Cinque Terre

Early morning we board the ferry to Cinque Terre.   Our boat sails towards Cinque Terre, through the bay of Ria Rrigoso, famous for its shipyards.  We round the Punta Baffe and see Moneglia, native town of the painter Luca Cambiaso.   The boat continues past La Spezia, Deiva Marina, which was established during the middle ages and then to Framura, whose hamlets find a natural amphitheater sloping down to the sea.   After Bonassola, a small sea village, the boat sails towards Mesco's Promontory passing through the open sea of Levanto, a rather large town which is surrounded by a lot of hamlets which are rich in history and culture with old monuments.

Between Punta Mesco and Capo di Montenero, we saw the Avide Gulf where the five famous towns of MONTEROSSO,VERNAZZA, CORNIGLIA, MANAROLA AND RIOMAGGIORE have been known since 1448 as the CINQUE TERRE-5 lands.  These five villages are located in and on the rock ledges.  Men have modified throughout the cenfuries by growing there famous vines.

Stone and salty air, sun and wind are the Ovine of Cinque Terre, and help create one of the best grapes from the best harvest. New generations are less inclined to lead an existence of labor and surviving in a primordial agricultural world.  However they can still take advantage of the chances given to them by the tourists of all nationalities via car, train, or boat to enjoy the quiet ease of the small towns and lie in the sun on the naked rocks, walk around backpack on their shoulder, or stroll tenderly hand in hand across the well-known Via dell'Amore.

The cliff of Torre Aurora in Monterosso dates back to the 16th century and neatly divides the historical center from the most recent settlements in Fegina.  Fegina has grown westward close to the only wide and sandy beach in that area.

In the ancient village, quite well conserved and dominated from above by the ruins of thd old "castrum" Obertengo, you can find  the interesting church of St. GIOVANNI BATTISTA built

between 1244 and 1307.  This church is a beautiful examples of the Ligurian Gothic style.  On the side, there is an embattled bell tower, born as a fortification and then raised in the 15th century. 

In Soviore on Monterosso's high grounds, there is the ancient Sanctury of Madonna di Soviore a shrine.  Here is more information on that.  

As the tourists arrive by sea, Vernazza revealed itself without any shyness or reluctance.  The characteristic place crowded with the restaurant tables and framed by the lively harbor.  Colorful houses and the beautiful parish church of Santa Margherita d'Antio (11th to 13th century), also greeted everyone who entered the city.  

Along the main street you can find the shops where you can enjoy the taste of the famous white Ovine of the Cinque Terre, or where you can find the faithful souvenir. Here there was a labyrinth of steep stairs and streets running around the houses among arches and gates, leading you to the ruins of the powerful fortification still overlooking the village .

Now we head to the Poets Gulf the gulf of La Spezia a deep creek, which stretches itself from Porto Venere to Ponta Bianca.  As we arrive from the sea, you embrace in a single glance the unique scenary, with the Apuane Alps rising above the coast of Versilla coast.

In the nearby town of San Terenzo, the 1822 romantic english poet Percy H. Shelley and his wife Mary Shelley (who wrote Frankenstein) once lived.  While living there he shared the pleasure in the

company of Lord Byron and enjoyed the beauty of this place.

Today thanks to the celebrity of these and other famous vistas, the gulf of La Spezia to the Golfo dei Poeti (Poets Gulf) have become destinations for many to visit.  It is an experience to explore the originality of these landscapes.

We finally settle into a small Osteria on Porto Venere for lunch.   Our meal starts with Testoroli with pesto, stuffed mussels and fresh anchovy and a little wine of course.  With a full belly we board our boat for the two hour ride home.   Dinner will commence later in the evening at one of Raffaele's favorite pizza restaurants.  Sending you love from the Italian Coast!