Alta Via delle Cinque Terre (Sentiero di crinale n. 1)

The High Way of the Cinque Terre follows the ridge between the coast and the Val di Vara, preserving an old network of paths linking the villages with hillside sanctuaries.

Why it matters

The ridge route offers a high-level view of the terraced slopes that define the Cinque Terre cultural landscape. Before the railway opened in the 1870s, mule tracks across the hills connected settlements and fields. The path remains a record of that inland network, distinct from routes along the shoreline.

What to notice

Higher ground preserves patches of garrigue and maquis, while the seaward slopes are marked by dry-stone terraces. Side paths connect the ridge with the Marian sanctuaries above the villages. The transition from cultivated terraces to natural scrub reveals how the landscape changes with elevation.

Context and history

The ridge track formed part of the historic land connection between coastal villages and the Val di Vara. Farmers used such paths to carry produce, wood and chestnuts; processions also followed routes linking villages with hilltop sanctuaries. The path was historically known as Sentiero di Crinale No. 1 and later became part of the region's AV5T trail designation. Its landscape belongs to the UNESCO-listed Portovenere, Cinque Terre and Islands property.