Walks of the Cinque Terre and Portofino

Great trip for those who like a well rounded experience in a stunning part of Italy. You will experience great hikes along Italy's stunning north western coastline, with the charm and sophistication of the small villages and resort towns. If you like good food and wine you're in for a treat.

Such a beautiful week of walking made special by a great group and a fantastic guide.

At the end of September we were a bit surprised that the villages were still quite crowded, but really pretty, especially when viewed from the hills above. The walks were quite long, and steep in places, but everyone managed them; there are options to cut some of the walks short by taking the train back, but nobody wanted to miss out on the whole experience. The trip notes warn that some of the long downhill sections are not ideal for vulnerable knees, and I would suggest taking this advice seriously. Our guide, Michele, was efficient and great company. The Picollo hotel in Moneglia is a very good choice; family run, friendly, with good food, a pool, sun deck and close to the beach. The trains we used were excellent.

This was my first trip not only with Exodus but on any walking group holiday. It could not have been better! The promise was to enjoy varied walks in stunning locations, and that was what was delivered. Key to the success of this holiday were the efforts of our guide Michela who worked tirelessly on all aspects of the of the trip and ensured the whole group had the very best of times.

I flew from Manchester and made my own way to the hotel in Moneglia. The travel instructions were easy to follow. I met the rest of the group later that evening. Michela Wicks was our excellent guide. She put no pressure on us to do the walks and offered alternative activities. The walks were as tough as I expected but the weather was good for walking. We had lots of stops and time to enjoy the various villages. Michela took us to various restaurants at night in Moneglia but it was not compulsory to join the group. As a group we gelled well and enjoyed everyone's company. The Hotel Piccolo was very comfortable, a good breakfast choice and a small pool with waterjets to ease the aching muscles and knees. Bathing in the sea was also pleasant. The weather wasn't good on our day off so on Michela's advice a group of us went to Chiavari which was very interesting (although most shops and the cathedral were shut between 12-3.30). We had a lovely pre-dinner wine tasting one night which was included in the trip.

Walking along the calming coastline and resorts of Ligurian sea.

Fantastic trip on the LIGURIA coast north of Pisa. Every day the walks showed different aspects of this stunning landscape. Walks through forests ( good in the heat) along terraced vineyards, olive groves and old mule tracks. Stopping at the famous Cinque Terre villages for lunch that jut out into the azure sea on rocky promontaries. After a day walking feast on delicious seafood and local ligurian wines. Get to the start of walks using the local trains that show you glimpses of sea inbetween tunnels.

A fabulous week in the Cinque Terre - not to be missed! The uphill sections can be a slog but the views are so rewarding that it really is worth it. Walking between the villages of the Cinque Terre is the best way to see the beauty of the area and, on the less used paths, see fewer tourists! The group was great fun, we all got on really well. Hotel Piccolo offers great breakfasts and the rooms are clean and adequate - it's easy to find walking from the station.

We joined the majority of our group mid-Sept with Michela in Pisa. An informal meet and greet and an idea as to what to expect was laid out each day. As quoted by our fearless leader 'A little bit of up and then we level off' this was - pretty much the start of every glorious day. Michela was a great guide - easy going, kept us on point and moving at a comfortable pace. A couple of the days were more steep than others, it was super hot when we were there which didn't help. On a cooler day, the up's would have been a lot more tolerable. The last day provided some amazing views. Moneglia is a cute/quiet town with great options for dining - the host hotel was super comfortable and crazy clean!

This was my third Italian walking trip with Exodus, and certainly matched the previous walks in the excellence of our guide (Michela), hotel accommodation and experience of this fascinating part of Italy. We had two bad days of torrential rain, which forced a re-think on how we would spend our free day. On the second day, the scheduled walk would have been dangerous so a different option was chosen. The walks we were able to do in the good weather were challenging, but definately worth the effort for the glorious views down to the cinque terra towns. There were options for those that found the going a bit tough, and preferred a more relaxing pace but most chose to follow our guide.