The tunnels from Levanto to Framura

Framura, Bonassola and Levanto are three splendid villages on the eastern Ligurian Riviera, each with its (fantastic) peculiarities. A cycle path and pedestrian track derived from the old railroad connects these three towns offering beautiful views of the sea and the possibility of swimming where the water is clearest. Alternatively, you can also walk between Framura and Levanto via Bonassola using the panoramic paths described at this page, which pass higher on the sea.

Levanto is the largest village of the three and the one with more facilities: it can be comfortably reached by train and is just a step away from Cinque Terre (the next station in fact is Monterosso). Levanto today also attracts many surfers, as well as the customers of many beach resorts. The pedestrian path, as a continuation of the sea promenade, starts in the western part of town. Once you have crossed the first short gallery, you meet one of the most beautiful beaches of this stretch of coast.

A large part of the itinerary takes place inside the tunnels: the scenic views are spectacular, but few. You won't always have the sea view. In summer, however, you will certainly appreciate the cool temperature of the indoor stretches of the pedestrian and bike path!

In the photos on this page we depicted, in order, the main views of the sea that you have from the galleries between Levanto and Framura. Some of these beautiful glimpses are just a little more than a window.

Other spaces between the tunnels are broader and allow you to walk down to the rocks and swim where the water is, in general, very clear. In the photo below, in particular, there is the last open-air stretch of road before the last relatively long tunnel that leads to Bonassola.

Here you have the opportunity to descend on the rocks for a spledid swim. We had already travelled this route by kayak so we knew that from here you can swim to a spectacular marine cave, that you can enter through a narrow hole until you find yourself in an underground cove... stuff that Indiana Jones dreams of.

After a refreshing dip in the sea, you can take the pedestrian and cycle path and, with the last tunnel, reach the beautiful Bonassola. If you are walking, to follow the itinerary Levanto Bonassola you will take something more than half an hour, and another 40 minutes will be necessary to get to Framura: it can be a good idea to bring or rent a bike to travel the 5-6 kms of the entire coastal road in the tunnels.
Bonassola is a seaside village with a fantastic beach and a very characteristic old town; besides the pedestrian walkway, it can be reached by a winding road by car or more comfortably by train.

You can cross the town by keeping on along the road on the sea, but it is also nice to walk among the picturesque Ligurian houses. Enjoy the sand of Bonassola, because there will not meet any other sandy beaches while you proceed until the end of the paths at Framura

The beautiful views from the tunnerls continue. Unfortunately, unless you venture into dangerous climbing feats down walls and rocks, the chances of reaching the sea are scarce; you must settle for some more beautiful scenery for about a couple of miles: there are worse things in life!

One of the most fascinating accesses to the sea is unfortunately now closed by a gate that strictly states that it is 'private property'. However, shortly after, you meet Porto Pidocchio, a small bay between red rocks, to which you can descend with a very short ladder.

Once, Porto Pidocchio was a spacious beach, created with stones and sand taken from the excavations of the old railroad. Until 2015, the beach was still quite large, but the sea in recent years has completely eaten it: it is still a great place for a swim.
When you continue you walk (or bycicle ride) in the tunnels, you reach a spectacular panoramic balcony.

The last meters of the gallery lead to the beautiful port of Framura, to which you can descend to take a bath between the rocks, or, alternatively, to continue to the nearby train station. To reach a beach, instead, you can go under the station, at Torsei, or you can continue from here along the new, wonderful boardwalk on the sea that leads to the beaches of Arena and Vallà.
In addition to the crystal clear sea, Framura is distinguished by the fact that its tiny but beautiful historical hamlets are perched higher on the hill: to reach them is necessary to walk uphill or to take the bus.

La ciclopedonale da Levanto si conclude quindi a Framura. Se vi interessa un sentiero panoramico, The pedestrian and bike route from Levanto ends in Framura. If you are interested in a scenic path, you will enjoy a lot the spectacular trail described at this page, which passes higher and in the nature before going down to Bonassola, and offers incredible views (of course, it is more tiring than the tunnel path). It is a great alternative to the tunnel path, and both experiences deserve to be lived.

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