GENOVA, PORTOFINO & CINQUE TERRE

Description

Day 1 Santa Margherita Ligure

Arrival in afternoon in the beautiful seaside town of Santa Margherita Ligure and check-in at your hotel.  Although relatively unknown, the town is teeming with character. Its harbour, which hosts a morning fish market, is a magnet for small yachts - you won’t tire of strolling around this picture-postcard setting.  Dinner and overnight stay in Santa Margherita Ligure.

Day 2 Cinque Terre

Full day dedicated to a guided visit to the Cinque Terre (Five Lands), almost all inaccessible by road, famous throughout the world for its beauty and breathtaking views. The charming villages of the Cinque Terre stretching along Liguria’s rocky coast are unforgettable: olive groves, vineyards, winding stone paths and enchanting small beaches wedged between cliffs, fishing villages with brightly coloured houses and colorful rooftops. This excursion includes a train ride to the Cinque Terre and the chance to take a stroll along the beautiful “Via dell‘Amore” (Lovers’ Pathway), a breathtakingly beautiful footpath carved into the rocks between Riomaggiore and Manarola affording dramatic sea views with railings directly overlooking the sea. Return for dinner and overnight stay in Santa Margherita Ligure.

Day 3 Genoa

Today we leave for Genoa, in the past was one of the Maritime Republics. This intriguing city has a historic heart brimming with twisting streets, Baroque palaces, Romanesque churches and handsome buildings with colourful façades in lovely architectural styles. We will follow the alleyways of the historical centre grew around the old harbour to see the Piazza de Ferrari, home to the ornate Opera, the Palace of the Doges, the Santo Stefano Abbey, the imposing St Lawrence Cathedral, and, of course, the stone-paved 16th century street of Via Garibaldi, framed by palazzos with lush courtyards, gardens, atria and external staircases, once owned by Genova's most important families. Perhaps you see the house claimed to be Columbus' birthplace and sample some of Genova's delectable pesto sauce, which originates from the region. Return for dinner and overnight stay in Santa Margherita Ligure.

Day 4 Rapallo, Portofino

In the morning we visit Portofino, the jewel of the Italian Riviera, offering visitors landscapes of rare beauty. This old fishing village has become one of the world’s most exclusive resorts. Be sure to bring your camera and autograph book, as Portofino is a popular spot for celebrities and artists that every year are attracted here. We continue on to Rapallo, the oldest town in the area. At its heart, Rapallo it is still the gracious seaside village that attracted artists and writers like Ezra Pound or D.H. Lawrence with its Baroque buildings, its castle, its seafront fortress built in the 16th century against Saracen invasions, or its Medieval bridge. Returning in afternoon you can explore lovely Santa Margherita itself. Alternatively you can seek out a bargain or two in the smart shops, wander amongst the many parks and gardens with their abundant semi-tropical plants or enjoy a cool aperitif as the sun sinks slowly over the sea. Dinner and overnight stay in Santa Margherita Ligure.

Day 5 Santa Margherita Ligure

Breakfast and departure for return journey. End of our services.

Category
Economy (Scheduled Tour) Bed & Breakfast
Price includes Accommodation, depending on your option, in good 4* hotels centrally located or 3* not centrally located hotels, double occupancy rooms, as described: 4 night accommodation in Santa Margherita Ligure on a half-board basis, drinks excluded Local English speaking guides in Cinque Terre, Genoa. Other languages are available on request. Price does not include City tax Bus GT for the entire tour with arrival and departure from Turin / Milan / Nice airport, including all expenses (check point and parking fees, board and lodging for driver) Optional visits
Comfort (Scheduled Tour) Half Board (dinner)
Price includes Accommodation, depending on your option, in good 4* hotels centrally located or 3* not centrally located hotels, double occupancy rooms, as described: 4 night accommodation in Santa Margherita Ligure on a half-board basis, drinks excluded Local English speaking guides in Cinque Terre, Genoa. Other languages are available on request. Price does not include City tax Bus GT for the entire tour with arrival and departure from Turin / Milan / Nice airport, including all expenses (check point and parking fees, board and lodging for driver) Optional visits

Price includes

Accommodation, depending on your option, in good 4* hotels centrally located or 3* not centrally located hotels, double occupancy rooms, as described:
4 night accommodation in Santa Margherita Ligure on a half-board basis, drinks excluded
Local English speaking guides in Cinque Terre, Genoa. Other languages are available on request.

Price does not include

City tax
Bus GT for the entire tour with arrival and departure from Turin / Milan / Nice airport, including all expenses (check point and parking fees, board and lodging for driver)
Optional visits

Itinerary

Accommodations provided in each place