Self-Launched Walks & Food of the Italian Riviera

Make your own way to Chiavari, an elegant coastal town with marble-paved arcades and a beautiful seafront promenade. Chiavari is well connected by train — from Genoa Brignole it's around 40 minutes (~£5 by regional train). Check into your accommodation, then spend the evening strolling the arcaded streets of the old town. Head out for dinner independently — try the local farinata (chickpea flatbread) and a glass of Vermentino at a neighbourhood osteria. Budget around £15–20 for dinner and drinks.

🚌Train to Chiavari from Genoa Brignole (~£5, ~40 min) or intercity rail connections. Check Trenitalia.com for tickets.

🛏Hotel Monte Rosa (3-star, central Chiavari, ~£70–90/night) or B&B/guesthouse options on Booking.com for ~£50–70/night

• →Arrive by train from Genoa or by intercity rail to Chiavari station
• →Stroll the marble arcades and seafront promenade of Chiavari
• →Self-guided explore of the old town and harbour
• →Dinner at a local osteria — try farinata and Ligurian white wine

Take the regional train from Chiavari to Genoa (35 min, ~£5). Explore independently the UNESCO-listed Palazzi dei Rolli, the medieval caruggi (alleyways), the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo and the panoramic Belvedere di Castelletto. Around midday, join a self-booked pesto cooking class inside one of Genoa's historic palaces — these are bookable via GetYourGuide or directly with operators such as In Cucina Genova. Classes typically include hands-on pesto making, focaccia tasting and a glass of local wine (~£60–80pp). Return by train to Chiavari in the evening and dine independently.

🚌Train Chiavari → Genoa Brignole: ~£5 each way. Use Trenitalia app or station ticket machine.

🛏Hotel Monte Rosa or equivalent B&B in Chiavari (~£60–80/night)

• →Train from Chiavari to Genoa Brignole (~£5, 35 min via Trenitalia)
• →Self-guided walk through the UNESCO caruggi — download a free map from the Genoa tourist board
• →Visit Cattedrale di San Lorenzo (free entry to cathedral, ~£5 for treasury museum)
• →Panoramic views from Belvedere di Castelletto (free, accessible by lift ~£1.50)
• →Pesto cooking class in a historic Genoese palazzo — book via GetYourGuide (search 'Genoa pesto cooking class') or direct with In Cucina Genova (~£60–80pp)
• →Free afternoon exploration of the port and Mercato Orientale
• →Return train to Chiavari (~£5)

Take the short 3-minute train from Chiavari to Lavagna (~£2) and begin your self-launched hike into the Berissi Valley. The trail passes slate quarries, dry-stone walls and ancient olive groves, and is waymarked on the ground and available via AllTrails (search 'Berissi Valley'). The route is approximately 10–12km and easy to moderate. Pack a picnic lunch from a local deli or forno in Chiavari before you set off. In the late afternoon, return to Chiavari and do a self-guided walk of the historic centre — the medieval tower, the Caruggio Dritto arcade street and the waterfront are all unmissable. Stop for farinata and a glass of wine at a bar.

🚌Train Chiavari → Lavagna: ~£2. Return on foot along the coast path or short train back.

🛏Hotel Monte Rosa or equivalent B&B in Chiavari (~£60–80/night)

• →Train from Chiavari to Lavagna (~£2, 3 min)
• →Self-launched hike in the Berissi Valley — follow waymarks or use AllTrails app (free route download)
• →Visit slate quarry viewpoints and dry-stone wall terraces
• →Picnic lunch in the valley — provisions from a local forno or alimentari in Chiavari
• →Self-guided tour of Chiavari historic centre: Caruggio Dritto, medieval tower, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Orto
• →Evening aperitivo with farinata at a local bar (~£8–12)

Today is entirely free for independent exploration — just like the Exodus tour. The most popular choice is a day trip to the Cinque Terre. Take the train from Chiavari towards La Spezia and alight at Monterosso al Mare (the first of the five villages). A Cinque Terre Card (€18–22/day) covers the train hops between all five villages and access to the coastal hiking paths. Alternatively, head north to the picture-perfect fishing village of Camogli (30 min by train, ~£5), glamorous Portofino (bus from Santa Margherita Ligure), or the charming resort of Santa Margherita Ligure. Dine in whichever village takes your fancy — fresh anchovies, pesto trofie and local white wine are the order of the day.

🚌Train Chiavari → Monterosso (~£7–10, ~50 min). Cinque Terre Card covers inter-village trains. Trenitalia app recommended.

🛏Hotel Monte Rosa or equivalent B&B in Chiavari (~£60–80/night)

• →Train to Cinque Terre: Chiavari → Monterosso al Mare (~45–55 min, ~£7–10 with Cinque Terre Card)
• →Purchase a Cinque Terre Card (€18–22/day) for unlimited train hops and trail access
• →Hike between Vernazza and Corniglia on the Blue Trail (Sentiero Azzurro)
• →Swim at Monterosso al Mare beach
• →Explore Manarola's famous colourful harbour
• →OR: Day trip to Camogli (30 min by train, ~£5) or Santa Margherita Ligure / Portofino
• →Lunch and dinner in the villages — fresh trofie al pesto and local anchovies (~£25–35 total)

Take the train from Chiavari to Sestri Levante (10 min, ~£3) to visit Azienda Vinicola Bisson, the innovative 'cellar of the abyss' winery famous for aging bottles 60 metres beneath the Ligurian Sea. Contact Bisson directly (cantinabisson.it) to book a cellar tour and tasting of two wines with snacks (~£20–35pp depending on package). In the afternoon, join a self-booked corzetti pasta and gnocchi cooking class — search GetYourGuide for 'Sestri Levante cooking class' or 'Ligurian pasta class' for options in the area (~£60–90pp). Your prepared pasta dinner doubles as the evening meal. Return by train to Chiavari.

🚌Train Chiavari → Sestri Levante: ~£3, ~10 min. Return by train in evening.

🛏Hotel Monte Rosa or equivalent B&B in Chiavari (~£60–80/night)

• →Train from Chiavari to Sestri Levante (~£3, ~10 min)
• →Guided cellar tour and wine tasting at Azienda Vinicola Bisson — book direct at cantinabisson.it (~£20–35pp)
• →Explore Sestri Levante's Baia delle Favole (Bay of Fables) and Baia del Silenzio (Bay of Silence)
• →Ligurian cooking class: corzetti pasta and gnocchi with ancient wooden moulds — book via GetYourGuide (~£60–90pp, includes dinner of prepared pasta, wine and tiramisu)
• →Return train to Chiavari (~£3)

This is the highlight day. Take the regional train from Chiavari towards La Spezia (~1 hr, ~£8), then a local bus from La Spezia to Porto Venere (~30 min, ~£2). From Porto Venere harbour, catch the short ferry to Palmaria island (return ~£8–12; boats run regularly in season). The island has just 50 residents, no cars and stunning coastal scenery. Walk the waymarked 6km coastal loop trail at your own pace — passing ruined military fortifications, coves, and sweeping views of the Cinque Terre. Pack a picnic or buy lunch at the island's small café. Return to Porto Venere and spend the afternoon exploring freely — the striped Church of San Pietro perched on the clifftop, Byron's Grotto, and the medieval castle are all free or low-cost to visit. Return to Chiavari by bus and train. Enjoy a farewell dinner in Chiavari at a restaurant of your choice (~£20–30).

🚌Train to La Spezia (~£8), bus to Porto Venere (~£2), ferry to Palmaria (~£10 return). Return same route to Chiavari.

🛏Hotel Monte Rosa or equivalent B&B in Chiavari (~£60–80/night)

• →Train from Chiavari to La Spezia Centrale (~£8, ~1 hr via Trenitalia)
• →Local bus from La Spezia to Porto Venere (~£2, ~30 min — Line P from ATC La Spezia)
• →Ferry from Porto Venere to Palmaria Island (return ~£8–12, departs from the main harbour)
• →Self-launched 6km coastal walk around Palmaria — waymarked trails, no guide needed
• →Visit ruined military fortifications and enjoy Cinque Terre panoramas
• →Picnic lunch on Palmaria with sea views
• →Self-guided tour of Porto Venere: Church of San Pietro (free), Byron's Grotto, Doria Castle (~£5)
• →Farewell dinner in Chiavari (~£20–30)

Enjoy a final breakfast in Chiavari before checking out and starting your journey home. Chiavari station has excellent onward connections — trains run regularly to Genoa (35 min, ~£5) where you can connect to Milan for international rail or Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (~£8 by train/bus). Alternatively, extend your stay and explore more of Liguria — Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino and Camogli are all within easy reach.

🚌Train Chiavari → Genoa Brignole: ~£5, 35 min. Genoa airport connections via Volabus or train.

🛏Check-out day — no accommodation needed

• →Final breakfast in Chiavari (included if staying at a B&B with breakfast, or ~£5–8 at a local café)
• →Check out and depart
• →Train to Genoa (~£5, 35 min) for onward connections to airport or Milan
• →Optional: extend with a morning stroll along the Chiavari seafront before departing