Just back from a hiking trip to Cinque Terre.<BR><BR>We based out of Monterosso. Stayed at the Albergo Souvenir. 80 Euro/nite including breakfast, 2 star. We did run completely out of water one afternoon, and the heat was very sparse (it got cold at night), so I think you take your chances at this location. <BR><BR>The first day we hiked from Monterosso to Riomaggiore. Stopped at Vernazza for foccia lunch and then at Manarola for gelato. The hike took about 4 hours, then we took the ferry from Riomaggiore back to Monterosso. The ferry is 1/2 hour. The weather was warm and sunny - shorts and sleeveless shirt weather. Gorgeous hike among the blooming flowers. <BR><BR>The second day we took the train from Monterosso to Camogli. Camogli is a beautiful, charming town along the water; I wished we had had more time to explore it From Camogli we hiked to to San Fruttuoso. What a gorgeous, isolated �town� ( 3 houses?) accessible only by foot or boat. It was a foggy day, and the sea was rough - we enjoyed eating our foccia along the shoreline. There was also a stand serving cappucino there among all this isolation - delicious!<BR><BR>We then hiked on to Portofino. The weather had warmed and the sky cleared to the point where it was appropriate to eat another gelato. Then we took the bus to St. Margarita Ligure. Warning on this bus: it was extremely crowded. We were packed in, but luckily I was smashed next to a gorgeous Italian man! <BR><BR>Day 3 we hiked from Montorosso to Levanto. It turned into a cold and rainy day - we got soaked. We made it to a trattoria in Levanto for ravioli with salsa di nocciolo - fabulous. and others had gnocci with pesto - also good. For dinners the grilled branzino (sea bass) was heaven.<BR><BR>The hike along Cinque Terre was already crowded with Italian school groups and lots of americans. The other hikes (Day 2 &amp; 3), we basically had the trails to ourselves.<BR>

Thanks Queenie - I'll be in Cinque Terre in early May - I'm saving your posts!

Pardon my ignorance, but is SML Santa Margarita Ligure? I've seen it mentioned here a lot (SML) and wondered what or where it was. Is it worth travelling to? We will be in CT in late May too.

Queenie-<BR>I have a few questions about the hike from Camogli to San Fruttuoso to Portofino. How long did the hike between the three towns take, excluding the time you spent exploring the towns? Also, what is the condition of the trail? Specifically does it get very steep? I am hoping to do the same hike in September, but one member of my party has a fear of heights, and I've heard the trail conditions aren't always ideal for those with such a phobia.<BR><BR>Thanks.

Tommy,<BR>The trail between Camogli and Portofino was very well maintained. In fact, there were crews on a portion of the trail filling in holes, securing fences, etc.<BR><BR>If you can hike the CT trail, you can hike these other 2 trails. Sadly, the CT trail was strewn with toilet paper and trash in general - I wonder whether the trail can sustain the MASSES of people hiking on it (and we were there in March/April - not nearly the height of season). Apparently the 3 Euro charge to do the CT trail has improved the conditions, but I still found it dirty &amp; overcrowded.<BR><BR>As mentioned above, the trails we took on day 2 &amp; 3 were free from any other hikers. <BR><BR>The hike from Camogli to San F. took about 2.5 hours at leisurely pace. The drop from the top of the ridge to the town of San F. was the steepest part - several switchbacks. It was not so steep to be scary - the hardest part was passing through a goat field, and getting the goats to move out of our way.<BR><BR>San F. is tiny - there is an abbey. Probably takes 30 minutes to explore. But it is incredibly dramatic sandwitched between the cliffs with the sea crashing to the shoreline.<BR><BR>From San F. you hike back up an opposing ridge, and on to Portofino - about 2.5 hours.<BR><BR>Amanda - Don't know if Santa Margarita Ligure is SML. It is on the main train route to Genova. The town looked like a great place to shop, eat and explore.

Thanks Queenie - I'm feeling much better about our plan now.<BR><BR>

I thought the hike from Camogli to San Fruttuoso was fairly rough in parts. There were places where you hang on to cables to help you feel more secure, and there were places where the cables were loose. I believe there is an alternate trail which is not quite so &quot;exposed&quot;, but I would not recommend the main trail to anyone who is scared of heights. I had no problems with any of the Cinque Terre trails, but I found parts of the Camogli trail a little frightening. Most of it is fine, but when you get to the parts with the cables, even if those loose cables have been repaired, it's not a &quot;walk in the park&quot;.

we based our stay in SML (santa margaherita Ligure) and loved it..easy train to Cinque terra for day hikes and town exploration..also easy to get to Portofino and a little village up the north coast by boat (sorry cannot remeber the name, was an old monastery i believe).. we stayed ald Albergo Fasce and loved it...your host was helpful and friendly.<BR><BR>we also loved lago maggiore..town of Stresa... if you are heading that way in the spring (was told to avois in summer..too hot and buggy)

Just a comment on Dick Pattersons reply.<BR><BR>I am unsure what trail we took to San F. from Camogli, but there were no sections with cables. The trail was not steep enough to require cables. There were some switchbacks, but again, no cables. <BR><BR>Perhaps there is more than one trail leading to San F?<BR><BR>Also, no overly steep or areas with cables from San F. to Portofino.<BR><BR>As I stated, there were trail crews out, with power equipment - perhaps they have diverted or cut a different trail in areas.

Hi Queenie. I'm not denying your experience with/impression of the CT hiking trail, but I just need to point out that, when we were there in April last year, we did not have the same experience/impression you did, that the trail was &quot;strewn with toilet paper and trash in general&quot; or that it was &quot;dirty &amp; overcrowded.&quot; I'm sorry to hear that was your experience/impression. <BR><BR>It is a gorgeous hike though, isn't it? <BR><BR>Thanks for your comments about Camogli. I read an article about it last year; it sounds wonderful and looks very colorful. <BR><BR><BR>

Not to belabor the point, but since Tommy said someone in his party had a fear of heights, I think they should have as much info as possible. There definitely is a crossroads where you choose between the trail with the &quot;exposed&quot; parts and an alternate trail. Perhaps Queenie took the alternate trail, or maybe her tolerance for heights is greater than mine. But here are two other opinions. From http://gorp.com/gorp/location/europe...op_twenty2.htm, &quot;The trail is easy except for one stretch called the acquedotto, which runs along a steep drop-off from San Fruttuoso to San Rocco without protection—beware if you suffer from vertigo.&quot; And from http://www.dolcevita.com/travel/tspo...portofino2.htm, &quot;The next hour's hike is above the Promontory cliffs, a bit hair-raising for those afraid of heights, though there are wire railings to assist you in places. Families hike this trail with little children so it is not really that difficult, just somewhat slow at times.&quot;<BR>It's true that I did see children on the trail, as well as older people, so Tommy's friend may well find the trail to be no problem, or he/she may want to take the alternate trail.

Well I appreciate everyone's advice regarding my query. Hopefully we will be able to ask someone in Camogli for the &quot;easy&quot; trail that Queenie seems to have taken. I suppose we can always take the ferry to San Frut. if we have to, then hike from there to Portofino. Thanks again for your replies.