Walking in Italy's Cinque Terre

Book excerpt: This guidebook presents 16 graded walks exploring the world-famous Cinque Terre villages of Liguria in Italy. Suitable for beginners and experienced walkers, routes take in the villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, Corniglia, Riomaggiore, as well as neighbouring Levanto, Campiglia and Porto Venere. It describes the most popular pathways as well as less trodden routes to hidden gems. Route descriptions and maps for each walk are accompanied by information on how to get around by public transport (train, ferry and bus), with background notes on history, culture, wildlife and flora, and suggestions on where to sleep and what to eat. In short, everything you could possibly need to get the most out of a holiday in this unique corner of the Italian Riviera. One of the best loved places in Italy, the Cinque Terre are UNESCO World Heritage listed, a string of centuries old fishing villages where colourful houses, terraced fields and vineyards perch on plunging cliffs above a breathtaking coastline. It's a paradise for walkers and food-lovers, who can follow age-old routes constructed by the locals and sample the seafood specialities on offer at harbour-side trattorias.