As part of our year 2022 Italy trip with our friends, we spent several days exploring the charming region of Cinque Terre. Nestled along the breathtaking Ligurian coast, the Cinque Terre region of Italy is a hot destination for many, including us.
As avid cyclists, we were eager to explore the region also by bike, and we had read that the route from Levanto to Framura is a good choice.
In this article, I’ll be sharing our experience cycling between Levanto and Framura. I hope that my insight will inspire you to explore this beautiful region by bicycle as well.
About the bike path and tunnels
One of the most unique aspects of cycling between Levanto, Bonassola and Framura in the Cinque Terre, is the fact that much of the route takes place in an old train tunnel. This tunnel, which was repurposed as a bike path, offers a cool break from the hot Italian sun and a unique way to experience the region.
Since it’s an old train tunnel it is actually very straight and level. No climbs or winding roads. Just easy pedalling all the way.
It’s worth noting that the road is split in two sides- one side is designated for bikes, while the other is for pedestrians. This means that you could also take a walk between those villages the same way.
End of the bike path in Framura was a bit confusing for a moment.
Suddenly, the road ended and we could only go down to the harbour area. There were stairs and also a lift opened at that time. After getting down there, we saw that below the bike path ending- there was a passage to the main road. From there it is possible to go to the train station (through the tunnel) and up to the village.
At that time we did not know the tunnel leads to the station. We thought it was a parking area or something.
Here are the points and paths also put on Google Maps for better reference.
What to expect?
Most of the time we were riding in the tunnel. So there is nothing much to see other than the tunnels and bike path itself. There are also some places along the tunnel to stop and look at cliffs and the sea. We did not go swimming, but it seemed to be possible to do that between villages in some spots. If someone knows for sure- let me know.
Despite being most of the time in the tunnel, the whole concept, views and the experience itself were still great.
Of course, we can’t forget the villages themselves that this path connects.
Suggestion what to do in Framura
We did not go through the road tunnel after leaving the harbour area in Framura. We thought that it was just a parking area or something. We rode up to the village instead and looked around there. This is a pretty small and authentic village.
Later we found out that behind the train station (Stazione Framura) it should be possible to go to the beach (Spiaggia di Framura). There is some kind of wooden footpath along the coast (Via del Mare) to the beach which is a bit further away. Look at the pictures made by other people on google maps about this path. I would go there next time.
Bike rental in Levanto
We stayed in Levanto. There are many bike rental shops to choose from, but our choice was to rent bikes from the ”Sensafreni Bike Shop”.
We rented city bikes for a half a day (until 16:30). If I remember correctly it was 8 EUR per person. Whole day was 15 EUR. We did not pre-book, and took bikes off the street. We also got bike locks which was a plus.
Bikes were a bit old as usual for rental bikes within this price range. You could also rent e-bikes and mountain bikes for example, but for us- it was good enough.
Final thoughts
The ride was shorter than we thought. It’s still a nice path but it’s a short one. It would be much cooler if it would go through more villages.
But for mild riding, it was still a pretty good choice. Nothing sporty.
I would add at least one more thing to the itinerary on the way like going swimming or having lunch while cycling between Levanto and Framura.
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