Paragliding over the Cinque Terre left me speechless. It was beautiful, calm and impossibly scenic, and I recommend it with my whole heart.
There, I have vented. Now I can tell you about it properly, though I am still so overwhelmed and happy that I do not think I have fully “landed” yet.
To sum it up: one April morning I flew from Soviore, the Cinque Terre sanctuary above Monterosso where I was born and raised, out over Vernazza and Monterosso, and landed on the beach at Fegina, practically in front of Monterosso station. I did not fly alone, of course: it was a tandem flight with Gabriele, a real pro. Taking off from the hillside of my own childhood, and seeing it all from the air, was something I will never forget.
My paragliding experience
It was a last-minute decision, something I had never even considered, and, as so often, the sudden and unplanned choices are the ones that give you the finest memories. I had seen the coast from a helicopter before, but the two are not remotely comparable, and paragliding wins.
I booked through Arbaspaa, a local experiences agency based in Manarola, and my pilot was Gabriele. (A decade on, do check current operators and prices, but a reputable local tandem pilot is what you want.) We met early on the seafront in Monterosso, when the village is still asleep and the beach is quiet, a lovely, peaceful way to begin an adventure. A short taxi ride up to Soviore, included in the flight, and we were at the launch clearing near the “Termine” junction where the Cinque Terre coast road begins.
Gabriele’s preparations were quick: unfurling the wing, laying out the rainbow of lines, fitting me with a light harness and helmet. The take-off instructions were wonderfully simple: run a few steps in the right direction, then, once airborne, push on the handles at my hips and sit back into the seat. Two or three steps and we were flying. The seat is genuinely comfortable, and the whole thing is far easier than you would think.
The flight lasts about fifteen minutes, all slowness and silence, with a panorama that wraps around you and takes your breath away. I spent it grinning and telling myself I had to do this again, and again. When it was time to land, Gabriele told me to start “walking” while still in the air; I took two steps in the sky and one on the sand, gently, without the slightest jolt.
Good to know
- There is no fitness requirement, no upper age limit and no skill needed, so no medical certificate is required. Only pregnant women are advised against it.
- Weight matters, relative to the pilot and the equipment. Gabriele told me his tandem setup takes a minimum of about 25 kg and a maximum of around 120 kg; other operators will have their own limits, so ask when booking.
- You are very unlikely to feel vertigo. Because you are seated, you are not relying on your balance, and with no fixed reference points below you there is little sense of depth, which is exactly what triggers vertigo on a ladder or a balcony. I am not the steadiest with heights, and I felt nothing but calm.
- There is no special clothing needed. I wore jeans, a t-shirt, a sweatshirt and trainers; add a jacket in cooler months. Bring sunglasses and sunscreen.
- If you would rather not use your own phone for photos, ask whether the pilot has a GoPro; mine did.
- High summer is trickier, as the Cinque Terre and Monterosso beach get very crowded, so flights are easier to arrange in spring and autumn.
To sum up, and you will have gathered this already: the experience overwhelmed me, and I recommend it wholeheartedly. The view, of course, but above all the slowness and gentleness of it, seated, comfortable and silent, held up by the air over the villages I have known all my life. Pure magic.
Frequently asked questions
Tandem paragliding flights typically launch from the hillside near the Soviore sanctuary above Monterosso and land on the beach at Fegina in Monterosso, giving you aerial views over Monterosso and Vernazza. Flights are arranged through local experience agencies with qualified tandem pilots; the launch and landing points can vary with wind and season.
Tandem paragliding requires no experience, no particular fitness and no medical certificate, as you fly strapped to a qualified pilot who handles everything; you simply take a few steps at take-off and landing. Choose a reputable, insured local operator. Pregnant women are generally advised not to fly, and operators set minimum and maximum passenger weights.
Most people do not. Seated in the harness with no fixed reference points beneath you, there is little sense of depth, which is what usually triggers vertigo, so even people who dislike heights often feel calm and comfortable in the air.
Spring and autumn are ideal: the weather is good and the coast is far less crowded than in high summer, when the busy beaches make flights harder to arrange. Flights depend on wind and weather, so allow some flexibility and book with a local operator who will advise on conditions.
Further reading
- My home villages: the Cinque Terre and Liguria and Vernazza
- More local experiences: the best food experiences around Levanto
