Cinque Terre
Where Trails Begin
Hiking Guide

Where Trails
Begin

Monterosso marks the northern end of Cinque Terre's trail network. From here, every path leads into the terraced wilderness—toward lighthouses, sanctuaries, and villages strung along the coast like a rosary. The beach is the easy pleasure; the trails are the earned ones.

The Starting Point

Monterosso has the unusual advantage of being both a beach resort and a hiking base. You can spend the morning on the famous coastal trail to Vernazza, return for a beach afternoon, and never feel like you compromised on either.

The Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail) begins here—or ends here, depending on your direction. The first section to Vernazza is widely considered the most beautiful coastal walk in Cinque Terre, and Monterosso makes an ideal starting point.

Punta Mesco juts into the sea northwest of the village. The lighthouse trail to its tip is challenging but rewards with views that encompass the entire coast and, on clear days, Corsica.

The sanctuary trails climb from the coast to churches that have drawn pilgrims for centuries. Santuario di Soviore above Monterosso offers one of the easier sanctuary hikes with exceptional views.

The terrain is varied. From paved coastal paths to rocky mountain trails, from vineyard walks to forest routes—Monterosso gives access to the full range of Cinque Terre hiking.

Monterosso to Vernazza Coastal Classic
Monterosso

Monterosso to Vernazza

"The most photographed trail in Cinque Terre—cliff-hugging paths with constant Mediterranean views."

The trail from Monterosso to Vernazza is 2 kilometers of coastal drama: steep climbs, stone stairs, terraced vineyards dropping to the sea, and that moment when Vernazza's harbor appears below like a revelation. This is the essential Cinque Terre hike.

The walk that defines Cinque Terre

Giulia Rossi
Local Perspective
"Start early—by 10am the trail is crowded and hot. The views are best in morning light anyway. When Vernazza appears around that final bend, you'll understand why people keep coming back."

Giulia Rossi — Riomaggiore Expert

Essential Information

Location Map

Practical Details

Type
Coastal Classic
Notes
2 km, 1.5-2 hours. Cinque Terre Card required. Start early. Bring water. Challenging sections with stairs.
Editorial Interlude

The Cinque Terre Card

"The coastal trails require a Cinque Terre Card—€16 for a day, €29 for two days. Buy it at Monterosso station before you start. The card also includes unlimited train travel between villages, which transforms your hiking options. Return by train; hike the other direction tomorrow."

Punta Mesco Lighthouse Challenging
Monterosso

Punta Mesco Lighthouse

"The peninsula trail that leads to the lighthouse at the end of the world—effort rewarded with solitude."

The path to Punta Mesco climbs from Monterosso's western edge to the lighthouse perched at the peninsula's tip. The trail is demanding—expect 2 hours each way through maquis shrubland with occasional steep sections. But the lighthouse sits in magnificent isolation, and the views encompass the coast from France to La Spezia.

Where Monterosso ends and the sea begins

Giulia Rossi
Local Perspective
"This is my favorite hike from Monterosso. The lighthouse feels like the end of everything—just you, the keepers' ruins, and the Mediterranean stretching to the horizon. Bring plenty of water."

Giulia Rossi — Riomaggiore Expert

Essential Information

Location Map

Practical Details

Type
Challenging
Notes
8 km round trip, 4-5 hours. Bring 2L water. No facilities at lighthouse. Best in spring or autumn. Exposed sections.
Santuario di Soviore Sanctuary Trail
Monterosso

Santuario di Soviore

"The pilgrim's path to Liguria's oldest sanctuary—where faith and views converge."

Santuario di Soviore is the oldest Marian sanctuary in Liguria, documented since the 9th century. The trail climbs 450 meters through chestnut forest and terraced vineyards to a church that has drawn pilgrims for over a millennium. The bar at the sanctuary serves refreshments—a blessed reward after the ascent.

Where centuries of feet have worn the path

Giulia Rossi
Local Perspective
"The sanctuary has been welcoming tired travelers since the Dark Ages. Stop for a coffee at the bar, look back at the coast, and understand why people have made this climb for a thousand years."

Giulia Rossi — Riomaggiore Expert

Essential Information

Location Map

Practical Details

Type
Sanctuary Trail
Notes
5 km round trip, 2-3 hours. Bar at sanctuary. Modest dress for church. Best in morning. Shaded forest sections.
Beyond the Famous Trails

Everyone walks Monterosso-Vernazza. But the paths that climb inland—toward sanctuaries and ridge lines—offer solitude the coastal trails cannot match.

The high route to Levanto crosses Punta Mesco on ridge paths with views in every direction. It's longer than the coastal option but far less crowded.

Vineyard walks wind through the terraces above Monterosso, following ancient paths that farmers still use. No official markers, but the views are extraordinary.

The connection to SVA (Alta Via delle Cinque Terre) links the coastal network to the ridge trail that runs the length of Liguria. For serious hikers, this opens multi-day possibilities.

Evening walks on the Soviore trail offer sunset views that the beach cannot match. Time your descent for the golden hour.

High Route to Levanto Alternative Path
Monterosso

High Route to Levanto

"The ridge trail that avoids the coastal crowds—Punta Mesco from above."

Instead of taking the coastal path to Levanto, this high route crosses the Punta Mesco ridge with panoramic views in every direction. The trail is longer and more demanding but offers solitude that the coastal path cannot provide. You'll see the same coast from a completely different perspective.

Where the ridge reveals what the coast conceals

Giulia Rossi
Local Perspective
"When the coastal trail is packed, this route is empty. The views are different—more panoramic, less intimate—but the peace is worth the extra effort."

Giulia Rossi — Riomaggiore Expert

Essential Information

Location Map

Practical Details

Type
Alternative Path
Notes
12 km to Levanto, 5-6 hours. Bring food and water. Limited shade. Return by train. Best in spring or autumn.
Monterosso Vineyard Loop Agricultural Heritage
Monterosso

Monterosso Vineyard Loop

"The terraced paths that farmers walk—where agriculture becomes architecture."

Above Monterosso, vineyard trails wind through the terraces that produce the local wines. These are working paths, not tourist routes—you'll pass farmers tending vines, see the dry-stone walls up close, and understand the labor that created this UNESCO landscape. The views down to the village and beach are constantly surprising.

Where human effort shaped the mountainside

Giulia Rossi
Local Perspective
"These terraces represent impossibility made real. Every stone wall was built by hand, every flat growing surface carved from slope. Walk slowly and appreciate what you're seeing."

Giulia Rossi — Riomaggiore Expert

Essential Information

Location Map

Practical Details

Type
Agricultural Heritage
Notes
Variable distance, 1-3 hours. No markers—explore freely. Respect private property. Morning or late afternoon best.
Local Wisdom

The Beach Recovery

"Monterosso's unique gift to hikers: sandy beaches waiting at trail's end. No other village offers real sand for post-hike swimming. Plan your walks to end by mid-afternoon, shower off the dust, and spend the remaining hours floating in the Mediterranean. The contrast is medicinal."

Sunset Soviore Walk Evening Route
Monterosso

Sunset Soviore Walk

"The evening ascent that transforms a sanctuary hike into a sunset experience."

Time your Soviore hike to arrive for sunset, and the experience transforms completely. The climb is cooler, the light is golden, and the views from the sanctuary terrace as the sun drops toward the sea are extraordinary. Descend in twilight with the village lights below.

Where sunset deserves the climb

Giulia Rossi
Local Perspective
"This is my secret Monterosso experience. Everyone watches sunset from the beach; the sanctuary views are better and you'll have them nearly alone. Bring a headlamp for the descent."

Giulia Rossi — Riomaggiore Expert

Essential Information

Location Map

Practical Details

Type
Evening Route
Notes
Same route as daytime. Time arrival for 30 minutes before sunset. Bring headlamp. Bar may be closed for descent.
A Final Reflection

The Trails Wait

Monterosso offers something rare: the full spectrum of Cinque Terre hiking from a base with proper beaches and infrastructure. Walk the famous coastal trail to Vernazza. Climb to lighthouses and sanctuaries. Explore the vineyard paths that tourists rarely find.

The trails have been here for centuries—pilgrims walked to Soviore, farmers walked to their terraces, fishermen walked to the coast. Now you walk them for pleasure, but the paths remember their original purposes.

Start early. Bring water. Let the trails show you what the beach cannot.

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