I’m working on our plan for hiking in the CT. I found 3 days in a row in late September without any cruise ships in La Spezia - do you think this will making a meaningful difference in crowds?
How early would you recommend starting a hike from Monterosso (where we are staying) to Vernazza in order to arrive an maybe enjoy ourselves a bit before it gets crazy?
Thank you for your tips!
Jesse
Jesse, I would recommend getting onto the trail no later than 9:00 - 9:30 or so.
I'm a bit concerned about something though? I see that you're traveling with an infant and a toddler? The Monterosso> Vernazza route involves a lot of steep, uneven steps on both the climb out of Monterosso and descent into Vernazza. I'm a hiker myself and don't know as I'd do this with children in back carriers. Dunno, depends on how much hiking you done with them on challenging terrain. You definitely do not want to attempt this if the trail is wet.
I’m going to CT in about a month. I’ve been reading in the TripAdvisor forum that the trails are still closed. So I went on the park site and they are listed as closed. Hopefully, by September they’ll be open but it seems there’s not much of a hurry there.
I’ve been reading in the TripAdvisor forum that the trails are still
closed. So I went on the park site and they are listed as closed
Only SOME of the trails are closed. If you look at a park map, you'll see that there's a pretty extensive trail system within the park and the majority of the trails are open.
http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Esentieri-outdoor.php
The route that is (or has been) closed is also the most popular: the 4 legs of the SVA2 - or Sentiero Azzurro - between Monterosso and Riomaggiore. Two of those legs, between Corniglia>Manarola and Manarola>Riomaggiore, have been closed years and will likely remain closed this season; Manarola>Riomaggiore for sure.
I see that the Monterosso>Vernazza section of the SVA2 is now open (and rated as "skilled"), and Vernazza>Corniglia will likely be open sometime this spring as well unless it falls, or has fallen, victim to some sort of damage which would take considerable time to repair.
I had a great experience hiking Monterosso to Vernazza after 6 pm.
At the end of Sept. it will probably get too dark before the hike is finished to start that late? Looks like sunset is around 7:00. And I'm still concerned about an infant and a toddler in backpacks on this thing.
Jesse,
If you're only planning to hike the popular Sentiero Azzurro trails, it's likely that the Monterosso > Vernazza > Corniglia segments will be open. Note that a Park Pass will be required to hike those (easily obtained once you arrive there). Be sure to pack along lots of water. I'd suggest starting your hikes in the morning when it's still cool.
I share the concerns of the others in hiking with two small children. Some parts of the trail are very narrow, so you'll have to be extremely careful. The beginning of the trail in Monterosso is very steep but once you're past that it's not too bad.
Do you think the Monterosso to Vernazza to Corniglia trails are doable with an 8 and 10 year old? We are going to CT in 10 days and those were the trails we were planning to hike. Would it be better to walk some other trails instead? I was under the impression the trails near Manarola (where we are staying) are closed).
Do you think the Monterosso to Vernazza to Corniglia trails are doable
with an 8 and 10 year old?
Yes, if they are reasonably fit. If nothing else you could hike one of those legs and skip the next if you (or they) have had enough. Sturdy shoes are a must, no flipflops, and you will need to purchase park passes (as will you, Jesse).
http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Ecinque-terre-card.php
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/cinque-terre-sandal-ban/index.html
I was under the impression the trails near Manarola (where we are
staying) are closed).
Please reference the park map linked above for which trails are currently open or closed. As I said above, the SVA2 connecting Manarola to Corniglia on one side and Riomaggiore on the other is currently closed and likely to remain so this season but see the website for additional trails and information about each one (difficulty levels, length, est. hiking time, etc). Trail status is fluid and closures can occur at any time for a multitude of reasons.
Thank you for your replies.
We will have family with us and may consider hiking this portion alone and leaving kids with grandparents for the morning. Is there a portion of the hike that is suitable for carrying young children but still offers views?
Jesse
