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Celebrating 35 Years of Award Winning Sea Kayaking Adventures

Cinque Terre Kayaking Tour Italy

Guest Favorite

Kayaking Cinque Terre and the Italian Riviera

Seasons
June and September
Trip Length
8 Days
Airport
Genoa (GOA)
Skill Level
Easy
Outside Travel Awards - Winning Trip Portofino

Genoa, Cinque Terre and the Riviera

Cinque Terre and the Italian Riviera – La Riviera di Levante or Golfo Paradiso is one of the most magically beautiful stretches of coastline in the world. Steeped in history and set against a rough mountain background, the towns of the Riviera seem like pastel gems set against the vivid blue of the Mediterranean. On the New York Times list "52 Places to Go in 2019"

Genoa Palace Detail

Genoa - Gateway to the Riviera

Genoa has a rich legacy as one of Italy's Maritime Replubics. Like Venice, it has a history of military might, economic dominance, and staggering wealth. Now a thriving commercial port city, more popular cities in Italy often eclipse it, but Genoa has churches to rival Naples and aristocratic palaces that compare in magnificence and number to those of Rome, along with one of the most intact medieval centers in all Europe. To start our Riviera adventure, we offer an insider's view into this city that offers "an incredible lens on Italian culture."

Riomaggiore

Life of the Sea

To explore this area by kayak is to experience the life of the sea that is at the heart and soul of this special place. Warm water, sun-drenched beaches, great food, and the harmony of life at the sea’s edge has attracted artists, poets, and writers for over two centuries. Byron, Shelley, D.H. Lawrence, Hans Christian Andersen, and Virginia Woolf came here to write, and today, visitors from all over the world are drawn by the Riviera lifestyle.

Dining out on Cinque Terre Kayaking Trip

Culture and Cuisine

Kayaking the Riviera lets us observe both the subtle details and the grand vistas of this unique place at a pace that also allows us the time to immerse ourselves in the culture. With a focus on locally sourced Mediterranean cuisine, this trip is really a feast for the senses. We take time to enjoy crisp, warm, freshly baked focaccia scented with rosemary, a glass of chilled local white wine, and the very best reward at the end of a paddling day – a frosted cup of gelato! 

Cinque Terre Kayaking Tour Approaching Manarola..

Incomparable Cinque Terre

To kayak the coast of the five villages in the Cinque Terre is to step back in time – tiny medieval villages tucked into ravines of this steep coastline thatched with vineyards, where each of the Cinque Terre has a distinct dialect and atmosphere. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in large part because of the extensive system of contoured terraces and muretti (low stone walls) that span this dramatic landscape, you’ll also visit the sixth “Terre” – Portovenere – and the jet-set haven of Portofino, both of which date back to Roman times. Arriving by kayak is the best way to experience these villages, which are inextricably linked to the sea and a culture of small boats.

Slow Life Down

Clear warm water invites us to swim at nearly every stop and each afternoon finds us in a beautiful town with winding streets to wander and make discoveries, while every evening we go out to an intimate local restaurant to sample the best food the area has to offer. This summer – take time to slow life down to the pace of a paddle stroke and experience the beauty and culture of Italy from a truly unique perspective.

Testimonial

 Cinque Terre Kayaking Tour Approaching  the Village of Riomaggiore

“It was the best trip we have ever taken. Cannot wait to go on another one! Have been telling everyone how great it was and recommending it. You may get some people I referred next year on your trips."

Barbara Konikow, Mercer Island, WA, Cinque Terre and the Italian Riviera

National Geographic Award

Best Outfitters on Earth - National Geographic

Tofino Expeditions was the highest rated sea kayaking adventure travel company in a National Geographic Adventure survey of international outfitters based on:

  • Quality of Service
  • Education
  • Sustainability
  • Spirit of Adventure
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