Built under the fiefdom of the Fieschi family, this colourful collection of porticos, arcades and squares forms the most beautiful borgo rotondo (round village) of the upper Val di Vara. At the heart of the spectacular merry-go-round of houses sits the 14th-century Casa del Capitano and the mighty towers of the Fieschi family castle.
Across the main piazza sits the Baroque Chiesa di San Filippo Neri e Santa Teresa d’Avila (open daily). Close by, the yellow and white Baroque Oratorio dei Santi Antonio e Rocco (open daily) is a real jewel with an elaborate interior of stucco, gold lanterns, frescoes and 18th-century paintings. Next door is the colonnaded 16th-century Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista (open daily) with plenty of frescoes, paintings and statues that testify to the generosity and wealth of the local nobles.
Buy some organic cheese or salami, or arrange a farm/factory tour at the Cooperativa Casearia Val di Vara (Loc Perazza, Varese Ligure, 0187 842 108). Ask at the tourist office, on Piazza Castello, about free guided tours of the town between 11am and 5pm.
Take the SP523 south to San Pietro Vara, continue on the SP566 in the direction of La Spezia, then turn left on SP566d in the direction of Carrodano-Levanto, turn off at the sign Carrodano “centro”.
The heavily fortified Castello dei Fieschi at the heart of Varese Ligure
The drive through the forests of the Val di Vara passes river crossings, castle ruins and church steeples. From the villages of San Pietro Vara to Carrodano, the narrow streets are full of houses dating back to Roman times. Take a break at Carrodano Inferiore – the lower village – and walk through the arched passageways to pastel façades and the Chiesa Santa Felicità in Piazza Chiesa. The upper village, Carrodano Superiore, offers views over the entire valley and coast. Several well-marked walking trails pass near to Carrodano: one links to the upper trail of the Via delle Cinque Terre, Sentiero 5T, which starts in Levanto and ends at Monte Zatta.
Take the SP566d all the way to Levanto; plenty of parking: meters are best for access to the waterfront.
Trip 4: The Veneto | Val di Vara
Valley of Borghi Rotondi
The tightly packed houses of Val di Vara’s medieval borghi rotondi (round villages) were designed around a central hub such as a castle or church with few external windows to thwart enemy attacks. The upper floors were used as living quarters, while the ground level rooms were used as warehouses.
Named after its location on the Riviera di Levante, east of Genoa, the town is also an entry point to the Cinque Terre Park and shares the same spellbinding mix of mountain and Mediterranean scenery. Popular with Benito Mussolini in the 1920s and 30s, Levanto has some fine Renaissance palazzos and villas overlooking the wide bay. On the main square, Piazza Cavour, the 13th-century Chiesa Sant’Andrea has a striking striped Genovese Ligurian façade of green serpentine and white marble. Admire also the medieval arcades on the Piazza della Loggia, the clock tower, ancient city walls and 13th-century Castello di Levanto. The area is known for its wines and extra virgin olive oil, and in the countryside there are many old olive oil mills, or mulini.
Take the Via Nuova Stazione Ferroviaria, turn right on the SP43 and right on the SP370 towards Monterosso. Car parks are at both sides of town.
The Torre Aurora (Dawn Tower) stands on a rocky promontory between the old village beach and the newer Fegina beach and bocce (bowls) court. Above town stands the ruins of the castello built by the Lagneto family in 1201 to ward off pirate attacks. At the heart of old Monterosso, on Piazza Garibaldi, is the Genovese-Gothic church, Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista (1220) with its white marble and serpentine stripes. Stroll west to the end of the beach to appreciate the 14-m (46-ft) statue of Neptune, nicknamed Il Gigante. The Convento Cappuccini on San Cristoforo hill in the old town has unbeatable views, Franciscan wooden altars and fabulous paintings – most notably The Crucifixion – by 16th-century Flemish artist Anthony van Dyck.
Go back up the SP370, turn right on- to the SP38 and right on the SP51. At Foce, turn left on the SP38 for Pignone. Park inside the walls at Piazza Marconi.
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | Varese Ligure
Visiting the Cinque Terre
National Park Office
The main office is in Riomaggiore. The park’s website has useful information.
Via Telemaco Signorini 118, Riomaggiore, 19017; 0187 762 600; www.parconazionale5terre.it
Parking
The Cinque Terre villages are car-free zones. There are car parks (close at 10 or 11pm) in the villages and parking further away on the roadsides.
Surfing
There is a surf school in Levanto.
Via Jacopo da Levanto 15; 0187 807 561
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | Varese Ligure
Where to STAY
Varese Ligure
Hotel Amici inexpensive
Family-run hotel – with excellent bistro attached – and 26 tasteful rooms.
Via Garibaldi 80, 19028; 0187 842 139; www.albergoamici.it; closed mid-Dec–Jan
Around val di vara
Agriturismo Ca’ du Chittu inexpensive
Eco-haven in the heart of the Val di Vara.
Isolato Camporione 25, Pavareto; 19012, (15 km/9 miles from Varese Ligure on the SP566, turn right in Ponte Santa Margherita SP50, drive 10 km and turn left to Pavareto Road); 0187 861205; www.caduchittu.it
Levanto
Palazzo Vannoni moderate–expensive
Old World grace in an 18th-century villa surrounded by a beautiful garden.
Via Marconi 4, 19015; 0187 808 146; www.hotelpalazzovannoni.it; closed Dec–Feb
monterosso al mare
Hotel La Colonnina moderate
A family-run hotel near the main square. Enjoy sea views from the rooftop terrace.
Via Zuecca 6, 19016; 0187 817 439; www.lacolonninacinqueterre.it; closed Nov–Easter
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | VARESE LIGURE
Eat and drink
VARESE LIGURE
Vineria del Borgo moderate
Traditional Ligurian food such as croxetti (pasta with a nutty sauce).
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele 26, 19028; 349 779 3410; closed Thu, Feb & mid-Nov–end Nov
Levanto
La Vineria inexpensive
Al fresco wine bar offering light bites. Try the gattafin – fried ravioli of herbs.
Piazza Staglieno 28, 19015; 328 841 3804; closed Thu
Trattoria Cavour moderate
Tasty fare in an old tanner’s studio.
Piazza Cavour 1, 19015; 0187 808 497; www.trattoriacavour.it; closed Mon & mid-Dec–Jan
Other options
Moderately priced family restaurant, with authentic seafood, pasta and pizza, L’Oasi (Piazza Cavour, 19015; 0187 800 856; closed Sep–Jun Wed, mid-Nov–mid-Dec, mid-Jan–mid-Mar). Shop selling delicious organic foods, run by an organization of local producers, Sapori di Levanto
(Piazza Cavour 10, 19015; 0187 80221; www.saporidilevanto.it; closed Sun)
Monterosso al Mare
Enoteca Internazionale inexpensive
Good local food – focaccia, acciughe di Monterosso (anchovies) and torta di verdure (vegetable pie) – and wine.
Via Roma 62, 19016; 0187 817 278; www.enotecainternazionale.com; closed Nov–Mar Tue & Jan–Feb
Ristorante di Miky moderate
Restaurant serving fish and pasta dishes.
Via Fegina 104, 19016; 0187 817 608; www.ristorantedimiky.it; closed Tue & 7 Jan–Feb
Straddling the ridge which divides the Cinque Terre from the Val di Vara, Pignone is an archetypal village of the entroterra (hinterland). Its stone houses lean against each other in a huddle and the granite Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) has a statue of the Virgin Mary in a niche. Of the original three fortified gateways, the imposing Porta Maestra is the only one still standing; a medieval loggia encircles the small piazza and its 14th-century Chiesa Santa Maria Assunta.
Return to Foce and turn left into the SP63, direction Vernazza.
One of Italy’s most beautiful villages, Vernazza’s rows of tall ochre-, yellow- and apricot-painted houses are stacked up around the cliff sides of a crooked ocean promontory with the ruins of an 11th-century lookout tower – the Torre di Avvistamento – perched out on its bulbous tip. The sweep of coloured window shutters and washing on its main square forms a backdrop to the miniature fishing port (porticciolo). At the sea’s edge stands the salmon-pink 1318 Chiesa Santa Margherita di Antiochia, with its beautiful dove-grey tiled dome and bell tower with arched windows and colonnaded upper balcony. Vernazza’s maritime history is evident in the boating symbols, marine boutiques and fishermen’s taverns that dot its narrow streets. In 1170, the town helped the Republic of Genova combat and vanquish the Pisans – the fortified walls and hilltop Castello Doria are among the remains of its once mighty medieval defence system. In those days, Vernazza was the main stopover and market centre along the coastal trading route now famous as the Cinque Terre walkway.
Head east on the SP61, then turn right towards the coast on the SP30.
Trip 4: The Veneto | Vernazza
Country Flavours
Ligurian specialities include ravioli with mushroom sauce; croxetti – flower-shaped pasta with pine-nut or walnut salsas, and chestnut-flour tagliatelle with pesto or fresh ricotta. For dessert, try torta di verdure – a sweetened vegetable pie – or some castagnaccio (chestnut flour) cake, both featuring pine nuts and raisins.
Topping a spectacular ocean-jutting cape and surrounded by terraced olive groves and vineyards, this is the only Cinque Terre village inaccessible from the sea. Its narrow lanes and boxy stone houses are packed along the main street Via Fieschi. From the medieval tower there are excellent views of all the capes and curves of the Cinque Terre coastline. For a good workout descend the Lardarina (377 steps) that links the town centre to the train station below and leads to the Guvano beach and promenade, along the lower cliffs through to Manarola.
Take the SP30 and turn right on SP61, at Fornacchi, turn right on SP51 to Volastra. The car park is free.
On a hill 350 m (1,150 ft) above sea level and a little way inland, this village was a horse-changing station for the coastal Via Romana. Locals believe its circular layout pre-dates the Romans, and the menhirs – standing stones – on nearby Monte Capri bear witness to even earlier human presence. The 13th-century Romanesque church Santuario di Nostra Signora della Salute (Our Lady of Health) lies on Via dei Santuari, a pathway that links several hilltop sanctuaries from Riomaggiore to Monterosso. At the heart of the Cinque Terre’s dry-stone wall terrain and hilltop walks, the village is a hub for hiking and mountain biking.
Continue along the SP51, at the first roundabout turn right on the SP59 to Manarola. Park just outside the town.
Manarola’s historic jewel is the Chiesa di San Lorenzo, a tiny tabernacle with three naves and an ornate rosone (rose-shaped window). Located in Piazza Papa Innocenzo IV, its creamy stone bell tower – the Campanile Bianco – was a 12th-century defence lookout. The other key attraction lies in Manarola’s mix of community atmosphere and picturesque scenery: the upper village perches on the cliff face above the marina which laps at the lower village. There are walking trails through the vineyards on the hills, or swimming in the harbour.
Go back up the SP59; at the roundabout turn right on the SP370. Turn right on the SP32 and follow signs to Riomaggiore. Park at the top of the village.
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | Pignone
CINQUE TERRE by bus
Small buses connect La Spezia and Vernazza, stopping at Riomaggiore, Manarola, Volastra and Corniglia every half an hour. It’s an easy way to reach walking trails in the Cinque Terre Park and you can soak up the breathtaking coastal views along the way.
0187 920697; www.explora5terre.it
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | Volastra
Where to stay
Volastra
Il Vigneto inexpensive
Green travellers will be pleased to know that this cute little B&B with a lovely terrace comes with the Cinque Terre Park’s stamp of eco-quality.
Via Pasubio 64, 19017; 0187 185 2727; www.ilvigneto5terre.com; closed mid-Jan–mid-Feb
Albergo Luna di Marzo moderate
An airy, relaxed, comfy hillside hotel with large functional bedrooms and good organic breakfasts.
Via Montello 387c, 19017; 0187 920 530; www.albergolunadimarzo.com; closed Nov–Mar
Manarola
Hotel Ca’ d’Andrean inexpensive–moderate
In the pedestrian zone, this is a small family-run hotel in a typical Cinque Terre village house with a few fragrant lemon trees. The 10 rooms are simply furnished, spotless and spacious.
Via Discovolo 101, 19010; 0187 920 040; www.cadandrean.com; closed Dec–Feb
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | PIGNONE
Eat and Drink
PIGNONE
Trattoria Medinelli inexpensive
A rustic eatery in a verdant setting; try the wild boar or mushroom tagliatelle.
Via del Campanile 139, 19020; 0187 887 950; www.locandadamarco.it; closed Mar–Aug lunch
Vernazza
Taste the sea in one of Vernazza’s old fishermen’s taverns, Antica Osteria Il Baretto (Via Roma 31, 19018; closed Mon & Nov–Dec) or Enoteca Sciacchetrà
(Via Roma 19, 19018; closed first 2 wks in Nov & 7 Jan–Feb)
Corniglia
Enoteca Il Pirun inexpensive
A hole-in-the-wall wine bar stuffed with memorabilia and charm.
Via Fieschi 115, 19018; 0187 812 315; closed Thu & mid-Jan–mid-Feb
Volastra
Locanda Tiabuscion moderate
Excellent dishes in convivial restaurant- bar. Try the seafood antipasti.
Via N S della Salute 114, 19017; 0187 185 8082; closed Mon
Manarola
Marina Piccola moderate
Local cooking at open-air restaurant.
Via Lo Scalo 16, 19010; 0187 920 923; www.hotelmarinapiccola.com; closed Tue
This pretty 12th-century village, named after the Rio Maior (Main River) that once flowed beneath it, looks as though it has tumbled down the hillside towards the sea. It serves as the gateway to the Cinque Terre for many visitors who head out from here on the trail linking it to the other four villages. This featured walk from Riomaggiore to Montenero and back follows Sentiero 3 (Trail 3) away from the more crowded coast, taking in coastline panoramas, olive groves and the hilltop Santuario di Montenero, which can only be reached by foot. The 4-km (2.5-mile) round walk can be comfortably finished in about 2 hours, allowing time for exploring the village at the start and enjoying the views on the way.
n Double-tap image to read the labels
A two-hour walk from Riomaggiore to Montenero
This trail starts from the upper village, Alta Riomaggiore, close to the car park. But warm-up the muscles first with a 30-minute stroll around the steep streets of Riomaggiore.
The bustling Via Colombo 1 is lined with bright houses – case torri (tower houses). The murals by Silvio Benedetto in the lower village near the train station depict locals building the muretti a secco – the dry-stone walls of the Cinque Terre landscapes.
To reach the marina 2 take the stairway at the very bottom of Via Colombo, (opposite the passage to the train station), down through a grotto. After taking in the wonderful views, climb back up Via Colombo and follow the road to the Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista 3 through a series of graceful, wide stairways. The 1340 basilica is set into the ridge of the hill, its Gothic doorways – the façade was remodelled in the 19th-century – enclosed by pilasters and decorated with small statuettes.
Walk back along Via Colombo, turn sharp right onto Via di Loca and continue until it meets Via Don Minzoni 4. This road crosses the Rio Maior near the hamlet of Lavac and is where the Sentiero 3 starts out from. At the outset there is a fork in the walking trail: take the higher path up Via della Libertá through hillsides of vine terraces.
Follow the well-marked trail along a mulattiera – mule track – and cross a stone bridge over the Rio Maior, before tackling a steep stairway. Coastal views start opening up as the path curves around a cemetery, along a ridge and up to the provincial road. Cross the road, and follow it some 200 m (650 ft) to concrete steps which lead back onto the mule track through the vineyards and on through the valley.
As the trail nears Montenero, a picture of the Madonna di Montenero and a drinking fountain greet walkers before they reach the Piazzale del Santuario di Nostra Signora.
The Santuario di Montenero lies amid pine forest and Mediterranean grasses and shrubs at an altitude of 341 m (1,120 ft) with fantastic views. The Santuario has a restaurant/café for a recuperative meal or snack, before the return walk to the car park.
For energetic walkers, the path carries on to the Colle del Telegrafo (making a 9-km/6-mile round trip in total). Instead of walking back, there is a bus service with stops in other villages along the way. Check the bus timetable at the Riomaggiore tourist office at the train station.
Exit on the SP32 and turn right on- to SP370. At roundabout/intersection take turn onto the SP530 to Marola and follow signs to Campiglia.
Campiglia sits above the Cinque Terre coast in a beautiful location amid sea cliffs, saffron crops and old olive oil mills. It lies at the heart of a network of walks along old mule tracks, along the coast and through the woods. The pathway that leads down to Punta Persico (Sentiero 11) and its pebbly beach was for centuries the only link the locals had with the outside world, before the road was built in the 1950s. The longest coastal walk, Sentiero 1, passes in front of the church, on its way from Portovenere to Levanto.
Return to Marola and turn right into the SP530. Pass through the port of Le Grazie and on to Portovenere.
On the western peninsula of the Golfo di La Spezia, Portovenere was named after a Roman temple to Venus that once stood here. The tall pastel-coloured houses along the quayside, once medieval defence towers, are now a lively run of restaurants and craft shops. Wander the narrow streets between the harbour and the hill- top and climb the main artery, Via Capellini, to the mighty 13th-century Castello Doria. At the end of the promontory sits the striped 13th- century Genovese Chiesa di San Pietro. In the cliffs below, the Arpaia Grotto is known as Byron’s Grotto, in memory of the poet’s swim to Lerici. Boats leave the port for the nearby islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto, to the Cinque Terre villages and to Lerici.
Return to Marola and take the SP530 all the way to La Spezia.
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | RIOMAGGIORE AND THE CINQUE TERRE PARK
HIKING IN THE CINQUE TERRE
As well as the famous Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail), linking the five villages, the network of well-marked trails or sentieri connects hilltop hamlets, monasteries, and other sights in the Cinque Terre Park. These areas are more rural, without the crowds that sometimes clutter the villages. Cinque Terre Park has trails ranging in length and difficulty. Pick up a footpath map from any information point or tourist office.
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | TRamonti di campiglia
Where to STAY
TRamonti di campiglia
Locanda Tramonti moderate
All of the rooms at this small hotel in the Cinque Terre Park have balconies with breathtaking sea views.
Via della Chiesa 56, 19132; 0187 758 514; www.locandatramonti.it
portovenere
Belvedere moderate
Set in a palazzina – the best rooms have bay views and balconies.
Via G Garibaldi 26, 19025; 0187 790 608; www.belvedereportovenere.it; closed Nov
Hotel della Baia expensive
In Le Grazie, 2 km (1 mile) along the coastal road, this hotel offers spacious rooms, a pool and dining terrace.
Via Lungomare 111, Le Grazie di Portovenere, 19025; 0187 790 798; www.baiahotel.com
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | Portovenere
boat trips and ferries
Regular passenger ferries run along the coast between Portovenere and the Cinque Terre villages. Boat trips are available from La Spezia too. Consorzio Marittimo Turistico 5 Terre, Via Minzoni 13, La Spezia; 0187 732987; www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | Riomaggiore
Eat and Drink
Riomaggiore
Il Pescato Cucinato inexpensive
Delicious fried fish served in paper cones, an ideal snack for strolling.
Via Colombo 199, 19017; 339 2624815; closed Nov–Mar
Other options
Cavern for seafood and wine La Grotta Bar Trattoria
(Via Colombo 247, 19017; 0187 920187; closed Nov–Mar). Dining room with a view Il Borgo di Campi (Strada Litoranea delle 5 Terre, 19107; 0187 760 111; www.borgodicampi.it; closed lunch and Sun)
Tramonti di Campiglia
Ristorante La Lampara moderate
Good food in a bright restaurant with coastal views and home-made wine.
Via Tramonti 4, 19132; 0187 758 035; closed Mon, Jan–Feb and Oct
PORTOVENERE
Bacicio Bar-Osteria inexpensive
Enjoy the pirate-inspired decor.
Via Capellini 17, 19025; 0187 792 054; closed Sep–Jun Thu and Jan
Locanda Lorena expensive
Excellent seafood worth the boat trip.
Via Cavour 4, Isola Palmaria, 19025; 0187 792 370; www.locandalorena.com; closed Oct–May Wed and Nov–Feb
Italy’s leading naval port is a small pleasant city with wide boulevards, good shopping and fine food. Stroll through the Giardini Pubblici, along the Constantino Morin, where boats depart for trips around the Gulf (operated by Consorzio Marittimo Turistico. Next walk along the elegant stone arcades of Via Chiodo to Piazza Chiodo, near the Naval Arsenal. Here also are the Museo Tecnico Navale (open daily) and Centro d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (CAMeC) (closed Mon). Do not miss the wavy-roofed market on Piazza del Mercato in the town centre. In nearby Via del Prione, the shopping area, the Museo Amedeo Lia (closed Mon) has many 13–15th-century Florentine paintings. Finally, climb the stairway, the Scalinate Spallanzani, to the fortified hilltop, Poggio, where there is a monastery and a convent.
Head east around the port, along Viale San Bartolomeo onto the SP331 and follow signs for San Terenzo/Lerici.
The beachfront at San Terenzo looks out over the Baia di Lerici – the stunning landscape that inspired the English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. The white porticoed Villa Magni, part of a former monastery, is where he and his wife lived. Take the coastal promenade to the cliff-side, medieval Castello (closed Mon): it is now a cultural centre with exhibitions, events and a display about the Shelleys. The 2-km (1-mile) “Castello to Castello walk” links the castles of San Terenzo and Lerici.
Return to the SP331 and turn right into the Galleria Primacina, following the signs for Lerici.
Trip 4: The Veneto | San Terenzo
Percy Bysshe Shelley
The English poet P. B. Shelley lived in Lerici briefly and wrote of it: “And the scent of winged flowers, And the coolness of the hours, Of dew, and sweet warmth left by day, Were scatter’d o’er the twinkling bay.” Shelley drowned in 1822 when his small schooner was overturned in a stormy return voyage to Lerici.
On the eastern Golfo dei Poeti, Lerici is a mix of chic jet-setters’ port and salty maritime village. It was at the heart of a tug of war between the republics of Genova and Pisa. The Pisans took the town in 1241 and built the Castello, which was later expanded by the Genoese. The castle’s pentagonal tower encloses the 12th-century Cappella di Sant’Anastasia and a Museo Geopaleontologico (closed Mon). From the grand harbour square, Piazza Garibaldi, Via Cavour passes the 16th-century Oratorio di San Rocco, with Baroque façade and Romanesque bell tower, and climbs up a narrow street of craft studios and 17th- and 18th-century villas with ornate iron balconies.
Leave on the Galleria Primacina, turn right on the SP331, then follow the SP26 along the coast to Tellaro.
Along the coast from Lerici, the road dips down to Tellaro, a cluster of houses huddled round a small church and clinging to an outcrop of rock. It was built in the 17th century as a stronghold to protect nearby Barbazzano and its valuable olive oil crops from Saracen pirates. A walking trail leads from the church square along an old mule track to the hilltop ruins of Barbazzano castle. Even in high summer, the little local beaches, such as Fiascherino, can be pleasantly quiet and secluded.
Head back on the SP26, turn right into Via Giacomo Matteotti, then right at Località Narbostro. Follow SP28 to Montemarcello. Park on street.
In the Parco Naturale Regionale di Montemarcello-Magra and up on a wooded promontory, Montemarcello’s grid of streets recalls its past history as a Roman fort. There are also remnants of 13th-century defences – the old walls and the watchtower. The 15th- century Chiesa di San Pietro was given a Baroque face-lift in the 17th century – note its marble altarpiece and triptych. On the peak of Monte Murlo, the Orto Botanico (open by appt, 0187 626 172) provides a guide to local flora and fauna, as well as views over the Val di Magra and Alpi Apuane mountains.
On the SP28 to Ameglia, the 12th-century Monastero Santa Croce (Convent of the Barefoot Carmelitans) is where the poet Dante Alighieri supposedly once stayed.
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | La Spezia
visiting la spezia
Parking
There is a car park at Via Alessandro Manzoni or street parking close to the train station.
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | LA SPEZIa
Where to STAY
LA SPEZIa
Hotel Ghironi moderate
A good-value hotel in the port area with period furnishing, spacious rooms and air conditioning. Also offers private parking and a shuttle to the train station and ferries.
Via del Tino 62, 19126; 0187 504 141; www.hotelghironi.it; closed 23 Dec–6 Jan
Hotel Firenze e Continentale moderate
A most personal 4-star hotel, with a refined interior – wood panelling, marble and quality upholstery.
Via Paleocapa 7, 19122; 0187 713 210; www.hotelfirenzecontinentale.it
Other options
A 16th-century convent, Hotel Relais Al Convento is 10 km (6 miles) from La Spezia.
(Take the SP1, then left onto the SP330 and right onto the SP16; Piazza Regina Margherita 1, Vezzano Ligure; 19020; 0187 994 444; www.hotelalconvento.com)
lerici
Doria Park Hotel moderate
Five minutes from town, this hotel has a good restaurant and rooftop terrace. Comfortable modern rooms and suites, some with terrace views over the sea.
Via Carpanini 9, 19032; 0187 967 124; www.doriaparkhotel.it
Il Nido moderate
Cloaked in pine and olive trees, this 3-star yellow-and-white striped hotel with a private beach is an oasis of calm. There is also a roof terrace, garden and spa.
Via Fiascherino 75, 19030; 0187 967 286; www.hotelnido.com; closed Nov–Mar
Piccolo Hotel del Lido expensive
Designer hotel over a private beach strip in Lerici centre. Fantastic breakfast of fresh fruit and home-made jams and pastries. Also has free internet.
Lungomare Biaggini 24, 19032; 0187 968 159; www.hoteldellido.it; closed Oct–Easter
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | LA SPEZIa
eat and drink
LA SPEZIa
Enoteca La Cambusa inexpensive
Enjoy traditional food and a hefty wine list in this 2-roomed gastro wine cellar.
Viale San Bartolomeo 471, 19121; 0187 503 083; closed Sun and 1 week in Aug
Il Ristorantino di Bayon moderate–expensive
Intimate restaurant serving seafood and delicious desserts, with a good wine list.
Via Felice Cavallotti 23, 19121; 0187 732 209; closed lunch, Sun and Jan
Lerici
Ristorante Pizzeria Bontà Nascoste inexpensive
A traditional restaurant – try the chickpea flatbread (farinata) speciality and home-made focaccia.
Via Cavour 52, 19032; 0187 965 500; www.bontanascoste.it; closed Tue in winter, Mon & Wed am
Golfo dei Poeti moderate
The menu features fresh fish, best enjoyed on the terrace by the bay.
Via Calata Mazzini 19, 19031; 0187 967 414; closed Oct–Apr Wed
Trip 7: The Cinque Terre | Montemarcello
Day trip options
La Spezia, the Val di Vara, Cinque Terre and the Fiascherino coast are all suitable bases for day trips.
Borghi Rotondi tour
On a day trip to the borghi rotondi of the Val di Vara, there are stone villages, forests and rivers to be seen. Visit the towns of the Val di Vara 2 and on up to Varese Ligure 1, probably the prettiest of the round villages.
The quickest way into the valley, from La Spezia, is due north on the SP1, direction Borghetto di Vara; then take the SP566, pass through San Pietro Vara and continue north on the SP523, following the signs for Varese Ligure.
The Cinque Terre
Get a flavour of the pretty clifftop and seaside hamlets of the Cinque Terre by visiting Manarola 9 and Riomaggiore 0 in the morning, before hiking up one of the park’s famous trails to the excellent views at Santuario di Montenero.
From La Spezia take the SP530, then right on the SP370 (Via Litoranea) to the turn off for Manarola (passing Riomaggiore on the way out, but visiting it on the way back).
Fiascherino beaches
Families will enjoy spending a few hours at the beach between visits to San Terenzo r, Lerici t and Tellaro y for ice cream and refreshments. There are several coves and beaches along the stretches of coast between the towns.
From La Spezia or Lerici, pass through Pugliola on the SP28 to Fiascherino. The beaches are on the right hand side of the road, along the coast.
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