Cinque Terre - Destination Guide - Raw Travel · Terre are ﬁve (cinque) ﬁshing villages along...

Raw Travel - Destination Guide - Cinque Terre �1

To do: - local dress - local support - reading list

CINQUE TERRE DESTINATION GUIDE

Cinque Terre is a special part of the world. I blah, blah blah, blah

blah blah. When I walk there I see stuff and it’s great to see stuff.

People don’t see enough stuff. Go there and see some stuff. I’ll

organise it for you.

Cinque Terre is a special part to the world. I blah, blah blah, blah



organise it for you. But only come if you like walking.

Cinque Terre is a special part to the world. I blah, blah blah, blah



organise it for you. Give me a call: (03) 5973 5586

Jodie Cinque Terre Specialist

[email protected]

ph. (03) 5976 3763


mailto:[email protected]?subject=

The rugged Cinque Terre

coastline, with its pastel-

coloured fishing villages

and terraced hillsides

covered with vineyards

and olive trees,

constitutes one of Italy’s

most impressive

landscapes. The Cinque

Terre are five (cinque)

fishing villages along

the Liguria coast, south

of of the resort town of

Levanto.

The walks between the villages are spectacular and surprisingly

rugged in parts, a hiker’s delight. There is a wonderful sense of

discovery as you hike between villages using either coastal paths

(recently rebuilt ) or the more challenging routes through the

mountains and vineyards. The Cinque Terre walks are suitable for

anyone of reasonable fitness and walking ability. A railway (and ferry)

links the villages and makes it easy to get between them and back to

your base at the end of the day.

It is an amazing destination that never fails to thrill visitors with its

scenery, charm and excellent local food & wine specialities.


SELF GUIDED WALKING Travelling self-guided allows you to walk from place to place

progressing from one comfortable accommodation to the next in

your own time. You walk without a guide, following our walk notes

and marked maps. No technical expertise is required so anyone who is active and in good health can do it.

This is ideal for anyone who is hesitant about group travel or wants

to travel with their own friends and set their own pace. It’s also great

for those who are restricted to travelling at a particular time as you can choose your own departure date (dependant on availability of

accommodation of course).

You will always be following the detailed track notes & maps that will

be provided to you plus the markers on the trails which give directions and walking times. It is not difficult to find and follow the

trails. You will receive a detailed set of notes for each day’s walk

which gives you clear directions to follow for each day. This

information pack is given to you in Italy so that you do not need to

transport from Australia.

ACCOMMODATION Our hotels are 3 star centrally located in the towns and are

comfortable hotels which have been chosen for their great locations

and helpful hosts. Your room will be ensuite and have the usual

amenities you’d expect of a good 3 star hotel. Details of your accommodation will be given to you at the time of confirming your

booking as with flexible dates we have to confirm availability on your

chosen days in our chosen properties. If our preferred property is

full on your chosen dates then we reserve the right to book you into

an alternative accommodation of which you will be informed in advance.

Rooms are ensuite and have towels and the usual amenities you

would expect of a hotel.

ARRIVAL INFORMATION You will need to make your way to the starting point in Milan Central

rail station - you will be given your rail tickets prior to your departure and once your balance is paid. Your trip documentation will be sent

advising your hotel details before you leave Australia and your trip

notes and maps will be given to you at the hotel in Levanto.


Please note that the hotel details of this hotel and others on your

trip trip may vary according to availability on your chosen dates. RAW Travel reserves the right to use alternative accommodation of a

similar standard where needed. You will be advised of your hotels

when your booking is confirmed.

TRANSPORT, TRANSFERS &

LUGGAGE Train to and from from Milan. You will be met in Levanto and

transferred to your hotel and your luggage will be transferred by

private car from Levanto to Santa Margherita Ligure . Otherwise your

main luggage will stay at your accommodation each evening as you

will come back to there after each day’s walk.

MEALS Only breakfast is included on our Cinque Terre trips, allowing you to

choose where to eat lunch and dinner on your own schedule &

budget - the food options are superb and reasonably priced. There is

no shortage of places to stop and eat when you are on the Cinque

Terre and passing through towns and villages. Allow around €6-12


for lunch and €12-25 for dinner depending on your tastes and

budget.

IS THIS THE RIGHT TRIP FOR ME? When considering booking a trip it’s important that you look at the

descriptions in these trip notes relating to the accommodation, food

and difficulty level to ensure that it matches your expectations.

Particularly with the physical difficulty rating it’s vital to select a trip

that is realistic for your ability. This is also a self-guided trip so you should be confident in travelling by yourself and following directions.

With physical gradings it’s important to understand that a label, of

say ‘moderate’ can mean two differ completely different things to

two different people depending on their experience, fitness level and mental attitude. For our Australian based walking trips there is now a

track grading scale that we refer to (developed as an industry

standard). For overseas walking trips you need to rely upon

interpreting the information given and relating it to your own fitness

levels and abilities.

So if a trip describes daily activity of 5-7 hours a day walking then

you must ask yourself are you currently doing walks of that distance

in comparable terrain? So if a walking trip involves ascents of

500-1000m each day then you should go and walk a mountain with a 1000m ascent and see how you cope.

While we often see amazing improvements in people’s fitness with a programme of regular training before a trip you have to be realistic

about whether you can commit to regular training with your current

lifestyle. If you feel that you would be unable to commit to doing the

training to achieve that level of fitness then you should consider

another trip that is less demanding. This is the only way to accurately judge whether you can cope with the demands of any given trip.

WHAT’S IT LIKE UNDERFOOT? Underfoot you will experience a variety of tracks and trails on this

trip. Some sections of the Cinque Terre are on single-track paths that

can be rocky in places, sometimes with steps through the terraces

that are a famous feature of this landscape. Tracks are also common - perhaps gravel forest roads, walking tracks or unsealed roads and

coming into the towns you follow regular footpaths.

PHYSICAL RATING - GRADE 3 On most days you will walk between 2.5 - 5.5 hours on hilly terrain.

There are some flat sections on the coastal path such as the via D’ell

Amour but there are also some steep sections climbing up to the

paths between villages so you should be reasonably fit to make the


most of the options on offer. Alternatively you may choose to skip

the more difficult sections as this is a self-guided trip and use train or boat transfers instead.

We expect people to have a good level of fitness where they are

taking regular physical exercise in the lead up to the event. This can

be from walking, cycling or going to the gym. You will also need to practice hiking in a mountain environment with your equipment that

you’ll be taking to Italy. You should prepare for walking several hours

(5-7 hours per day) a day with ascents and descents, so your training

should reflect this in the led up to the trip. Choose hills to train on

and push yourself to do long days to prepare yourself adequately.

Please refer to the Australian walking track grading system for more

details.

IMPORTANT NOTES 1. Self-Guided

This RAW Travel trip is self-guided. We will provide you with excellent track notes with maps and instructions on how to get to each day’s

walk and maps showing the locations of your walks each day. You

will follow the many way markers along the trail and there are always

other walkers to ask if you’re in doubt.

2. Insurance


http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/recreation-and-tourism/australian-walking-track-grading-system

Make sure that your insurance covers you for emergency rescue.

Phone your insurer directly if you are not certain.

3. Water

Always ensure you have enough to get to your next destination and

on hot days carry at least two litres of water. Likewise it is good to

carry some snacks to make sure you have sufficient energy between meals and locations.

4. Phone

Phone reception is good in most places along the walks and SIM

cards can be picked up locally.

PACKING LIST Your main luggage stays back at your accommodation so you carry

only a daypack when out walking to carry a jacket and personal

effects such as Camera, sunscreen, water, snacks, blister kit. You do

not need to carry more than 2 litres of water maximum as there are

fairly frequent water stops all along the way.

Travel Documents

• Travel insurance, air ticket

• Credit card & spending money

Personal Items

• Blister kit, rehydration salts and any personal medication you use

• Alarm clock and LED head torch

• Water bottles or Camel Bak system (2-3 litres recommended)

• Sunscreen, hat and high UV sunglasses

• Comfortable hiking daypack (30L+) with padded shoulder support

& waist straps

• Waterproof bags for pack rain protection while walking (garbage bags are fine)

Clothing

• Well worn in boots or walking shoes / outdoor trainers with ankle

support

• 3 pairs of walking socks

• 3 T-shirts (lightweight quick drying tec fabric) or long sleeved

Trekking shirts

• 2 pairs of shorts and at least one lightweight trousers (for walking

in - avoid wearing Jeans!)

• Waterproof jacket (& possibly over trousers in wetter months Oct/

Nov/Apr)

• Broad brimmed sunhat

• Beach towel & swimwear in warmer months for the beaches

• Clothes for evenings out

Optional but highly recommended

• Walking poles. Good for balance & taking weight off your knees on

descents.


Other Suggestions

• Camera

• Spare batteries for camera

• Reading & writing material

• Spare pair of comfortable shoes/trainers for evenings

• Knee brace - not essential but useful for injury

• Hand sanitiser - optional

• Miniatures of your usual toiletries (shampoos & soaps provided in

hotels)

• Snacks - though these can be purchased locally

• Mobile & charger

LOCAL DRESS something.

LOCAL SUPPORT something


RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL We believe strongly in low impact or rather positive impact tourism.

Broadly speaking this means that we try to minimise the negative

aspects of tourism on the local cultures and environments that we

visit and highlight the positive aspects. Please see our online policy for more details on our social and environmental approach and

commitment.

For more details please visit our website where we have a

downloadable document detailing our responsible travel practice and philosophy.

HEALTH No vaccinations compulsory. Tetanus recommended.

Although there are no specific health requirements for this trip

please be aware you need to be in good health to undertake this trip

due to the sometimes demanding conditions that exist in these areas. You should consult your doctor if you have any medical

conditions to assess your suitability before departure.

We recommend that you carry first aid supplies for common

ailments as well as any personal medical requirements.


http://rawtravel.com/resptravel/responsibletravel.pdf

Your first aid supplies should include:

• headache tablets

• diarrhoea treatment (both a blocker to bring relief from the

symptoms and an antibiotic)

• band-aids

• blister pads for your feet and zinc tape

• antiseptic for cuts & scrapes

• lip balm

• high factor sunscreen

We recommend using zinc oxide tape/moleskin to cover ‘hot spots’ on your feet to stop potential blisters developing.

SAFETY Fire PrecautionsPlease be aware that local laws in Italy governing tourism facilities

differ from those in Australia or your home country and not all the

accommodation which we use may have a fire exit, fire extinguishers

or smoke alarms.

Traffic and Driving on the Other Side of the RoadDepending on where you come from please note that drivers in this

part of the world may drive on the opposite side of the road from

what you are used to. Make sure you walk on the right side and look

both ways before crossing any road. Be aware!

Petty Theft & Personal SafetyWhile travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty

theft, particularly in bigger tourist cities. We recommend that you

exercise caution when walking alone at night and only on main, well-

lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your

bag over the back of your chair and wearing a money belt will reduce

any chance that your valuables should go missing.

VISA Australian citizens visiting Schengen countries (of which Italy is part)

do not need to apply for visas if staying for not more than 90 out of

180 days.

ELECTRICAL Generally 230V two pin round plugs are used in Italy but there are some

places using three pin round plugs.


TRAVEL INSURANCE Clients must have insurance to cover themselves for emergency

search & rescue for this trip.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all our trips. We require that, at a minimum, you are covered for medical expenses including

emergency repatriation. We strongly recommend that the policy also

covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage

and personal effects.

When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the

group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance

company’s 24 hour emergency contact number has been seen by

your leader. If you have credit card insurance your tour leader will

require proof of purchase of the trip (a receipt of credit card statement) with a credit card in your name. Contact your bank for

details of their participating insurer, the level of coverage and

emergency contact telephone number.

Our preferred insurance company is CoverMore as they provide an excellent service. Apply for insurance on line.


https://b2c.covermore.com.au/index.jsp?alpha=AAV0231

READING LIST something

RAW TRAVEL NEWSLETTER We have a free email newsletter full of traveller’s stories and

experiences as well as news on new trips that we are running. Please

send us an extract from your travel journal at the end of the trip.

If you have any suggestions to add more information to our

destination guide that you think other walkers would find useful

please email: [email protected]. And of course email us if you

have any questions leading up to your trip.

We hope you will love the Great Ocean Walk as much as we do and

we look forward to you joining us on other RAW experiences.

The information in these trip notes has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does

not form part of the contract between the client and RAW Travel.


RAW Travel - Camino de Santiago Notes For The Road

Money ExchangeItaly uses the Euro.

The exchange rate at the time of writing is:

$1= €0.67

Take some in cash to avoid having to change money at the beginning

of the trip.

ATM availability: There are a large number of ATM cashpoints that

accept Visa and Mastercards in towns.

Credit card acceptance: In major restaurants and shops.

Spending MoneyEvery traveller is different and therefore spending money

requirements will vary. Breakfast is included but lunch and dinner are not included and you will have to pay for these meals, any snacks

and drinks en route or evening drinks. Allow €25-45 per day. Some

travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to

purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own

spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping.

TippingIt is customary to leave some small change in cafes and bars for

good service and 10% in restaurants.

Emergency FundsPlease also make sure you have access to an additional €300 to be

used when unforeseen incidents or circumstances outside our

control (e.g. a natural disaster, or an outbreak of bird flu) necessitate

a change to your planned route. This is a rare occurrence but it is

well worth being prepared!

CommunicationsMobile coverage is fairly consistent though there may be the odd

place where it cannot be relied upon. Global roaming charges are

very expensive and pre-paid cards such as Travel Sim are a good idea

(www.travelsim.net.au).


Tear off section to take with you on your travels. This section

contains information that will come in handy on the road and is optimised for travel and printing. Simply print from this

page until the end of this guide and pack with your other

travel documents.

http://www.travelsim.net.au

Alternatively if your phone is not locked to a carrier here then you

can buy a SIM card locally.

Emergency ContactIn the case of a genuine crisis or emergency, our Melbourne HQ can

be reached on +61 3 9787 4366

Outside of office hours please call: +61 478 649 848

Other Sightseeing Activitiessomething

Transport Connectionssomething

Fooddishes to try

Useful Phrasesbasic language


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