THE CINQUE TERRE The Cinque Terre is a jagged stretch of coastline of the Ligurian Riviera located in the Spezia area between Punta Mesco and Punta di Montenero: it includes five hamlets once named “lands” that’s Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. The “National Park of Cinque Terre”, founded in 1999, with its 3.868 hectares wide surface, is one of Italy's smallest National Parks and the most populated at the same time, with about 4.000 inhabitants distributed in the five villages. What makes this territory special in comparison with other natural parks, is that here the natural environment has been deeply changed by human actions. For centuries the inhabitants of the Cinque Terre sectioned the steep slopes of the hills to obtain stripes of land to cultivate them. All of those narrow flat portions of land called "ciàn" are supported by dry-stone walls. This is the real characterizing feature of the Cinque Terre, with an unusual and deeply anthropized landscape: this is why this is the Park of Man, a territory that has become a World Heritage. The Park encloses as well a Marine Protected Area including Riomaggiore, Vernazza, Monterosso and a small part of Levanto, and The Cetacean Sanctuary that’s a sea protected area characterized by particular environmental conditions that made the nourishment and reproduction of cetaceans possible. Here the presence of about 1.000 whales has been registered, 30.000 to 40.000 among spotted dolphins, common bottlenose dolphins and short-beaked common dolphins. In the Marine Protected Area you can also enjoy swim path ( a 700mt long sea path near the coastline) or underwater itineraries as the following ones: Corniglia Landslide, The Panettone, The Love Trail, Punta Mesco, Pineda shallows, Lobster shallows and specific itineraries for people with disabilities. RIOMAGGIORE Via dell’Amore - Love Trail The Castle Located in the valley of the Rivus Maior stream, now covered, Riomaggiore is the first town arriving from La Spezia. According to the tradition the town dates back to the VIII century when a group of greek fugitives from the persecution of Leone III found shelter here. The houses painted with typical traditional colours, follow the scheme of the twer houses and are structured in 3 or 4 plants. In Riomaggiore starts The Love trail that takes to Manarola, a very suggestive pedestrian street with beautiful landscapes. Must to see locations: S.Giovanni Battista Montenero Shrine S.Rocco oratory MANAROLA Manarola has very old origins. It was founded by the inhabitants of the probably roman settlement of «Volastra». Sited on a sharp promontory of dark rock the town is structured around the course, now covered, of the Groppo brook and it is characterized by tower houses defending the village. Manarola is the calmest of the Cinque terre villages, later discovered by tourists: from here you can enjoy the super panoramic Love trail to Riomaggiore. Must to see locations: Via dell’Amore - Love Trail «Nostra Signora della Salute» S.Lorenzo The Bastion shrine CORNIGLIA The origin of Corniglia dates back to the Roman time and its name derives from «Gens Cornelia», the roman family owner of the place. Located on a hundred of meters high steep promontory, close to a hill rich in vineyards from which you can admire all the other four towns of Cinque Terre, Corniglia it’s the only hamlet that does not face directly the sea. To reach the city centre it’s necessary to climb up the «Lardarina» a long stair formed by 377 steps, or down the street from the train station. From Corniglia you can reach Vernazza walking down the road running halway up the hill between the top of the mountain and the sea. Must to see locations: S.Pietro «Nostra Signora S.Caterina delle Grazie» shrine oratory VERNAZZA This noble and refined hamlet founded around the year 1000 take name from the Roman ancient family «Gens Vulnetia»: to them belonged the slaves that, once liberated, founded the town. Vernazza was once the most prosperous village of Cinque Terre and the historical centre conserves beautiful architectural elements as lodges, arcades and portals. It develops on a rocky spur along the Vernazzola brook, now covered. The town presents a big number of side streets connected by steep stairs and it is dotted by defensive constructions and tower houses. Must to see locations: Vernazza fortified tower Doria Castle S.Francesco convent S. Margherita of Antiochia MONTEROSSO A MARE Monterosso al Mare is the most western town of Cinque Terre. The village is protected by hills covered with vineyards and olive groves and offers beautiful beaches, steep rugged cliffs and crystalline waters. The Aurora Tower, sited on the hill of San Cristoforo, divides the old medieval hamlet from the new part of the village, developed along the Fegina beach. Old Monterosso is dominated by the ruins of the castle and characterized by typical tower-houses crossed by the typical «carruggi», narrow medieval streets. Must to see locations: Cappuccini monks «Confraternita dei convent Bianchi» oratory The giant Neptunus S. Giovanni Battista The castle and the fortified towers PATHS & TOUR The paths of the Cinque Terre have been the only connection between the villages, and between the villages and the hinterland for centuries. Today the path network, developing along more than 120 kilometers, allows visitors to admire and enjoy the whole territory, through different types of paths. The 3 main paths, all well indicated and marked by red and white sign, are the following: - Path1 or High Path running down the crest that divides the coastline from Val di Vara valley - «Road of shrines» running halfway up the hill, linking the main worhship buildings - Path 2 better know as Blue Path, linking all the 5 villages: the famous and suggestive «Love Trail» «Via dell’amore», perched right over the sea, is part of this path. MOST POPULAR PATHS BLUE PATH Is the most important and it is constantly curated and improved, so the passage is paid. The path starts from Riomaggiore to reach Monterosso crossing Manarola, Corniglia and Vernazza and is about 12 km long. - The first stretch, between Riomaggiore and Manarola, is even better known as the “Love trail”. It is the shortest one (about 1 km) and is undoubtedly the easiest one (duration about 30 min). - The second stretch, between Manarola and Corniglia, is 2.8 km long and takes about 1 hour to walk. - The third stretch, between Corniglia and Vernazza, is 3.5 km long and it takes almost 2 hours. - The fourth stretch, between Vernazza and Monterosso, is the longest and most demanding. It is 3.8 km long and requires no less than 2 hours. RIOMAGGIORE RING Is a beautiful, family-friendly pathway that allows you to enjoy, with some effort, all the magnificent beauty of our Cinque Terre. It consists of reaching the overlying Sanctuary of Montenero and returning to the country through a different path. To do this, there is a shorter, but very demanding, journey and one longer and, of course, less tiring. HIGH PATH Is an ancient mule track, perhaps dating back to Roman times, which runs along the watershed that separates the coast from the hinterland. The full path, most of which is in the Cinque Terre, starts from Levanto to the west and ends at Porto Venere, east, developing for more than 40 km and touching 800 meters with a total altitude of about 1300 meters. Crossed by many side paths that go down to the sea, and to the capital and Val di Vara, the High Path is very linear and clean, fairly demanding, but accessible to all. Drive all the way requires at least 10 hours, but it is advisable to split it in several stages, stopping in the refreshment points you meet along the way: Stage 1: Monterosso - Monte Marvede (677 m.) Stage 2: Monte Marvede (677 m.) – Telegrafo (513 m.) Stage 3: Telegrafo (513 m.) - Riomaggiore THEMED ITINERARIES BY FOOT . Itinerary of the terraced vineyards Riomaggiore - Manarola - Groppo - Volastra - Case Pianca - Corniglia Departure: Riomaggiore Arrival: Corniglia Lenght: 7,82 km Duration: 3 hours 15 min. Return Time: 3 hours 15 min. Itinerary of the Ancient settlements Riomaggiore - Lemmen - Monesteroli - Campiglia - Fossola Lunghezza: 11,2 km Duration: 3 hours 45 min. Return time: 3 hours 45 min. Nature Itinerary Departure: Monterosso Arrival: Monterosso Lenght: 11,4 km Duration: 3 hours 45 min. Return time: 3 hours 45 min. Itinerary of the Shrines and Churches Departure: Monterosso Arrival: Riomaggiore Lenght: 27,2 km Duration: 5 hours 45 min. Return time: 5 hours 45 min. THE SHRINES To each of these five villages of the Cinque Terre, halfway up the hill, corresponds a “Santuario” (Shrine-Sanctuary) to which the inhabitants have always been tied by profound devotion. Five churches linked to their respective villages by steep mule-tracks, real “Via Crucis” routes still used today by believers during annual «Madonna of Montenero» shrine Festivals. (Riomaggiore) The Via dei Santuari - Road of the Sanctuaries, whit its horizontal route linking all five buildings of worship, is of great historic and naturalistic interest. We are dealing with a historic itinerary, to do on foot, on horseback or by bicycle, which crosses terraced land allotments, old cottages, small groups of houses, often abandoned, and which gives incomparable views of the Cinque Terre and notable points of historic and spiritual reflection. «Nostra Signora delle Grazie» shrine A simple route, easy for anyone, which can be split up into stages. San Bernardino (Corniglia-Vernazza) «Nostra Signora of Soviore» «Madonna of Reggio» shrine «Nostra Signora della Salute» shrine (Monterosso) (Vernazza) shrine - Volastra (Manarola) FOOD & WINE SPECIALTIES Typical Recipes: «Farinata» , Fried Anchovies, Tagliatelle with Pesto sauce, Stockfish with chard, Zucchini flowers croquette, Focaccia Bread, «Sgabeo», Rice savoury pie.