Sella Malpertuso – Vernazza

Monte Malpertuso - Vernazza

This all-mountain tour directly along the coastal area shows that the Cinque Terre National Park with its tourist hotspot Vernazza also has some absolute trail gems up its sleeve.

Description

The route starts on the Panorama road, on the Strada Provinciale dei Santuari. The start is at Case Fornachi and you wind your way up an initially somewhat rough path to the Sella della Cigoletta. From here, you hit the first panoramic trail. It is easy to pedal uphill, even for biobikers, up to Monte Castello (746 meters above sea level) and continues in the same manner before reaching the Piana della Corvara (732 meters above sea level). The panoramic trail (Alta Via Cinque Terre) is particularly good to ride in spring and late autumn, as the vegetation recedes and offers fantastic views of the Mediterranean and the coastal area.

The trail then descends below Monte Malpertuso at Sella Malpertuso (780 meters above sea level). On difficulty level S2, the trail starts with a few steep steps and rock gardens to warm up and then descends to S3 above Polazzo before returning to the Strada Provinciale dei Santuari. However, the end of the trail is not yet in sight. Continue along a historic path, past the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Reggio church. Initially on a relatively usable forest path, later completely paved and then on steps, you surf down to the tourist hotspot of Vernazza.

The colorful houses and the bright turquoise-blue stretches of coastline catch your eye from afar. It is usually only possible to push through the town. In the alleyways, countless stores, bars and cafés prevent you from rolling through. It is fascinating how this town has been built into the coast. This area is also perfect for a refreshment stop before taking the access road back up to the starting point in a relaxed manner.

All in all, a fantastic coastal tour with almost 800 meters of elevation gain, although this tour should not be completed on busy days such as weekends and during the vacation season, as the crowds in the town center are simply too high.

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