From Levanto to Framura by bike (Liguria, Italy)

A cycle-track realized recovering the historical ninteenth-century railway trak, passing old galleries, amazing views and unique cliffs above the sea.

Travelling time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Family
Why we love it: This shoreline exposition to the strongest wind (Libeccio), bathimetry and an etherogeneous coastline profile make the surf large when the storms arrive, originating one of the most spectacular shows in the entire Mediterranean sea.
Length: 6 km
Total Elevation Gain: 10 m
Way to travel: by bike, on foot
Cost: 0
Our Advice: Follow this itinerary when the Libeccio wind blows. You can observe from the top the waves with surfers in beach of Levanto, and the beautiful energy of the storm in the beautiful cliffs along the way.

Map to the path from Levanto to Bonassola (Liguria, Italy). It's a very simple and well marked path, also ideal for families with children.

Let's start from Levanto, the beautiful Ligurian village on the outskirts of the Cinque Terre, with its medieval castle and the church covered with black and white marble. Behind us the green hills, fragrant olive and lemon. Before us the long beach that opens on a stormy sea.

Levanto, Liguria, Italy — Levanto, Liguria, ph. by picdrops, via flickr

Small colorful streets of the village are full of boys with surfboard under his arm headed to the beach to challenge with their stunts the power of water.

Levanto is one of Italy's most popular destination for surfers because of its large storm surges, where once a year (in autumn) held an international tournament that brings together fans of this sport. That's why between focaccerie, restaurants and shops selling souvenirs are also some shops surfboard, longboard and bodyboard.

It's one of those days that surfers are waiting for some time, making predictions about the direction of the winds. Finally came the Libeccio, and the beach is alive with children come from all over to ride the waves.

It's also the ideal day to enjoy the breeze, hear the noise of the storm and watch the shades of blue of the sea from riding on two wheels along a path that connects Levanto Bonassola and Framura, passing along the coast.

This is a bike route not to be missed for at least three reasons:

For the beauty and variety of natural landscapes that crosses
Because retraces a century old railway line, which you can still admire the infrastructure galleries stone
Because along the route you can choose to visit the beautiful old villages or stop at about potential natural coves and pristine.

Having hired our bike in one of the many shops selling bikes of Levanto, on two wheels cross the town center until you reach the old train station, which today is a beautiful pink building overlooking the sea, which is located in the center Tourist information.

From here our route sopralevato path towards Bonassola. To our left the sea dotted with the surfboards, to our right the country that leaves more and more, and the mountain is approaching.

The cycle path widens into a kind of herb garden raised on the sea, with wooden benches, small bars and fragrance of Lavender.

A few more minutes by bike and we are into the first tunnel.

You can enjoy the shade and fresh air of the old railway tunnel and appreciate the opportunity to explore this ancient road more slowly, admiring the gallery openings to the sea that surprise you with glimpses of blue and stunning scenery.

A small beach of white and pink stones is the ideal place for a stop to the sea.

You can just park your bike, down a dozen steps throungh vegetation and palm trees, and in a few steps you can dip your feet in the clear water.

Porto Pidocchio beach, alone the cycle path between Bonassola and Framura

After a refreshing stop on our itinerary by bike continues towards Framura.

Framura, Ligurian village — Framura, photo by Paul Barker Hemings via Flickr

Arriving at the station, you can go down to the harbor in the elevator or the stairs: from there take the unerpass and go up towards the historic center of this charming village (you can also reach the center by bus). Framura is definitely one of the pearls of the Tyrrhenian Sea, is a place where time seems to stand still.

Framura, Liguria's village

The village is made up of five villages: starting from the shore the first you come to is Anzo, with its watchtower and its neo-Gothic chapel; then there's Ravecca, typically medieval, Setta with another guard tower and the Town Hall, Costa with a major artistic heritage and finally Castagnola which houses a painting by Luca Cambiaso.