The Cinque Terre are one of the most beautiful Mediterranean natural areas in Liguria, along a stretch of the eastern coast about 10 km long. The area is marked by five ancient fishing villages perched high above the sea. The villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, known worldwide for their rare beauty, are considered one of Italy's most appealing tourist destinations. In 1997 the Cinque Terre were added by Unesco to the “WORLD HERITAGE LIST” with the following reasoning: “The eastern Ligurian riviera of the Cinque Terre is a cultural landscape of exceptional value that represents the harmonious interaction established between people and nature to produce a landscape of exceptional quality, one that expresses a traditional way of life going back a thousand years and that continues to play a leading socio-economic role in the life of the community.”
Thanks to the geographical and human features of the land on which they stand, the Cinque Terre are considered one of Italy's most evocative coastal attractions: their hilly setting, naturally harsh and rugged, is softened by the building of terraces, or fasce, for cultivation, and drops steeply towards the sea; where the sea winds its way into the land the villages appear, laid out following the natural shape of the hills. The perfect place for a holiday surrounded by nature and kissed by the sun. Here are the individual villages:
The village of Vernazza is one of the most beautiful in the Cinque Terre: famous the world over for its atmosphere, it is considered a jewel between sea and rock. Founded around the year 1000, it offers a unique landscape of dry stone walls and fields high above the sea, which define its beauty. The little town is crossed by steep, narrow lanes that run down to the main street and end in a small square in front of the harbour. Inside the village, described as one of the most beautiful Ligurian villages in Italy, you can admire fine architectural features such as loggias, arcades and portals.
What to visit:
• The church dedicated to S. Margherita d'Antiochia (right by the sea)
• The castello Doria, a symbol of the economic importance the village had in ancient times, and the former friars' convent, today the seat of the town council.
Manarola is a very distinctive village, with brightly coloured houses overlooking the main street. The village is laid out around the now covered course of the Groppo stream; from it run a series of narrow stone-paved alleys reaching the houses on the sides of the promontory and the vegetable gardens. Parallel to the main axis winds the route of the so-called via di Mezzo, which was of great importance for movement through the village before the stream was covered over. Of interest is the square above the built-up area, where the religious buildings are concentrated. A curiosity: the white-painted concrete pyramid that rises between the tallest houses is a trigonometric marker for sailors. From Manarola station also begins the Via dell'Amore, the famous path that links the village to Riomaggiore.
What to see:
• Via dell'Amore: the path has been closed for years because of a landslide. Recently only the first 200 metres from Manarola have been opened.
• The bell tower and the parish church of San Lorenzo, in Gothic style
• Very evocative is the last stretch of Via Belvedere, a real “balcony” high above the sea that ends in a panoramic little square.
The village of Riomaggiore dates back to around the 7th century and is an example of the beauty of the Cinque Terre and of their natural setting, dominated by Mediterranean vegetation. The houses are painted in the typical Ligurian colours and rise over two or three floors.
What to see:
• The Via dell'Amore, the path linking Riomaggiore to Manarola, famous for its enchanting and unforgettable views.
• The church of San Giovanni Battista, in neo-Gothic style, built in 1340
• The parish church of San Lorenzo, 1338, with its magnificent rose window dating from the 9th century.
• The Castello di Riomaggiore, built in 1260, stands on the rocky spur that separates the oldest part from the district that grew up near the station, and enjoys a stunning view.
Monterosso is the largest village in the Cinque Terre, with a wide beach, and its first historical records date back to 1200. The village is split in two by a promontory with a tunnel about a hundred metres long: on one side the Fegina area (Fegina residential district and railway station), on the other the old harbour (historic centre). It is precisely in the Fegina area, where the railway station is located, that there are many tourist and residential facilities, a long beach and an original statue 14 metres tall, Il Gigante, depicting the god Neptune. From here begins a rather demanding path with a stunning view which, in about an hour's walk, leads to Punta Mesco and then, with another hour and a half, on to Levanto. The old harbour area is full of “caruggi”, the narrow lanes typical of Liguria, where you can find wine bars, restaurants, focaccerie and gelaterie.
What to see:
- the parish church of San Giovanni Battista (dating from 1282).
- the church of San Francesco, attached to the Capuchin convent
- the Torre Aurora, built in the 16th century, now in private use.
- the statue of the Gigante
- on the hills of Monterosso, at 418 metres above sea level, the sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Soviore, whose origins go back to the Romanesque period.
Corniglia is the central village of the Cinque Terre, the only one not in contact with the sea: it stands on a rocky promontory about 100 metres high, in a hollow intensively planted with vineyards. It can be reached by the long Lardarina stairway, made up of 22 flights and 377 steps, or by the road that leads from the railway station to the village. If you arrive by train, take the bus from the station that will bring you to the main square. From the village of Corniglia you can explore an area surrounded by a magnificent network of paths, moving routes between overhanging rocks of bizarre shapes, sealed by the clear sea: a real “balcony” over the Cinque Terre.
What to see:
• The parish church of San Pietro
• The Oratory of the Disciplinati of San Caterina
By car: from Switzerland take the motorway and drive through the St Gotthard tunnel on the A2 towards Mendrisio, then the A2 towards Genoa
By train: coming from Switzerland there are several railway stops along the Ligurian coast between La Spezia and Genoa. A regional train service links the 5 villages with an average frequency of 3 trains an hour.
