The Cinque Terre Top 10

The village of Riomaggiore rise between two craggy hills that slopes into the sea. It looks like a creche with all its little colored houses built vertically and its really suggestive to have a walk in these alleys, where lights and shadows create very particular effects. The originality of Riomaggiore’s houses is due to the fact that each one has two entry: one is at level of one street the other is at level of the upper street. The houses had this particular structure since 1500 to allow a fast escape route in case of Saracenic raids. In Riomaggiore starts the well known Via dell’Amore, a paved path dug into the rock, that finish in Manarola. The path is wonderful, you’ll walk among nature hearing the sound of waves breaking on the rocks. Riomaggiore is a shy town, that makes slowly discover itself, revealing little by little its Castello sul colle di Cerricò, that has a beauty panorama overlooking the sea, or the church of San Giovanni Battista.

Manarola is a delicate colors picture, reign of the olive trees, with a characteristic village where the houses look like the natural prosecution of the narrow and long cliff. The historians believe that the name of this town comes from “magna rota”, litterally “big wheel”, where for “wheel” it means a wheel of a water mill. In the lower city you can still see the old mill or oil mill, that was recently restored. In the high part of the town there’s the church of San Lorenzo, built in 1338 in Gothic style, with three beautiful naves and baroque interiors. You must not miss the “White bell tower” an ancient watchtower, the ancient San Rocco Hospital and the Oratory of Disciplinati della Santissima Annunziata dated around 1400. Clearly the sea lovers won’t be disappointed: going down in direction of the beach you’ll find a lot of corner from which you’ll enjoy a breathtaking view.

The ancient Roman village of Corniglia is situated on an impressive cliff about 100 meters high. It’s the only town in the Cinque Terre that can’t be reached from the sea. Therefore to reach Corniglia is necessary to walk up the “Landarina”, an exhausting brick flight of steps (the flight are 33 and the steps 377), or, if you prefer, you can follow the vehicular road that, from the station, leads to the village. The name of the town “Corniglia” comes from the name of a Latin farmer “Corneliu” who produced the well known white wine, already famous at Romans time. In the delightful village you could visit the Gothic church of San Pietro and the XVIII century square “largo Taragio” with the Oratory of Santa Caterina, that stands over the houses. Corniglia is a valuable jewel, made of alleys and little streets dug into the rock, a beautiful pebble beach called “Spiaggione” and a transparent and crystalline sea that you must not miss.

Vernazza is situated on an impressive cliff, nowadays is a calm seaside village but, in the past, it was the harbor from which the boats, that was charged to protect the coasts from the Saracens, sailed.
The magical atmosphere of this village is going to charm you: mysterious alleys, hidden among the little and lovely red, yellow and pink houses, that in the summertime become crowded of tourists coming from all the world. Vernazza is considered one of the hundred most beautiful village of Italy and it preserves its maritime vocation, therefore we suggest you to reach this town by sea to see at once the beautiful port starred by delicate colors houses. After then you can visit the church of Santa Margherita of Antiochia and the remains of the ancient fortress: the towers of the XI century and the Doria’s castle, the tower of the friary of Padri riformati di San Francesco and the tower Belforte. The wonder Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Reggio has a tree-lined square that will invite you to meditation and relax. It isn’t easy to reach the Sanctuary, you’ll have to walk a wild road among the nature. Maybe it will be hard but it is really worth it.

Monterosso is the place that Eugenio Montale loved most: here the Italian writer, who won the Nobel prize in 1975, used to spend its summers. Monterosso inspired some of its verses as: “rocky stern town, asylum for fishermen and farmers.” This village maintains its maritime tradition and it still has signs of the past sea battles: the medieval tower that now is the bell tower of San Giovanni Church, the castle that overlooks the sea with its three round towers, and the Aurora tower, the only one survived of thirteen towers that protected the village. Once you arrive in Monterosso’s narrow and labyrinthine alleys you could choose if you want to spend your time in the centro storico of the town, where the church of San Giovanni battista stands over, or you can stay in the modern Fegina with its equipped beach and where you can also see the Montale family liberty style villa. Moreover Monterosso’s sandy beach is the biggest of the Cinque Terre, so if you love to spend your holidays having sunbath this will be the right place

The first route we suggest you to do is the one that goes from Manarola to Corniglia (it will takes 3-4 hours). Starting from Manarola, in via Roma precisely, you’ve to rise the principal street of the village, the one that group together all the characteristic alleys. Very soon asphalt disappear leaving you on a country street surrounded by gardens and irrigation canals, keep going until you get to the asphalted street again. Then you’ll find a stairway in front of you, go up and you’ll be in Volastra. Once in Volastra you’ve to pass through the vineyards and nearby the Sanctuary of Nostra signora della Salute. While walking on this street look in the direction of the sea, you’ll see a beautiful color puzzle, those are Manarola’s houses. Continue walking on the provincial street of the Sanctuaries (strada provinciale dei Santuari) you’ll pass on suggestive ground belts hanged over the sea. Once arrived to Corniglia you’ll be surrounded by the fragrance of the chestnut trees, pines and holm oaks until you arrive to the beautiful church of San Pietro. Seeing that this is not a short walk you could take the train to go back home.

The second route we want to suggest is the one that goes from Riomaggiore to Monterosso, passing through the other three lands: Corniglia, Manarola and Vernazza. This path is divided in four itinerary: the first one is known as “via dell’amore” (street of love) and links Riomaggiore with Menarola. The second links Manarola with Corniglia, the third Corniglia with Vernazza and the last Vernazza with Monterosso. The via dell’amore it’s a suggestive and romantic path where you can find the original “bar dell’amore” (love bar) that has a beautiful balcony that overlooks the sea. The way Manarola – Corniglia starts at Manarola’s station where, once you’ve passed through the tunnel, you’ve to choose: if you go left, you’ll go in direction of the seacoast and then go up on the ancient pavement which passes nearby the graveyard, if you go right you’ll have a walk on the promenade Birolli di Punta Bonfiglio, up to Palaedo stopover. The route that brings from Corniglia to Vernazza starts from the Ponte del Canale (Canal bridge) in Corniglia until you reach the panoramic point that overlooks Guvano’s beach. Moving beyond the Guvano’s bay, you’ll have to climb a street that arrive about 208 meters high, where rise a village called Prevo. Then you can take the way down in direction of Vernazza. The last path brings from Vernazza to Monterosso. From Vernazza’s square you’ve to walk on the panoramic Costa Messorano, walking the Cravarla valley and Linaro coast, up to the valley of Fosso Mulinaro. Once arrived on the Acquapendente basin you’ll have to go down on a steep stairway to reach Punta Corone and then continue in direction of Monterosso.

The Sanctuaries path walks through wonderful territories, but has a deep historical valency too: some historians say that part of this path, during Bronze age, was an important communication. The Sanctuaries that dominate on the village of the Cinque Terre are five: Nostra Signora di Montenero in Riomaggiore, Nostra Signora delle Grazie in San Bernardino, in Corniglia, Nostra Signora della Salute in Volastra Manarola, Nostra Signora di Soviore, in Monterosso and Nostra Signora di Reggio, in Vernazza. The most ancient sanctuaries are Vernazza, Monterosso and Volastra ones, while more recent are the Riomaggiore and Corniglia ones. The street that brings in these places of worship it’s perfect for trekking lovers, with its tortuous streets, its beauty corners and its incredible panorama that. From there on a clear day you can even see Corsica.

The typical dishes of the Cinque Terre are very essential and simple, they maintain unaltered their natural perfume and taste. Cinque Terre main course is seafood: breams, anchovy, squids, you can have it grilled, fried or roasted. They’re always delicious. All the specialties are often enriched with aromatics herbs, that grow in all the territory, such as: marjoram, oregano and thyme. Moreover we must not forget the olive oil which is an other typical product of this territory. Cinque Terre’s food is suitable for vegetarians too, vegetables are important ingredients of these dishes. For example you can eat a delicious minestrone soup prepared with Swiss chards, artichokes, cabbages, leeks and potatoes. We suggest you drink the white wine, that is an other typical product of the area, and at the end of your meal drink a glass of Sciachetrà, (it’s a wine “passito”, strong sweet wine made with raisins), it helps digestion and it’s very good too.