The “Cinque Terre” are one the most uncontaminated and widest mediterrean area in Liguria, a kingdom of nature and wild scents. To visit the “Cinque terre” means to discover five different towns suspended between land and sea, situated on steep reefs and surrounded by green hills: it means to know the history of people struggling with a rough land, but also to taste the results of its efforts in the particularity of its wines and products.
To visit these towns means to learn the culture of the dry-stone walls, of the vineyards, of fishermen and their nets, of steep dales and their country lanes.
In the “Cinque Terre” it is possibile to choose between a dive into the sea and a climb on the hills, a nice walk through the typical streets called “carruggi” and a boat trip, a pilgrimage to a sanctuary and eating some fresh fish.

A unique landscape, where man and nature have always lived together in a perfect harmony.

Riomaggiore
Starting from La Spezia, the first town to meet is “Riomaggiore”. Vertically developed, the town is crossed by stairs and steps, which surround the typical houses, crowded together and painted with the typical ligurian colours. In Riomaggiore begins the famous “Via dell’Amore” (the love lane), a path carved into the rocks, perpendicularly to the sea, which lead to Manarola, the second town of the “Cinque Terre”. Walking on this romantic path, which is famous all over the world, it is possible to see the fabulous landscape, to listen to the sound of the waves splitting on the rocks and to smell the saltish air. Probably thanks to this strong sensation of dipping in the landscape, the inhabitants of the town decided to dedicate the path to the greatest feeling, Love.

Manarola
Situated on a steep promontory of dark rocks, with its small port held by two rocky cliffs, Manarola is the second town of the “Cinque Terre”. Its houses seem to build a unique stone block, settled on the hill as a huge castle, vertically on the sea. Behind Manarola it is possibile to behold the typical terraces with the vineyards and the dry-stone walls; going down to the sea we find charming walks and panoramic views of an extraordinary beauty.
Among these ones, the “Via dell’Amore”, which connects Manarola to Riomaggiore, is the most famous. On the road between Manarola and Volastra, we find the cooperative store for the sale of wine (Cantina sociale) of the “Cinque Terre” Agricultural Co-op (Cooperativa Agricola delle Cinque Terre), which offers the chance to be present at the production of the famous local wines during booked guided visits. It is an interesting experience, which will allow the visitors to know deeply one of the rarest and most prestigious product of this area, to know better these towns culture and to taste more consciously a stunning wine.

Corniglia
Corniglia differs from the other towns of the “Cinque Terre”, because it is not straight on the sea, but it is settled on the top of an at least 100 metres tall promontory, which has a side vertically on the sea and the others sorrounded by vineyards and terraces. To reach Corniglia it is necessary to climb up the “Lardarina”, a long brick stair made of 33 flights of 377 steps or to pass through a carriage road which lead from the railway to the town.From downstairs, Corniglia seems a small stone jewel with its narrow lanes and a terrace carved into the rock, from which it is possibile to admire the other four towns.

Vernazza
The town of Vernazza has conserved the appearence of sea-town more than the others, thanks to its safe and comfortable harbour and a seafaring tradition well-known since the ancient times. Its houses -of the same typology of the tower-houses of Manarola, Riomaggiore and Monterosso - are crossed by a thick net of narrow “carruggi”. The houses are settled on different levels, which show always new corners and views as the “Palazzo Porticato”, close to the sea and accessible through a narrow passage.

Monterosso
The town of Monterosso is characterized by its older part - a medieval historical centre - which is wider than the ones of the other four towns and by its modern residential quarter, which stretches along the beach, on the coast. In the past, Monterosso had important tunny fishing nets, which made the town famous for its catch of fish and especially for its salt anchovies and the “scabeccio”, pickled fried fish conserved in wooden keg. The originary centre was on St. Cristoforo hill (which today divides the town in two areas) and extended along the banks of the stream Branco. Monterosso Vecchio has conserved untouched and has the same particularities of the other Cinque Terre’s towns: the typical tower-houses crossed by the narrow “carruggi”. Monterosso’s beach is the widest on the Cinque Terre coast and alternates sand parts to lonely rocks. Its coast and the urbanistic development of the new quarter are the causes of its touristic vocation, which represents the main hotel receptivity of the La Spezia coast.