Paradise really exists and we live in it!!! It’s incredible that just a few steps from our home (so to speak…) there are such wonderful landscapes: the Cinque Terre will leave you breathless with their trails among the rocks and train journeys through heavenly panoramas!
World Heritage Site since 1997 for the “harmonious interaction established between man and nature to create a landscape of exceptional quality”.
The Cinque Terre are five seaside villages: Manarola, Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare: all face the sea, only Corniglia is located on top of a cliff about 100 meters above sea level.
Transparent waters contrast with the harsh morphology of the territory, we are in the Mediterranean scrub… but for this reason, it is rich in citrus groves, olive trees, and vines.
Furthermore, in summer, there is also a ferry service that takes you from village to village (except Corniglia which is located high up) by sea.
Riomaggiore
The ancient village makes space between two steep hills that descend steeply towards the sea: a vertical spectacle of colored houses.
It is truly suggestive to walk through the typical narrow streets of this village. All the houses in Riomaggiore have a double entrance: one is located on the facade at the level of the alley, while the other is at the back, at the level of the upper street. The houses have had this particular structure since 1500 to allow a rapid escape route in case of Saracen raids.
Riomaggiore is one of the two ends of the Via dell’Amore. The trail is incredibly suggestive: rock, Mediterranean scrub, and the sound of waves breaking on the rocks.
Riomaggiore has a Castle on the Cerricò hill, offering a beautiful view of the sea and a charming parish church of San Giovanni Battista.
Manarola
Historians believe that the name Manarola refers to an ancient “magna Roea”, meaning “magna rota”, a large water mill wheel. In the lower part of the town, you can still appreciate the old mill. Proud and haughty, on the upper part of the city, stands the Church of San Lorenzo, built in 1338 in Ligurian Gothic style, consisting of three beautiful naves and Baroque interiors. Also not to be missed are the White Bell Tower, an ancient control and lookout tower, the historic Hospital of San Rocco, and the fifteenth-century Oratory of the Disciplinati della Santissima Annunziata. Obviously, sea lovers will not be disappointed: descending towards the marina, you will find small corners of paradise from which you can enjoy a truly breathtaking panorama.
Corniglia
To reach it, it is necessary to climb the Lardarina, a scenic brick staircase, 33 flights with 377 steps, or cross a carriage road that leads from the railway to the village; you can use the bus service or go on foot.
In the small village, you can visit the interesting Gothic parish of San Pietro and the eighteenth-century square of Largo Taragio with its Oratory of Santa Catherine, a small piece of magic.
Corniglia is a precious rough diamond, composed of small alleys and narrow streets carved into the rock, with a beautiful pebble beach, “lo Spiaggione”, caressed by a transparent and crystalline sea that you absolutely must not miss.
Vernazza
Located on an imposing cliff, Vernazza now rests peacefully, after having been in the past the starting and landing point of the naval forces that had the task of hindering the passage of the Saracens. The magical and time-suspended atmospheres of this charming village will enchant you: mysterious alleys hidden by the small and pretty red, yellow, and pink houses, which in the summer period are crowded with tourists from all over the world. Considered one of the hundred most beautiful villages in Italy, Vernazza preserves its long seafaring tradition intact, which has seen important commanders and sailors pass through here.
We recommend arriving by sea, perhaps by ferry from one of the Cinque Terre, from Portovenere or from La Spezia, the show will be enchanting!
Immediately after, you can dedicate yourself to visiting the church of Santa Margherita di Antiochia and the remains of the city’s ancient fortified structure: the 11th-century lookout tower, the Doria Castle, the Tower of the Convent of the Reformed Fathers of San Francesco, and the Belforte.
Also worth visiting is the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Reggio and its tree-lined square that will invite you to meditation, relaxation, and tranquility. To get to the sanctuary: you will have to follow a road in the middle of the Mediterranean scrub, which will make your path a bit impervious but decidedly adventurous and unforgettable.
Monterosso
Monterosso al Mare, it is impossible not to mention first the one who made this village his own corner of paradise “Eugenio Montale”: the Nobel prize winner spent the summer there and wrote about the place as a “rocky and austere village, a refuge for fishermen and peasants”.
The medieval Tower, today the bell tower of the Church of San Giovanni, the Castle overlooking the sea, with its three towers, and Torre Aurora, now transformed into a beautiful restaurant; the latter remains the only one of the 13 towers that in the 16th century surrounded and protected the village. In the historic center, you will encounter the church of San Giovanni Battista, discover the “new” part on the Mesco side “Fegina”, where you will find equipped beaches, and you can appreciate the Liberty villa of the Montale family.
To visit above the town, reaching it on foot or by bus or car, the **Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Soviore**, a convent located along the provincial road 38. Among woods and terraced fields near the carriage road between the municipalities of Monterosso and Levanto.
