Begin day 5 with a train to Riomaggiore, then set out along an impossibly panoramic path tracing the ridges to Portovenere. The trail weaves through thyme and rosemary, with the sea glittering far below and the islands of Tino and Palmaria on the horizon.

Arriving at Portovenere, explore the Church of San Pietro gripping its black-and-white rock spur and walk up to the Doria Castle for fortress views. The poets Byron and Shelley loved this sweeping bay; descend to the waterfront to pause for photos and reflection before the return journey to Sestri.

On day 6, reach Ruta di Camogli to enter the Mount Portofino Natural Park. Follow stone stairways and woodland tracks through holm oak and chestnut to the pebbly cove of San Fruttuoso, home to an 11th-century abbey tucked between forested cliffs and turquoise water.

Continue the scenic path to Portofino, where boats idle by candy-coloured houses around the Piazzetta. Bask in the Riviera elegance, then continue or transfer along the promenade to Santa Margherita Ligure for the ride back to Sestri Levante, legs pleasantly tired and camera full.

Across nights 1–6, sit down to six included dinners at your hotel’s restaurant, a warm setting to unwind after the day’s walks. Expect plates that celebrate Liguria: trofie al pesto pounded from sweet basil, pansotti with walnut sauce, fragrant focaccia, and fresh seafood dressed with local extra-virgin olive oil.

Your hosts spotlight the region’s simple recipes and coastal produce, a tradition shaped by Genoa’s maritime routes and terraced agriculture. Pair with a glass of Vermentino or Pigato (at own cost), trade trail stories, and enjoy a free evening in Sestri Levante’s easy seaside rhythm.

After the day 4 vineyard walk, opt to step inside a small cellar in Manarola to sample regional wines. Learn how centuries of heroic viticulture created these cliff-hugging terraces and see the monorail winch lines that help farmers move grapes up and down the slopes.

Guided by a local producer, taste Cinque Terre DOC whites and the prized Sciacchetrà, a honeyed passito made from sun-dried grapes. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to availability and opening times.

Round off your walking day with a shared sunset cruise along the Cinque Terre, typically on day 2 or day 4. Cast off from Monterosso or Manarola to watch terraced vineyards and pastel-painted villages glow in the slanting light as the sea turns silver-blue.

Skirt beneath misty mountain passes and sea caves while the skipper shares local lore, then glide back under a peach sky with time to pause for photos and reflection. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, weather permitting.

If you choose extra nights in Pisa pre- or post-tour, join an evening stroll around the Piazza dei Miracoli, where the Cathedral, Baptistery and Leaning Tower rise from a carpet of green marble-flecked lawn. Hear how medieval Pisa flourished through maritime trade and sculpted a distinctive Pisan-Romanesque style.

Enhance your visit with a timed climb of the Leaning Tower to admire the echoing cathedral nave and the city’s rooftops at dusk. This add-on is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to availability and opening hours.

On day 2, take the train to Monterosso and join the trail that climbs through cultivated olive groves and lemon-scented terraces to the hilltop Sanctuary of the Madonna di Soviore. Panoramas open across the jagged Ligurian coast and the vineyards that have clung to these slopes for centuries.

From Soviore, descend to Vernazza, arguably the Cinque Terre’s most photogenic village. Wander its laneways to the natural harbour, watch fishermen mending nets by the Church of Santa Margherita d’Antiochia, and enjoy a free afternoon to linger over a gelato before returning to Sestri Levante by local train.

Travel to Portovenere on day 3 and board the ferry for a short boat trip to Palmaria Island, part of the UNESCO-listed “Portovenere, Cinque Terre and the Islands.” Walk a scenic circuit across Mediterranean scrub where cistus and rare orchids bloom in spring, then tackle the steep path to Batteria Semaforo for sweeping views over the Gulf of Poets.

The route threads above limestone cliffs and remote coves, with constant views back to Portovenere and the Church of San Pietro perched on its rocky promontory. Hear how Palmaria’s strategic position shaped its network of batteries and lookouts, then descend to the quay for the return boat and train to Sestri Levante in time for dinner.

On day 4, ride the train to Corniglia, the only Cinque Terre village perched high above the sea. Follow herb-scented footpaths through dry-stone terraced vineyards to Volastra’s 12th-century sanctuary, with views stretching from promontory to promontory.

Continue on old mule tracks, shaded by vine pergolas, and descend to Manarola where boats bob in the pocket-sized marina. This is the home of Sciacchetrà passito wine; linger on the waterfront or climb to a panoramic terrace to soak in the lakeside atmosphere of the Ligurian coast before returning by train to Sestri Levante.

Arrive in the Ligurian seaside town of Sestri Levante and take a relaxed evening wander to get your bearings on day 1. Follow the narrow carruggi as you stroll the Baia del Silenzio, a crescent of pale sand backed by pastel facades, then continue to the livelier Baia delle Favole to soak up the Riviera mood and enjoy a free evening at your own pace.

Learn how these twin bays frame the old town’s peninsula and why writers were drawn here—Hans Christian Andersen lent his name to the “Bay of Fables.” The gentle light, salt-on-the-air breeze and clink of glasses from waterfront bars set the tone for the week’s coastal walks as you pause for photos and reflection before dinner.