When my guests ask me for a hike with breathtaking sea views, one of the first that comes to mind is this beautiful ring trek above Levanto. It combines a section of the very famous Sentiero Verdeazzurro (Blue-Green Trail) with the much quieter and more secluded ascent to Monte Vè, which is the highest peak on the entire promontory.
It’s a moderately difficult hike (rated E), with a total elevation gain of about 680 meters. I recommend taking your time, about 4 to 5 hours to complete the entire loop. The view, especially on the return journey, is one you won’t forget.
My advice is to arrive in Levanto by train; it’s the most convenient option. From the station, you can reach the promenade on foot in just a few minutes. If you prefer to drive, exit at Carrodano and follow signs for Levanto. You’ll find paid parking lots along the promenade.
Once you arrive at the promenade (the one built on the old railway), go down a set of stairs and pass under the arches to get closer to the casino. From there, continue east until you see a small portico on your left with white and red trail markers. Follow the signs for Monterosso (this is the Sentiero Verdeazzurro) and take a staircase that will lead you up to the castle. Its existence has been documented since 1165, although what you see today is a 16th-century reconstruction by the Republic of Genoa.
Take a wide mule track to the right, which passes next to Villa Massola (where Guglielmo Marconi conducted his first short-wave experiments between 1930 and 1931). Turn right and climb the beautiful cobblestone mule track, passing by a farmhouse. At a fork, go left; the trail becomes steeper, passing through woods and past isolated houses, until it emerges onto a paved road (at an altitude of 164 meters).
Here, you need to pay attention: temporarily leave the Sentiero Verdeazzurro (you’ll rejoin it on the way back) and follow the paved road to the left, downhill, following the CAI 571 trail marker. After about 200 meters, leave the main road for a turn-off to the right, indicated by a sign. The small road passes through a gate that is always open and immediately forks just before some houses.
Go right onto the concrete path that winds into the woods with several switchbacks. There are no trail markers in this section, but don’t worry—just stick to the main road, ignoring the turns for the villas. You’ll arrive at a fork near a wall, where you’ll see a slightly faded trail marker on the right (at an altitude of 265 meters). Turn right here, and immediately after, there’s another fork. Continue right, on a flat track that cuts across the base of some terraced fields. Turning left, you’ll pass a sheet metal building and a gate, then climb with more switchbacks.
Finally, the track emerges onto a small plateau with a vegetable garden, surrounded by pines and Mediterranean scrub (at an altitude of 308 meters). Go along the left side of the garden and take a path to the right that leads you to the northwest ridge of Monte Vè. From here, you’ll walk along the ridge, with some flat sections and short, steep climbs, until the trail bends to the left. Ignore a fork that descends toward Colla dei Bàgari, turn right, and tackle the final ascent to Monte Vè (or Monte Focone, as we call it; 488 meters).
From the summit, the trail descends steeply on the opposite side (the ground is sometimes rocky) before merging onto a wider track. Continue south-east along the ridge (trail marker 591), descending gently to a saddle and crossing a small hill with a brief up-and-down section. This will bring you to an important intersection (at an altitude of 325 meters), where you’ll rejoin the Sentiero Verdeazzurro.
I highly recommend a short detour here. By continuing straight, you’ll pass a small turret and in a few minutes you’ll be at the ruins of the Hermitage of Sant’Antonio and shortly after, the Semaforo del Mesco (312 meters). It’s a fascinating place: the hermitage was built in the 11th century, and the friars were paid to spot pirates. Next to it, in the late 1800s, the military station of the Semaforo was built, later used as an anti-aircraft post and eventually abandoned. Beyond the semaforo, a small path leads you to the extreme tip of the promontory. The view from here is priceless, stretching over the entire coastline, and on clear days, you can see the Alps, the Tuscan islands, and even Corsica.
Now, retrace your steps to the crossroads at 325 meters and take the Sentiero Verdeazzurro to the left (west) toward Levanto. This is the most spectacular part of the return trip. The wide trail descends diagonally, passing by Podere Lovara and Casa Nuova. After a few ups and downs, a beautiful mule track takes you to Rocca Spaccata: a long section perched high above the sea between rocks and woods, with dizzying views of the coast 250 meters below, where you’ll see the large Scoglio Nero (Black Rock).
The mule track becomes a staircase and descends with a few turns into a holm oak forest. After leaving the woods, you’ll continue through terraced fields, passing Case San Carlo and Case Giglio. A brief climb will take you to a paved road, near the hotel “La Giada del Mesco.” Follow it downhill, and in a few minutes, you’ll be back at the fork at 164 meters, the one you encountered on the way out. Here, turn left, and the mule track you’re now familiar with will quickly lead you back to Levanto, completing this magnificent loop.
Find out what to see in Levanto