Coastline and mountains from Lower Mortola

A surprising and very beautiful hike where the sea and mountains, just a stone's throw from the French border, await you. Throughout the route, views of the coastline from Ventimiglia to Monaco, the Italian peaks and the terraced crops are omnipresent.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.01 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 912 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 904 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 647 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 104 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park near the entrance to the Hanbury Garden, 43 Corso Montecarlo, La Mortola, 1803 9 Ventimiglia. The start is in the bend opposite the entrance to the garden.

(S/E) Cross Corso Montecarlo with caution, as the hike is in Italy and motorists like to drive fast. Take the stairs, called "Salita Alla Croce", which enter this old village, zigzagging between the old houses. Walk along the church square "Piazza Mauro" and continue on "Salita alla Croce", turning right onto the stairs "Salita Alla Chiesa".

(1) Continue up Via Ciabauda, which soon passes under the motorway. Continue for about 100 metres until you reach the next crossroads.

(2) Turn right onto Via Case Canun.

(3) Turn left at the crossroads onto the track lined with white broom. Enjoy the views of the coastline as you walk. The track turns into a path that is often rutted, partly stony, and lined with low Mediterranean vegetation. The slope is steep.

(4) At this unmarked crossroads, stay on the path on the right. The forest is composed of young pine trees. Views of the first mountains are visible.

(5) At the barely visible fork in the path, continue straight ahead.

(6) Continue to a large trail junction with a large rock on the right. Turn left. The uphill trail is rarely used.

(7) Pass a square marker (take note of this marker, as it will be the start of the return trail). At this trail junction, turn right and walk about 100 metres towards Monte Bellanda.

(8) The summit is a rounded hill in the middle of the vegetation. The main attraction, apart from the physical aspect, is the view of Monaco and the coastline. Turn around. Be careful, there are several paths. Carefully descend from the marker.

(6) Turn left and follow the path. The terraced fields of the hamlet of Sealza are eye-catching.

(9) At this point, turn right onto this wide downhill track. The end of this track commands admiration for the ancients who built this veritable stone road. A ruin and a eucalyptus plantation precede the next crossroads. Continue along this track to the next crossroads.

(10) Continue straight ahead on Via delle Otto Case (Road of the Eight Houses).

(11) Observe the few houses and the chapel of the hamlet of Sealza. The old barracks (Caserma Massaua) are going to be renovated. Turn around

(10) Turn right onto this cemented track, which then becomes a dirt track with some steep sections.

(12) You will arrive at the stone wall of the old water reservoir. To reach the current water basin, climb up a path on the left for about ten metres. Otherwise, continue along the uphill track.

(13) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead on the track. A small canal crosses the route.

(14) At the cairn, there are two options. To ascend, leave the track at this point via a footpath and follow the trail. The climb is through broom bushes. Keep close to the line of trees.

(15) You will arrive at the Cima dei Sogli cairn at an altitude of 608 m. This is a good place to take a break. Take some time to admire the coastline and mountains. Then continue to follow the trail. Do not try to rejoin the track quickly, as it runs along a 3 m drop.

(16) Take the path on the left, which disappears into the vegetation, before a few rocky passages, until you reach a crossroads of different paths.

(17) Turn left onto the Alpi-Mareo trail, one of the famous Sentiero Liguria trails. The ground on this trail is mainly rocky, sometimes forming a veritable rock wall that you must follow. The tracks you encounter are private property with gates.

(18) At the fork, turn right at this crossroads. The word "Mortola" is painted on the wall on the right.

(19) Reach another track and go straight ahead.

(20) Take the track on the left, which immediately turns into a very pleasant wooded path. There is a small wooden sign with the word Mortola painted on it by hand. The path runs alongside and then enters the hamlet of Mortola Superiore.

(21) At this crossroads, cross the road to reach a public bench opposite, next to which is a staircase that you must take. Among other things, it leads to private property. Poorly maintained, it continues, bordered by reed vegetation, to Viale delle Ginestre.

(22) Carefully follow the downhill road to the next crossroads.

(23) Take Via Moretti on the left. After passing a few houses on this concrete road, turn right and walk along the motorway below until you reach the crossroads you passed on the way there.

(2) Pass under the motorway again and take the route in reverse. At the church, turn right to see another part of the hamlet. Be careful of traffic on the Corso. Return to the car park by turning left onto the road (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 106 m - Mortola Inferiore
  2. 1 : km 0.26 - alt. 145 m - Road junction, alleyway, end of the stairs.
  3. 2 : km 0.63 - alt. 180 m - Crossroads of tracks
  4. 3 : km 0.71 - alt. 170 m - Crossroads of tracks
  5. 4 : km 1.87 - alt. 380 m - Crossroads
  6. 5 : km 2.2 - alt. 432 m - Trail junction
  7. 6 : km 2.59 - alt. 481 m - Crossroads of trails
  8. 7 : km 2.72 - alt. 524 m - Marker - Trail junction
  9. 8 : km 2.79 - alt. 530 m - Summit
  10. 9 : km 3.25 - alt. 454 m - Trail-track junction
  11. 10 : km 5.19 - alt. 304 m - Crossroads of tracks
  12. 11 : km 5.54 - alt. 286 m - Hamlet of Sealza
  13. 12 : km 7.52 - alt. 468 m - Old water reservoir.
  14. 13 : km 7.99 - alt. 507 m - Crossroads of path - track - small canal
  15. 14 : km 8.28 - alt. 553 m - Cairn
  16. 15 : km 8.45 - alt. 583 m - Summit of Sogli
  17. 16 : km 8.85 - alt. 560 m - Trail-track junction
  18. 17 : km 9.35 - alt. 647 m - Crossroads of trails
  19. 18 : km 10.71 - alt. 425 m - Track intersections
  20. 19 : km 11.2 - alt. 394 m - Crossroads of tracks
  21. 20 : km 11.29 - alt. 379 m - Crossroads of tracks
  22. 21 : km 12.13 - alt. 340 m - Fork, square, car park
  23. 22 : km 12.27 - alt. 317 m - Crossroads between the steps and the road.
  24. 23 : km 12.78 - alt. 259 m - Crossroads
  25. S/E : km 15.01 - alt. 106 m - Mortola Inferiore

Notes

Hiking boots and walking sticks recommended.

There is no drinking water on the route, but there is a beautiful pool at (12) where you can cool off.

Second option for (14): to avoid the summit, continue along the track until the next crossroads (16).

Worth a visit

Views of the coastline and mountains.

The churches of Mortola Inferiore and Mortola Superiore.

The Hanbury Botanical Gardens are worth a visit.

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The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.