only hilltop village of the Cinque Terre. From here we wander the coastline to Manarola and then follow the "Via del' Amore", or “walk of love” to Riomaggiore where you can catch a train or boat back to Monterosso at your leisure. Tonight we will sample the fare and the famous after dinner liquor “Limoncello” at a favorite local trattoria.
Day Six – Riomaggiore to Portovenere; Hotel Porta Roca
Today we will walk to one of the southernmost points in Liguria, Portovenere, at the tip of the peninsula, which forms the bay of La Spezia. From Riomaggiore, we first travel through the last extremities of Liguria's vineyards that lead us to the crest of the hill, which separates La Spezia from the Mediterranean. Here we traverse through tall forests of pine to the tiny hamlet of Campiglia. Then, we descend slowly through spectacular rock formations into Portovenere for a lovely harbor side lunch and exploration of this rustic village where Lord Byron enjoyed so much inspiration. Then, we board our boat which will take us slowly along the coast, passing all of the villages of the Cinque Terre, offering us a spectacular overview of the trails we have walked throughout the week.
We return to Monterosso and the Porto Roca, where this evening we will enjoy a special dinner to celebrate our week together. The grand buffet perfected by the culinary staff of our hotel will seal in our hearts and minds the best of the Cinque Terre.
Day Seven – Departure from Monterosso
Enjoy your last morning in Monterosso before your departure. Monterosso has hourly train departures in both directions along the coast. We will gladly assist you in making any arrangements necessary for your further travel plans.
We Look Forward To Seeing You In Camogli!
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