|
|
 |
|
Cinque Terre
 |
A UNESCO designated site, the Cinque Terre offer natural beauties that can be admired from different perspectives, aside from the mind numbing thought at the efforts carried out to terrace and cultivate this never-flat land. |
| At Sea Level |
 Arriving from the north, the first village is Monterosso al Mare; the facade of the S. Giovanni Battista church underwent an interesting gothic renovation. From this point on, the itinerary is either on foot along a path that hugs the mountains and tracks the shoreline or alternating with boat rides between stops (a less exciting train route can also be chosen).
Vernazza is an ancient burg nestled around its port and its Devil's Grotto created by the sea's erosion (its name certainly derived by conditions in rough seas). The following village is Corniglia positioned on a terrace 100 meters above sea level. Manarola is somewhat similar in that the homes are at cliff's edge.
Finally, the path leads to Riomaggiore a typical Ligurian town of high narrow buildings, like chocolate boxes made to stand on their side. |
| Bird's Eye View |
 Another itinerary could be to explore each of the five sanctuaries: XIth century Nostra Signora di Soviore, the romanic Nostra Signora di Reggio, Nostra Signora delle Grazie & its XVIth century chapel, Nostra Signora della Salute and the amphitheater nearby and finally Nostra Signora di Montenero. Each is located at least 300 m above sea level and thus implies staircases of over 1000 steps or narrow muletrain passages. To visit at least one sanctuary gives a measure of the incidence of geography on daily lives and the panorama is worth the effort. |
| Portovenere |
 Located at the extreme tip of land, it seperates the Gulf of La Spezia from the Ligurian sea. Worthwhile architectural monuments include, Monterosso castello highlighting the panorama, the church of San Pietro (XIIIth century) and the church of San Lorenzo (XIIth century).
Across a very narrow body of water, the Palmaria islands have architectural treasures (the ruins of San Venerio) as well as natural ones (the blue grotto). |
|
|
 |
|
|
