By Vicky · Published Nov. 10th, 2022 · Updated Aug. 13th, 2023
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The hike from Deiva Marina to Levanto passes beautiful scenery and cute villages yet doesn’t have the crowds of the Cinque Terre.
Deiva Marina to Levanto Hike Route Map
Get the route by downloading the .gpx or .kml file below. For navigation with Maps.me on your mobile phone, simply download the .kml file and open to add it to the Maps.me bookmarks.
Location
This walk starts from Deiva Marina train station. It’s easily reachable on the train from Genoa to the north, taking 1hr30-1hr45 minutes. There are direct and non-direct trains, which both take a similar amount of time and you can find a train at least once per hour. From the south, it’s about 35 minutes on the train from La Spezia or just under 2 hours from Lucca.
If you’re coming by car, there’s a long car park by the river near the station which costs €2 per hour (max €12 per day) during the summer season (from April to October inclusive). Outside of the summer season, parking here is free. Alternatively, you can park next to the road just past the car park on the inland side for free. This means walking an extra few hundred metres. In summer this area fills up very quickly and you might have to try a long way from the beach to find a free spot.
From Levanto, you can take the train back to Deiva Marina or continue walking on to Monterosso (7km), either in the afternoon if you have enough energy or the following day. We spent the morning hiking this route from Deiva Marina to Levanto, and the afternoon hiking from Levanto to Monterosso, the first town of the Cinque Terre.
Tips
- Remember to bring sunscreen, a sunhat and enough water. There are quite a few options for food on this hike, with at least a bakery in all of the villages.
- It’s fairly easy to buy train tickets at the stations – there are machines with English.
- For a full day, continue by hiking onward from Levanto to Monterosso.
- Offline maps app Maps.me works well for this walk.
- Find other nearby hikes on our Italy Hiking Page.
Leaving Deiva Marina
From the train station or car park, head towards the ocean. There’s a nice beach here if you already want a swim! Turn left to cross over the bridge nearest the ocean. Once over the bridge, turn left again then take the first right. Follow this quiet road as it bends around, and soon you’ll see a hiking sign on your left. The main hiking trail from Deiva Marina to Levanto starts here. On the way, you’ll pass through the villages of Framura and Bonassola, both of which have cafes and restaurants where you can get food.
The main ascent of this hike is the first bit, heading quickly upwards through the wood on the edge of Deiva Marina. There are several switchbacks before the trail turns to head slightly more inland, still uphill. Eventaully the climb ends and you’ll reach a junction. Turn left here to skirt around a hill and enjoy inland views of forest-covered mountains.
After 1.5km you’ll come to the outskirts of Framura and a little farm. Head through the farm and down the track to the top of the main village.
Framura
The village of Framura is spread out across a hillside, reaching from the ridgeline at the top all the way down to the coast. When you reach the town, head first to the Torre di Guardia Carolingia. This is an ancient stone tower by a church. There’s a lovely plaza with great views here, both inland and across the ocean.
Head out the back of the plaza down the cute narrow alleyway between the colourful houses. Turn left at the bottom down the steps, and follow the cobbled path down to the road. The path continues on the other side of the road (when we were here in Autumn 2022 this short section of path so we had to walk along the road). Follow the path down further into the main section of Framura village. There are several cafes and restaurants here along with a little supermarket if you’re hungry.
Hiking up & out of Framura
Continue along the little street which continues heading downwards. Eventually, you’ll reach the road again. Walk along this quiet road as it bends around the hillside and begins to head upwards again. If you look at the rocks to your left, you’ll see they have a funny pattern, like deformed footballs squished together. These rocks are called pillow basalts – solidified volcanic magma that erupts underneath the water. When the hot basalt makes contact with the water, it cools very quickly and forms ball shapes, which roll away from the source and pile up on each other. They then squash together and form the pillow shapes you see today.
Further round the corner, the road ends and the track begins again. This is a lovely section of the hike and you get great views over the ocean and wild landscape. After a few kilometres, you head out on a promontory. Don’t miss the viewpoint, Salto della Lepre (Leap of the Hare), a short out-and-back signposted to the right. It’s an old military point and there are great views from here.
Return back to the main hiking trail and soon you’ll round the corner and have views down to Bonassola. Continue downwards, taking the steps on the right-hand side, until you reach the walkway by the beach.
Bonassola
Bonassola beach is a large, slightly gravelly beach, perfect for swimming or sunbathing. It’s a great place to cool off after reaching this point, with only a few kilometres left on the hike. After a swim or relax, head through the tunnel under the road and into the main section of Bonassola town. Turn right to walk through the nice open courtyards, where you’ll find plenty of refreshment opportunities.
When you reach the end of the pedestrian area, turn left along the road. Walk along for roughly 100 metres until a narrow street off to your right, with a hiking map and red-and-white hiking signs at the corner. Walk up this street, which quickly steepens and winds upwards to the top of the ridge separating Bonassloa from Levanto.
At the top, cross a small road and walk along the narrow concrete path between a restaurant and a parking area. The path then bends left and begins to head downwards. You’ll soon have views over Levanto.
Hiking into Levanto
The path descends quickly and soon you’ll be on a road next to a raised walkway in Levanto. You can only reach the walkway slightly further along, by climbing up some steps to your right. Walk along this walkway, with views over the nice beach, and cross over a small river channel.
Turn left at the next opportunity to leave the walkway, and you’ll be in a little plaza in the town. This is the end of the hike from Deiva Marina to Levanto, and you can now enjoy an ice cream at Gelateria Il Porticciolo. Levanto station is about 1km away inland through the town, from where you can return to Deiva Marina or elsewhere. Alternatively, you can continue walking and hike to Monterosso (7km), the first of the Cinque Terre Villages.
Guidebooks to explore more of Liguria & Cinque Terre
If you want to get a guidebook to the region, the Bradt Liguria Guide and Lonely Planet Pocket Guide both include the Cinque Terre and hiking routes. The Cicerone Walking in Cinque Terre Guide covers part of this hike, and many others in the Cinque Terre region.
Check out the walk from Levanto to Monterosso, or our other walks nearby in Italy.
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