A large part of the success of the Cinque Terre is due to the network of paths which cover the sea side of the mountains like a web.
For centuries the only connection not only between the five villages, but also with the municipality of La Spezia and the hinterland, were these routes which today are one of the best ways of getting to know and appreciating the Cinque Terre. The three main paths all reasonably easy for reasonably fit people, appropriately dressed are well marked by the section of the CAI of La Spezia with a red and white sign. The first is path number 1 which runs along the crest that separates the edge of the Val di Vara. The second is the path of the Santuari (Sanctuaries) which links halfway up the hill the places of worship of the respective villages. The third is path number 2, more well known as Sentiero Azzuro (blue path) which links up all the five villages.
