Alta Via of the Cinque Terre
The Alta Via delle Cinque Terre or AV5T runs along the ridge of the Cinque Terre, the watershed with the Val di Vara. Until a few years ago known as "Path N.1 Portovenere-Levanto", it connects Portovenere with Monterosso and Levanto in different stages, for about 40 km in length, which can be covered in about 11 hours, reaching altitudes of 800 meters with a total height difference of about 1,300 meters.
The route is marked as "hiking", on average demanding, never touches the peaks, however it is for trained and experienced people. In any case, you must always be careful, the ground can be slippery, especially at sunrise, sunset and on very humid days, suitable clothing is required. The signpost is white-red.
The most trained can do it in just one day, but the beauty of the places invites you to divide the path into more stages. The views along the route are wonderful, with views ranging from the Ligurian Riviera of Levante and Ponente to the border with France, Corsica, Gorgona, the island of Capraia, the island of Elba, the Mount Monviso.
From the AV5T it is possible, thanks to connecting paths, to descend towards the villages of the Cinque Terre or towards the Val di Vara.
The stages
The route can be divided into several stages:
598-1 (AV5T 1) Portovenere - Telegrafo (3 hours, 4.725 mt, Hiking)
598-2 (AV5T 1) Telegrafo - Cigoletta (2 hours 40 min, 6.949 mt, Hiking)
598-3 (AV5T 1) Cigoletta - Il Termine (3 hours 15 min, 7.083 mt, Hiking)
591 (ex 1) Il Termine - S. Antonio Mesco (1 hour and 35 min, 7.219 mt, Hiking)
591 (ex 1) S. Antonio Mesco - Levanto (2 hours e 15 min, 3.276 mt, Hiking)
From Il Termine a small variant is possible, to avoid the approximately 2 km along the asphalted road that passes from the sanctuary of Soviore to Colle di Gritta. It is necessary to take:
(AV5T 1) Il Termine - Crocettola (50 min, 1.919 mt, Hiking)
591 C - Crocettola - Colle di Gritta
From Il Colle di Gritta the path towards the Mesco resumes. Or you can go down to Monterosso along the:
590 (SVA) Monterosso - S. Antonio Mesco (1 hour and 15 min, 2.493 mt, Hiking)
Campiglia
The beginning of the staircase from Piazza Bastreri
Journey time: 3 hours and 20 minutes. (Return: 3 hours)
Difficulty: E - Hiking
Length: 4,725 km
Difference in altitude: 254 mt
Itinerary: Portovenere, Sella Derbi, Bocca del Cavalin, Campiglia, Sant'Antonio, Telegrafo.
Path connecting with Riomaggiore: 593 (SVA) Telegrafo-Riomaggiore.
From piazza Bastreri, the path climbs up a steep staircase skirting the castle and meeting disused quarries of Portoro marble. The slope softens and the view opens onto the PalmariaIsland , the Tino and the Tinetto. The route continues steeply, passing near the Forte Muzzerone and through a dense Mediterranean scrub along Mount Castellana, climbs towards Campiglia and then always uphill in the woods as far as the Sant'Antonio pass. From here, along a path in the woods "Palestra nel verde", you will reach Il Telegrafo.
Journey time: 2 hours and 40 minutes. (Return: 2 hours and 40 minutes)
Difficulty: E - Hiking
Length: 6,949 km
Difference in altitude: 239 mt
Itinerary: Telegrafo, valico della Croce, sella Monte Galera, sella di Cuna, sella Marvede, Cigoletta
Path connecting with Riomaggiore: 501 (ex n.01) Riomaggiore-Sella La Croce (from this point)
Path connecting with Manarola: 506 (ex n. 6) Manarola-Bivio AV5T Sella di Monte Marvede (from this point)
Path connecting with Corniglia: 587 (ex n.7A) Corniglia - Cigoletta (from Sella di Monte Marvede)
From Il Telegrafo, at 513 meters, the path climbs between the Verrugoli and Bramapane mountains, where there are the remains of a military structure, the Bramapane Fort. Along a almost flat dirt road, with breathtaking views, you reach the La Croce pass, where you will find path 501 that descends to Riomaggiore. From here you start climbing again towards Mount Galera and once you arrive at Costa Galera, the route returns flat along Mount Capri, on the sea side, and Mount Cuna, towards Val di Vara. Now you go down steeply towards Monte Marvede (where paths 506 and 587 intersect which descend to Manarola and Corniglia). The last stretch is flat up to the arrival in Cigoletta at 611 meters.
Journey time: 3 hours and 15 minutes. (Return: 3 hours and 30 minutes)
Difficulty: E - Hiking
Length: 7,083 km
Difference in altitude: 329 meters
Itinerary: Cigoletta, Monte Gaginara, Monte Castello, Prato Perè, Prato Corvara, Monte Malpertuso, Foce Drignana, Il Termine.
Path connecting with Corniglia: 587 (ex n.7A) Corniglia - Cigoletta (from the Sella di Monte Marvede).
Path connecting with Vernazza: 582 (ex n. 8B) Reggio - Il Termine and 508 (ex n. 8) Vernazza - Foce Drignana (from the sanctuary of the Madonna di Reggio).
From Cigoletta the path begins by sharing a first section with path 507, to turn uphill among wooded vegetation on beaten earth. You reach the Sella Malpertuso, at 815 meters, to descend for a long time to the intersection with a dirt road first and a paved road then and cross path 508 to Vernazza in the locality of Foce Drignana. You start climbing again in the woods and then continue on a false level and finally descend to Il Termine.
Il santuario di Soviore
The beginning of the dirt road at the Passo del Termine
Path connecting with Vernazza: 582 (ex n. 8B) Reggio - Il Termine and 508 (ex n. 8) Vernazza - Foce Drignana (from the sanctuary of the Madonna di Reggio).
Path connecting with Monterosso: 509 (ex n. 9) Monterosso - Madonna di Soviore.
From the locality of Il Termine, the route follows the road for a long stretch of about 2.2 km, up to the sanctuary of the Madonna di Soviore. It then climbs into the woods to the Sella di Colla di Gritta, up and down to Colla Bagari. The path proceeds on the plain in a wooded area and then descends to the panoramic point near the ruins of the Eremo of Sant'Antonio del Mesco.
Journey time: 2 hours and 15 minutes. (Return: 2 hours)
Difficulty: E - Hiking
Length: 3,276 km
Difference in altitude: 152 mt
Itinerary: Punta Mesco, Case Lovara, Levanto.
Path connecting with Monterosso: 590 (SVA) Monterosso - S. Antonio Mesco.
From the ruins of the hermitage of Sant'Antonio del Mesco begins the climb to the left with wonderful views of the sea. The route winds along the edge of a pine forest as far as Case Lovara, continues on a slight slope towards Rocca Spaccata and descends towards Giada del Mesco. After a short stretch of paved road you finally reach Levanto.
The proposed route is from Levanto to Portovere, not so demanding as the Portovenere-Levanto. In mountain bike you have to be very careful, route for the more experienced, with points where you need to put your foot on the ground.
Initially on a paved road up to the Il Termine pass, after passing the Gritta and Soviore hills, then almost entirely on single tracks, dirt roads or forest roads.
