The ridge path (Il sentiero di crinale) (number 1 CAI)
L’ "Alta vie delle Cinque Terre" corresponds to the path no. 1 of the CAI of La Spezia: a walking path that starts in Portovenere and reaches to Levanto.
It starts on sea level, in Portovenere, reaches up to 800 meters and goes all the way down again to Levanto. It’s about fourty kilometres long and to cover the whole of it you will need at least ten hours. A tiring way, but accessible to everybody. Even following the ridge it never touches the highest tops and goes over all the saddles passing them on the side, usually the seaside. To carry out the whole way on one single day is recommended to the more experienced walkers only, it’s better though to foresee some stops.
The total steep difference is of about 1300 meters. Generally it is divided in six halts even if there can be different variants, thanks to many roads that reach the path or get near to it.
The indication of the path is white-red. It is a more or less demanding path that can be compared to a medium mountain way; that is way you should have the proper cloth when you want to walk on it.
It is best to cover it starting from Levanto because of the sweeter ascent on this side.
The blue path ( Il sentiero azzurro) (number 2 CAI)
This is the most famous itinerary and most beautiful in scenery. It has been marked out in the centuries by the people who used it usually to move, that is way in some points it is a real mule-track that winds on the sea fronts connecting the five villages with each other.
It is easily transitable, nevertheless we should never forget that it is a path, where it is possible to find restrictions of the line, slippery stretches and precipitations. Attention, please. The itinerary from Riomaggiore to Monterosso is about 12 km long and the highest altitude (200) is reached in Prevo, a small though special hamlet of Vernazza. The way is mainly made of paths (about 8 km), mule-tracks and flight of steps (about 2 km), the rest is made of the sea front of “via dell’Amore” and internal streets of the villages. This is the path no 2 of C.A.I. of La Spezia, but it is better known as “sentiero azzurro”.
Tho whole way is marked with a white and a blue line. If we exclude the “via dell’Amore”, that has its origins in the thirties, it is an antique way that was very well known at the time of the Republic of Genova, when Vernazza was the main port of call and market of the area. To cover the whole way about 5 hours are needed and in total there is a difference of hight of 500m. However, the time is doubled if you pay small visits to the villages. The best would be to have at least a couple of days time and to subdivide the way into stages.
Please be reminded that to pass on the way 2 you have to pay a daily ticket that costs 3.00 Euros per person. It is also recommended to buy the “Cinque Terre Card”.