Day 1: Arrival in Rapallo

Day 2: Sestri Levante, hiking to Punta Manara and pesto cooking class
- Circular hike from the beautiful village of Sestri Levante to Punta Manara, a peninsular offering a 360 degree view of the Gulf of Tigullio.
- Back in Sestri Levante we will take a course in pesto making at a typical local Osteria, and enjoy the results with a glass of wine and some pasta

We reach Sestri Levante by train and begin our day with a pleasant stroll around this beautiful fishing village located on a picturesque peninsular.
Our hike brings us then through the Mediterranean macchia until we reach the Punta Manara headland, a panoramic viewing point over the Gulf of Tigullio. We continue to Riva Trigoso and via Monte Castello back to Sestri Levante. Here we will have our cookery class, where we will learn how to make authentic Ligurian pesto, using only local ingredients: basil, olive oil, pine nuts and pecorino, all mixed together in a traditional marble mortar and pestle. At the end of the lesson we will sample the locally produced pesto which will flavour our tasty pasta dish, accompanied by a glass of white wine, while our own creation will be bottled up for us as a souvenir of our day, a memory of the wonderful aromas of Liguria. We return to Rapallo by train.

Effective walking time: 3 hours
Vertical height difference: 350m
Degree of difficulty: easy to moderate

Day 3: San Fruttuoso Bay, Portofino Nature Park and Santa Margherita
- Enjoy a walk through the attractive little fishing village of Camogli with its narrow streets and colourful houses.
- Stop at an old traditional bakery to collect our picnic box with typical “focaccia”
- Take a boat trip to San Fruttuoso, with its most impressive Benedictine Monastery and small bay.
- Undertake a panoramic hike above the steep coastline as we make our way to chic Portofino, world-famous holiday spot of the rich and famous.
- A boat trip takes us to Santa Margherita.

We reach Camogli by train and this charming fishing village is the starting point of today’s excursion. We stop at a old traditional bakery to pick up our picnic box with typical “focaccia”. After a pleasant stroll through the narrow alleyways we depart by boat for the small Bay of San Fruttuoso. Our hiking tour takes us to world-famous Portofino with its luxurious yachts surrounded by picturesque fishing boats. We enjoy a walk in this elegant town before reaching seductive Santa Margherita, our final destination, by boat. We return to Rapallo by train from Santa Margherita.

Hiking time: approx 2.5 / 3 hours
Vertical height difference: approx. 450m
Degree of difficulty: moderate

Day 4: The Cinque Terre
- Today’s hike starts in Vernazza, one of the prettiest villages of the Cinque Terre.
- Enjoy a scenic hike through the Cinque Terre Nature Park amongst the olive trees with amazing views over the picturesque coast.
- Relax with a walk through the old alleyways and streets of Monterosso before returning by train to Levanto

A coach takes us to Levanto and we make our way then to by train to Vernazza which is the starting-point of our hike to Corniglia. Strolling amongst olive trees we will enjoy amazing views before arriving in Corniglia. We can rest a little as we travel by train to Manarola, where we will explore another of the beautiful Cinque Terre villages. After some relaxing time here, a train trip back to Levanto and coach ride will get us back to our hotel.

Hiking time: approx 2.5 hours – 5 km
Vertical height difference: around 400m
Degree of difficulty: moderate to demanding

Day 5: The Sanctuary of Montallegro and Chiavari
- Start with a walk through the picturesque old town of Rapallo, where we will be seduced by the fragrances and aromas of the traditional shops
- At a local grocer’s pick up a picnic box with gourmet sandwiches for lunch
- Cable car journey to the Pilgrimage Church of Montallegro
- Hike with incredible views over the Gulf and along the coast all the way to the traditional fishing village of Chiavari

Starting in Rapallo, we take a walk through the local market and stop at a local grocer’s to pick up our picnic box. We continue on to the cable car which takes us to the Sanctuary of Montallegro (600 m altitude). The view over the gulf and the coast is stunning. We start hiking downhill through fresh woods and on the ridge of the hills, with a beautiful panorama always in front of us. From Chiavari by train back to Rapallo.

Hiking time: approx 3 hours
Vertical height difference: approx. 600 m (all downhill)
Degree of difficulty: moderate

Day 6: Departure