David and I will be doing the Heart of Italy 8 day tour in 2 weeks.
Has anyone done it in2022 and 2023 so far?
I just read that we are staying in a town right outside of the Cinqueterra and that some of the hiking trails are now closed. Has that happened to others?
Also, can u tell me what restaurants you ate at at the group events or individually ?
Any tips? This will be our first R S tour.
Thanks
Which town are you staying in in the CT? Is it Levanto? That’s where the Village Italy tour stays.
https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/cinque-terre-current-situation
Trails info
Some trails have been under restoration since 2011---https://www.incinqueterre.com/en/disaster-25-10-2011
CT trails open and close depending on the season and weather. At this time of the year it’s not unusual for washouts due to rain, keep checking the park website for info on closures.
I did this tour last September. We stayed in Monterosso, so probably our group dinner was at a different restaurant than you will be using. The train connections are so quick that I don’t think that staying one town away from the 5 villages will make a huge difference and will probably save you from lugging your luggage up and down the staircases in the train stations and onto the train.
Some of the hiking trails were closed when I was there, but there were plenty that were still open. I found I enjoyed taking the boat from village to village one day and the train another.
Just back up the posters above about the trails... There's a common, erroneous belief that they only consist of the 4 sections of the Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Path). 2 of those 4 sections have indeed been closed to landslide or rockfall for quite a number of years. I see that another section is temporarily closed to maintenance, which can happen to any of the trails at any time. The section between Vernazza and Corniglia is currently open.
But as noted above, there are MANY trails within the system - albeit many of them higher, longer and/or more strenuous - so unless the weather is too wet for safe hiking, you will find some open routes. Below are two link to the official park website:
http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Eindex.php
http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Esentieri-outdoor.php
As well, the villages themselves provide opportunities for walks/climbs to lovely scenic viewpoints, such as up to the Church Of San Francesco/ Capuchin Friars Monastery and nearby cemetery in Monterosso, and lofty cemetery in Vernazza. As you only have 1 full day in the region, you'll find more "pretty" to see than you can cover in that time. Oh, and it really is just a few minutes between villages by train. :O)
Kathy...I did the Church of San Francisco last October on my Best of Italy. Somehow I had missed in my previous visits that there is a Van Dyck painting up there but fortunately the guide mentioned it. Great view up there, wow!
Ah yes, the Van Dyke in that church... :O)
https://conventomonterosso.it/about-us/the-convent-of-the-capuchin-friars-of-monterosso-al-mare/?lang=en
It's a puff up to the top of that hill but well worth it, eh Pam?
While we weren't able to do ALL of them throughout the CT, we visited quite a number of churches - even though not especially religious - and found them all of them to be different, and all pleasant or interesting stop-bys!
Well, I was shocked that the Van Dyck seemed to be in good condition because the church has no apparent climate control (well maybe heat) and it's literally right on the Mediterranean Sea. Humid and warm at times.
