The Verde Azzurro path, or "Blue trail" is a hiking route that runs entirely within the Cinque Terre National Park, a

UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

, primarily connecting the five main villages. Currently listed as route 592, it is commonly referred to as Trail SVA2, the former path number of the CAI of

La Spezia La Spezia (, or ; ; , in the local ) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second-largest city in the Liguria ...

. The path has historically been used by the local inhabitants to travel on foot between the villages of the park.

Route

The path starts from

Riomaggiore Riomaggiore (, locally ) is a village and ''comune'' in the province of La Spezia, situated in a small valley in the Liguria region of Italy. It is the most southerly of the Cinque Terre villages. The village, dating from the early thirteenth c ...

to reach

Monterosso al Mare Monterosso al Mare () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of La Spezia, part of the region of Liguria, Northern Italy. It is one of the five villages in Cinque Terre. Overview Twinned to Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France, Monterosso al Mare ...

through

Manarola Manarola ( in the local dialect) is a small town, a frazione of the comune (municipality) of Riomaggiore, in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, Northern Italy. It is the second-smallest of the famous Cinque Terre towns frequented by tourist ...

Corniglia Corniglia (; locally ) is a ''frazione'' ("hamlet") within the comune of Vernazza in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northern Italy, with a population of about 150 (in 2016). Unlike the other localities of the Cinque Terre, Corniglia is ...

, and

Vernazza Vernazza (, locally ; ) is a town and located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remai ...

and is about long. The maximum altitude is reached in Prevo, a tiny hamlet of Vernazza, at about

asl American Sign Language (ASL) is a natural language that serves as the predominant sign language of Deaf communities in the United States and most of Anglophone Canada. ASL is a complete and organized visual language that is expressed by employ ...

. It takes over 5 hours of walking to cover it entirely and can be considered divided into four distinct sections. * 592-1 (SVA2): The first stretch, between Riomaggiore and Manarola, is better known as Via dell'Amore. It is the shortest and easiest segment at about , and can be covered in less than half an hour. The path is closed since 24 September 201

and it is expected to be opened in summer 202

* 592-2 (SVA2): The second stretch, between Manarola and Corniglia, is long and takes about 1 hour to walk. This section is rated as easy. The path is closed since 201

* 592-3 (SVA2): The third section, between Corniglia and Vernazza, is long and takes 1.5 – 2 hours. This section is rated as moderate to difficult. * 592-4 (SVA2): The fourth section, between Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare, is long and takes no less than 2 hours. This section is rated as moderate to difficult. The overall difference in height of the path is about , largely concentrated in the two longest stretches between Corniglia and Monterosso al Mare.

Visitation and Trekking Card

It is one of the most popular hiking routes in the area, and the only trail in the national park requiring a fee. Along the route, there are checkpoints for th
Cinque Terre Trekking Card
a hiking permit instituted in 2001 by the park authority. The card is aimed at allowing the use of the services provided by the Cinque Terre National Park Authority and constitutes a sort of self-financing. The proceeds of the Cinque Terre Cards are mainly used to upkeep and restore the territory, as well as to provide transport services within the territory. The card is purchasable online as well as at any of the welcome centers found in the park. The price is 7.50 EUR (2024

Closures

Due to the unstable nature of the land in this area, frequent landslides result in regular trail closures. The park authorities recommend all visitors to check the status of trails prior to beginning any treks through the park. Since fall of 2019, the popular Via dell'Amore segment has been closed due to renovations to the trail, and is expected to reopen in spring 2023.

References

{{coord missing, Italy Hiking trails in Italy Parks in Liguria

Route

Visitation and Trekking Card

Closures

See also

References