The first leg is 5,5 km long with an overall height difference of 500 metres. The highest point (450 metres) is reached at Santa Caterina. The completion of this walk takes 2 hours. The path begins in the square of Portovenere, in front of the 'entrance' to the village, which dates back to 1113. There is a steep climb that passes by the castle on one's left, reaching the Canese quarry (where Portoro marble was extracted) and the tarmac road that leads to Forte Muzzerone. One has a view of vertical walls, overlooking the sea and used for rock climbing practice. After a while, the path begins to climb again up the slopes of Monte Castellana, with numerous rocky parts. For a short stretch one links up with the path to Campiglia but the main path continues into a pinewood up to the top of the hill. An old windmill, used for making chestnut flour, marks the locality of Campiglia, a small, medieval village with a semi-circle outlay. This is the crossroads for numerous paths. From Campiglia, one can reach the sea, with steep and long stairs reaching the small beach of Punta Persico and climbing back up 2000 steps again.