Levanto

Gateway to the Cinque Terre, Levanto is a charming little town, relatively quiet among its green hills, with sandy beaches and old buildings.
From its train station, linked to several car parks, you can easily reach the Cinque Terre by train (parking costs about €15 for 8 hours).

Heritage

The historic centre of Levanto is crossed by Via Garibaldi, where most of the shops and the old houses are found.
A medieval loggia dates back to the 13th century; it welcomed merchants in the Middle Ages.
The church of Saint Andrew, from the early 13th century, has a beautiful two-tone façade, with bands of white Carrara marble and green stone, a Romanesque bell tower and works preserved inside, including frescoes.
From the outside you can see Saint George’s Castle, now private, standing on a height, with its keep, an old fortress from the 11th and 12th centuries, reinforced by the Genoese in the 13th century.
Today’s Piazza Cavour, the main square, was originally inside the 17th-century Poor Clares’ convent.
Remains of the medieval ramparts, reinforced until the 16th century, still stand, including a gate and tower.
On the façades of the houses you can discover “grotesques”, at the corner of via Garibaldi and via Vinzoni.

Levanto’s large main beach is sandy and also suitable for water sports. Further north is Vallesanta beach, then coves along the ciclopedonale, often rocky.
To the south there are other small coves.

Ideas for excursions around Levanto

To the north you can easily reach Bossanola and Framura by train, with pretty coves, and to the south you reach the Cinque Terre, made up of the villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.

• Hiking trails in Levanto
  • Levanto – Punta Mesco – Monterosso: 2.5 km / 2h-3h
  • Levanto – Fontona – Colle de Gritta: 30 min – 1h15
  • Levanto – Bardellone: 40 min – 1h30
  • Levanto – Colle dei Bagari: 40 min – 1h30
  • Sanctuary route, castle tour, from Levanto to Monterosso (along the coast or cutting through the hill) via Punta Mesco, from Levanto to Bonassola and Framura, as far as Punta Levanto (1h) with the beautiful view.
• From Levanto to the Cinque Terre
  One idea is to set off on foot to explore the Cinque Terre, then possibly return by train, starting on foot either from Levanto or from Monterosso, which is the first of the Cinque Terre villages you reach. Depending on the possibilities and your fitness, you can push the excursion more or less far. Some paths are steep, with stairs, and sometimes closed for restoration (as was the case in early 2024 between .. and Riomaggiore).
  Highlights of the Cinque Terre include the colourful harbour of Vernazza, the vineyards above the cliff of Manarola, or the sandy beach of Monterosso
• Other trails allow you to explore the deep hinterland, as far as the historic hamlets of Lavaggiorosso, Dosso and Groppo, with beautiful explorations of the farmland.
• Cycling excursion between Levanto and Portofino, following the Via Aurelia, passing through Sestri Levante, Chiavari, Rapallo, Santa Margherita.

Map

Information

• Info: en.wikipedia.org
• Tourism portals: www.visitlevanto.it
• Blogs: www.pimpmytrip.it