Recently, Discover Portovenere Blog took you hiking on the western side of the Gulf of Poets, exploring the itinerary between Portovenere and Riomaggiore (Cinque Terre), and on Palmaria Island. Today we move on the eastern side, where we will hike between Tellaro and Lerici with the help of expert guide Boris Cervar from the Arte e Natura Cooperative, which was founded 25 years ago in La Spezia and today gathers many experienced guides specialized in nature, history and art.
We exchanged some words with Boris before setting off on our hiking tour in the Gulf of Poets, also known as Gulf of La Spezia.
What are your top 3 tips for hikers who visit the Gulf of Poets for the first time?
The Gulf of La Spezia offers different landscapes and emotions depending on the perspectives from which it is admired. The western side (between La Spezia and Portovenere) is crossed by the so-called Napoleonic road that touches many of the seaside villages until it reaches Portovenere and its archipelago. The eastern one, more properly called Gulf of Poets, offers a high coast overlooking the sea after Tellaro and up to the scenic Punta Bianca. To fully enjoy the breath-taking landscapes, I would recommend the following three hikes:
- From Ameglia to Tellaro. This is an itinerary that allows you to observe the two sides of the Montemarcello Promontory. From the medieval village of Ameglia, which was already mentioned in the Imperial Diplomas of the 10th century, the view extends over the historic Lunigiana and the Apuan Alps. However, after passing the Sella di Zanego, you get to admire the sea of the Gulf of Poets until you descend to Tellaro. You can either return along the same hiking path, or if you are well trained and fit, you can also take a different trail at Sella di Zanego towards Montemarcello and then back to Ameglia.
- Palmaria Island. You cannot leave the Gulf of Poets without a hike on Palmaria Island where history, legend and nature are intertwined in a “unique” union. If you come in spring, you will also be able to observe the yellow-legged seagulls that gather for the mating season. In winter, on clear days you can spot the islands of the upper Tyrrhenian Sea and an unforgettable view of the Apuan Alps if they are covered with snow.
- It’s difficult to choose a third itinerary because there are at least ten more to mention. But the coastal path between Tellaro and Lerici is certainly one of the most beautiful and inspiring, especially if you read the verses of the poems and stories of Percy Bysshe Shelley and David Herbert Lawrence. You get to immerse yourself in that magical atmosphere of romantic poets that is not very different, in my opinion, from the current one. Another amazing hike can take place along the mountains and ridges of the Alta Via del Golfo between La Spezia and Portovenere, passing near the old Portoro marble quarries and reaching the Doria Castle, from where the view is priceless.
Share a local tip with us
Just off the coast of Palmaria are the two smaller islands of the archipelago, Tino and Tinetto. Take a boat to admire their vertical cliffs from the sea and to approach the entrance of the sea caves… it’s an unforgettable experience!
If instead you want to immerse yourself in a corner with an ancient and authentic flavor, my suggestion is to discover the medieval village of Montemarcello Magra. Leave the car outside of the historic center, go up one of the many small alleys that lead to the upper part of the village, and “get lost” in a maze of alleys and squares. You will feel at home in its bottega shops!
A photo along the hiking trails to take back home?
Here are some of my favorites: above is Lerici with – in the background – Portovenere and its islands; and below is Tellaro.
Hiking trail between Tellaro and Lerici
The hiking trail between Tellaro and Lerici features breath-taking views of the Gulf of Poets and is often shaded. It takes about 2 hours (each way) complete.
The small and picturesque seaside village of Tellaro is perched on a cliff overlooking the Bay of La Spezia and is recognized as one of Italy’s most beautiful hamlets. A local legend narrates that a large octopus saved the population from a pirate attack when it came out of the sea and rang the church bells. From its small harbor you can admire the colorful houses that lean against one another and the iconic San Giorgio Church.
Get lost in its tiny alleys until you are ready to start the hike from the main square of the village: go up to the left along via Matteotti, at the end of which you will find the ‘mulattiera’ or ancient mule track. This is the most tiring part of the trail: go up the long, stone-paved staircase until you reach a beautiful panoramic point overlooking Tellaro.
The path splits after about ten minutes: we keep the left on path 433 towards Lerici. Five minutes later there is another fork: once again we keep the left. The hiking trail then becomes flat under the lush vegetation, and you can spot Portovenere and the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto.
Continue going straight along the cultivation of olive trees and the ruins of the village of Portesone, which had been abandoned due to the plague in the 1500s and is now surrounded by vines. After more olive trees, cypresses and irises, you reach a small group of houses: keep right to continue walking along cultivated fields delimitated by dry-stone walls.
You will arrive at the gate of a house called “Cà della Lama”: follow the concrete road uphill for a few meters, cross the paved road and take an uphill brick alleyway that takes you to the pretty village of La Serra. Past the Church of San Giovanni Battista, you will find a pedestrian square with a beautiful view of Portovenere’s archipelago. Proceed out of the historic center to reach the paved road that you will follow for a few meters until you find the sign for Hiking Trail number 463, which passes through the fraction of Verrazzano and descends towards Lerici.
You can also reach Lerici by continuing along trail n.433, which we had mentioned earlier. Path n. 463 comes out on the paved road above Lerici at the same point of path n.433.
Here, a brick staircase on the right (via Andrea Doria) leads you to Lerici’s main square in just 5 minutes. Make sure to visit the imposing San Giorgio Castle and learn about the town’s ties to poets and writers like Lord Byron, Mary Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley.
You can return to Tellaro by hiking back or by taking a bus in the main square.
Sources and Photo Credits:
Boris Cervar (Cooperativa Arte e Natura) cinqueterrexperience.com
Maria Paola Salvanelli civediamoquandotorno.it
