SEPTEMBER 13 - 17: CINQUE TERRE NATIONAL PARK, ITALY

The Cinque Terre (five lands) is an iconic highlight of the Italian Riviera.

Group Size - 16. Nights - 4.
Shared twin room £489
Private single room £569

Join Backabush for a 4 night stay hiking the ancient coastal paths and cliff top trails that link the picturesque villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.

The Cinque Terre National Park is also a Unesco World Heritage site as well as a Protected Marine Area. Walking trails were once the only way to get between the villages on dry land but now a well established set of hiking trails frame the fantastic views across to terraced farmland, coastal forests and the colourful coves of the five fishing villages.

We will be staying in a 3 star hotel, conveniently located in the neighbouring coastal town of La Spezia, with a choice of twin share or private single rooms; it has all the expected facilities, en-suite bathrooms, a hotel bar and air-conditioned rooms. La Spezia is larger than the villages of Cinque Terre but still easy going with a great choice of bars and restaurants for evenings of focaccia, pesto and local seafood.

Trains link La Spezia to all of the villages in the National Park and it is by far the easy way to get around in Cinque Terre. Our Hotel is just across from the railway station and we will ride between 7 and 25 minutes to and from our hikes each day.

We are planning to walk some of the most famous and beautiful hiking trails in the region. The Sentiero Azzurro 'Blue Trail' is the Cinque Terre’s signature hike offering spectacular coastal scenery. It is of low-level difficulty, though does required some stamina. The Sentiero Rosso 'Red Trail' is more of a challenge and more of a reward, far less busy than the Azzuro. Running almost the length of the park, high on the cliff tops.

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

Hotel accommodation in twin share rooms (single supplement of £80)
All breakfasts
Full itinerary of hikes
2 trip leaders
Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:

Flights (see below)
£80 supplement for a private single room
Airport transfers (We will take the local train)
Trains in Cinque Terre
Blue trail entrance fee
Lunches + Evening meals
Travel insurance

RECOMMENDED FLIGHTS:

There are daily flights to Pisa from London, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester. Trains run from Pisa to La Spezia every 30 mins. We have recommended some convenient times below but if you would prefer to travel at a different time or from a different airport, it will be easy to meet us at the hotel anytime on Wednesday 13 September. You can walk from the station to the hotel in just a few minutes.

OUTBOUND - Wednesday 13 September
easyJet flight EZY8319
Departs - 14:10 London Gatwick
Arrives - 17:25 Pisa

RETURN - Sunday 17 September
easyJet flight EZY8318
Departs - 18:10 Pisa
Arrives - 19:25 London Gatwick

PAYMENT:

To confirm your place on the trip please use internet banking, please use 'CINQUE TERRE' as your payment reference...

Account Name: BACKABUSH XPLORERS
Sort Code: 090127
Account Number: 22440622

Only payment secures your place. Your RSVP is not sufficient for us to hold a place for you. Please email nathancapay@googlemail.com as soon as you send payment so that we can confirm everything with you. Thanks. :)

TRANSFERS:

The train journey between Pisa Airport and La Spezia is roughly 1hr 30 and approx £25 return. Service specific tickets can be purchased online but the regional trains do not sell out and offer no advanced discount so we recommend purchasing your ticket on arrival from the ticket desk at Pisa Airport, this allows for any flight delays.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The trails in the Cinque Terre can be very steep, often will long sections of steps to ascend and descend so you will need to have a good level of fitness to join this trip.

We consider safety to be our number one priority and while we never take unnecessary risks, we do recognise that any outdoor activity involves a danger of personal injury or death. Remember that you should be aware of and accept these risks as you are responsible for your own safety and you should not undertake anything beyond your abilities. It is also your responsibility to be correctly equipped for the weather and activity you have chosen to participate in.