Best Conditions
Description
Region: Liguria - Italy
Site record: 7.9 km
The take-off is reached by leaving the A-12 at the Brugnetto/Brugnato exit and following the signs for Cinque Terre and then Monterosso. After a long drive, you reach the crest where you choose to go to Monterosso or Vernazza. The takeoff is about 250 meters past the intersection in the direction of Monterosso and is marked by a large gate. The take-off area features a smooth grass field with a beautiful view down the coast. The landing zone is visible from the takeoff point.
Region: Liguria - Italy
Site record: 3.4 km
For more information, visit: [Settimocielo Genova](http://www.settimocielogenova.it/)
How to get there:
From the A12 GENOVA - LIVORNO highway, if you are coming from Genoa, take the Carrodano exit, turn left towards Levanto, and at the entrance of the town, turn left towards Monterosso. Once you reach the top of the pass, take the first left to go up to the takeoff and the second right to go down to the landing. Both can be reached by car. The takeoff is on your right (towards the sea) about 3 km from the junction and about 500 meters past the Soviore Sanctuary.
If you are coming from La Spezia, take the Brugnato exit, turn left after the roundabout, and follow the signs for Pignone. In the center of the town, follow the uphill road straight ahead, which will take you to the top of the pass. Once you see the sea on your left, continue for about 200 meters. At the end of the straight road, you will find the parking area and the takeoff point just below. Continuing downwards, you will find the turn-off that leads to the town (first left and second right).
In Monterosso, you can often park in the sports field, which is used as a paid parking lot on Sundays. You can also arrive by train on the Genoa-La Spezia line, getting off at Monterosso al Mare. There is a taxi service with a minibus that can take 4-5 people and their equipment to the takeoff point for about 20,000 lire per trip, which is approximately 5,000 lire per person.
Takeoff:
The takeoff area is considered large for Ligurian standards, accommodating two wings at a time. The slope is decent, and with an east or southeast wind, it remains slightly downwind. However, with a bit of luck, you can soar dynamically over Punta Mesco, the promontory that closes the Gulf to the west. Be cautious where the takeoff area ends and the brambles begin, as the slope drops sharply, and the brambles are about a meter and a half deep.
Landing:
There are two landing zones, including a top-landing area that is not very large but manageable. Hang gliders usually prefer the long beach below the train station because it is long, although a bit narrow, especially in rough seas. Paragliders, to avoid interference during landing, usually land on the beach beyond the football field, also known as the Gigante beach due to the statue located under the villa at the end of the beach. The landing zones are not very large, but with some attention and a bit of wind to assist in the final approach, they are accessible to all pilots, and with the help of an instructor, even to students with some flights under their belt.
In flight:
With a south or southwest wind and the presence of the sun, there is good thermal activity at the landfill right in front of the takeoff. There are often two generous thermals, one towards the east (be careful not to descend too much towards the sea as there are no landing zones) and one right above the takeoff. To catch it, it is often necessary to gain altitude over the landfill and then return. Following the drift of these two thermals and reconnecting behind towards the mountains, interesting altitudes have been reached, especially on days when the meteorological wind was a north wind of about 6-8 km/h (which, overcome by the sea breeze, reaches about 1500-1800 meters above sea level).
With a southeast wind, you usually don't find anything until you are vertically above the train station. From there, you can dynamically catch the promontory of Punta Mesco, which offers very relaxing and enjoyable flights with a gain of about 200-300 meters. Depending on the sun, there are also good possibilities for thermodynamic flights, although statistically less frequent.
As with all coastal flights, flying over the beach and landing on it is prohibited from May 1 to September 30.
Region: Liguria - Italy
Site record: 3.3 km
For more information, visit: [Webshots](http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1246346984054977261MYMncT)
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