Pedalling to Portofino and the Cinque Terre — sea and mountains

‘I found my love in Portofino / Perché nei sogni credo ancora / Lo strano gioco del destino / A Portofino m'ha preso il cuor’ (I found my love in Portofino / Because I still believe in dreams / The strange game of destiny / Portofino has taken my heart): so begins "Love in Portofino", a 1958 song written by Leo Chiosso and Fred Buscaglione, which became a classic of Italian music in the 1960s.

These lyrics already contain everything you need to know about this wonderful Ligurian village. And if these words have made you want to set off on an adventure to Portofino and the Cinque Terre, you’ve found the right Collection. However, you should know that ‘Pedalling to Portofino and the Cinque Terre’ is much more than a simple trip along the Ligurian coast: climbs in the Apennines of Piacenza, a brief detour to Piedmont, Tuscan marble quarries and gravel descents back to the province of Parma are all part of this incredible journey, as much as the beach at Monterosso or the views of the Cinque Terre.

In this Collection, you deliberately go for the effort: over 700 kilometres (435 mi), almost 17,000 metres (55,800 ft) of total elevation gain, and at least four climbs (Monte Barigazzo, Passo del Chiodo, Passo del Vestito and Passo dei Due Santi) that are as challenging as they are spectacular. Each Tour is about 100 kilometres (60 mi) long with 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) of elevation gain: if you’ve got good legs (and a lot of courage), you can consider combining two stages. Those who’ve already cycled along the Ligurian coast know: there’s not a metre of flat land; no straights. The roads run up and down a unique landscape, often overlooking the sea.

There is only one point in this Collection that would be better with a gravel bike: the descent from the Passo dei Due Santi, in the seventh and final stage. Although the rest of the Collection is suitable for a road bike, there are two reasons why I recommend you opt for a bike with more rugged tyres: the asphalt on the roads is often not in the best condition and the surface through many villages (for example in the square in Portofino and on the bridge in Pontremoli) is cobbled or paved. In any case, don’t have too high a tyre pressure.

This is an adventure that combines very touristy areas with quieter places, such as the Garfagnana or the Piacentino Apennines, that are anything but busy for much of the year. Travelling in Liguria in July and August risks a bit of traffic in some sections, as well as considerable difficulty in finding places to sleep. Camping is also difficult in Liguria, a region where everything is built on top of something else. My advice is to book accommodation well in advance.

The starting point for this unforgettable week is Fornovo di Taro, a municipality in the province of Parma which is very well connected to the provincial capital of Emilia-Romagna and the rest of the Apennines. As well as being on a bus route (timetable available here tep.pr.it/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/92_94-Linea-2525-Fornovo-Gaiano-Collecchio-Parma-1.pdf), Fornovo is a stop on the so-called Pontremolese railway, which links Parma to La Spezia. This train also stops in other municipalities touched by the Collection, such as Borgo Val di Taro, Pontremoli and Sarzana.

Few places in Italy and the world combine culinary, landscape and cultural-historical riches like Liguria. This Collection crosses a large part of the Riviera di Levante, from the Gulf of Tigullio to the Sarzana coast, and goes past the legendary Cinque Terre and the Gulf of Poets. Natural parks, marine reserves, food and wine specialities such as focaccia di Recco are just some of the wonders to be discovered.