The Maremonti Levanto to Framura path or trail is the coastal getaway locals love and travelers overlook. While the Cinque Terre are flooded with tourists, the Levanto coastal community is rather untouched, affording visitors a calmer retreat to get away from it all.
Often only used as a starting point to visit le Cinque Terre, after all Monterosso is just a 5 minute train ride away, Levanto is frequently overlooked by tourists. While there’s plenty to do in the Cinque Terre to keep you well fed and entertained for days, I took note from the locals at my stay at La Sosta di Ottone III in Chiesanuova above Levanto. They recommended I head down to a pedestrian and bike path called MareMonti in Levanto that would take me on a scenic coastal tour from Levanto to Framura, rather than immediately dive head first into the Cinque Terre trails.
The Maremonti Levanto to Framura path begins directly in front of spiaggia Levanto, or Levanto beach. I noticed what looked like tunnels in the distance and walked towards them. The pedestrian and cycling paths were extremely well paved and marked with time stamps of how long it would take you to reach each of the three towns the path connects you to: the coastal towns of Levanto and Bonassola, and the hamlet of Framura.
The path is 5.6 km or 3.5 miles one way making it an enjoyable afternoon activity. The entire walk from Levanto to Framura takes up to 1 hour 10 minutes one way, while biking can take you up to 35 minutes. Luckily, there’s a train at each town that can take you right back to your origin point should you be too tired to walk or cycle bath.
Maremonti literally translates to ‘between sea and mountains.’ Levanto to Framura path’s vistas are composed of coastal towns and mountains on one side and the Mediterranean sea and boundless pebbled shorelines on the other. This wild, rugged place is removed from the chaos of the Cinque Terre trails and is a place where residents go for casual afternoon strolls or bike rides.
What to Wear/Pack in the Summer Months:
Definitely wear your bathing suit under your clothes while doing the Maremonti Levanto to Framura Path. The temperatures get unbearably hot and although your shaded by old railway tunnels most of the walk or bike ride, trust me you will want to stop by one of the many beach coves along the way for a dip.
As you begin your walk or bike ride you’ll begin to notice that you are walking into a series of railway tunnels along the coastal trail. I took a deep breathe of that salty Mediterranean air before stepping into the first of the many railway tunnels. The cool, damp surroundings of the tunnel were a striking contrast and welcomed reprieve from the oppressive heat that I had dealt with that afternoon. Step by step, my mother and I made our way through the tunnel. The coolness of the cave got to a point to where it chilled me. A few feet later the tunnel opened back into the Mediterranean as the sun hit my skin once again warming my body to its core. This feeling was repeated over and over again on the way to Bonassola.
This path was once a ferrovia or railway that ran from Genova to Pisa. It was abandoned in 1970 when a newer more modern rail line was created within the mountains and away from the coast. Rather than leave this abandoned railway to waste, the region chose to turn it into this pedestrian and cyclist path that maintains its railway structure with over 9 tunnels. We find bellevistas every time we pop out of a tunnel. While walking there are benches placed at certain spots for a reprieve from the unbearable heat.
My mother and I only made it to halfway to Bonassola before we had to turn around and make our way back. We had a limited amount of time in Cinque Terre and had already made prior arrangements. We were annoyed that we weren’t able to watch the changing landscape as we walked from Levanto to Framura, from coast to hamlet, watching as the Mediterranean sea turned from pebbly beaches, to fishing villages with dotted fishing boats, and a medieval hamlet in the mountains. We’d be more prepared the next time around and add this to our list of must-dos.
The Maremonti Levanto to Framura path has it all: pebbly beaches, coastal cities, reprieve from the heat or rain, and the opportunity for physical activity–only without the hype of the other coastal towns like the Cinque Terre medieval villages.
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