CINQUE TERRE
The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It is in the Liguria region of Italy, to the west of the city of La Spezia, and is composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Over the centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea. Part of its charm is the lack of visible corporate development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside. The Cinque Terre area is a very popular tourist destination.
PORTOVENERE
Portovenere is a medieval fishing village situated just south of the Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. This charming village is well worth the visit and can be reached from the Cinque Terre by boat or from La Spezia by boat or by bus from the train station.
Portovenere, on the Gulf of Poets, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its picturesque harbor is lined with brightly colored houses while narrow medieval streets lined with shops lead up the hill from the ancient city gate to the castle.
The tip of the promontory holds a picturesque church. Byron's Cave is a rocky area leading to the sea from where from which Byron famously swam to visit his friends in Lerici on the other side of the gulf.
LERICI
Lerici is an attractive harbour town to the south-east of La Spezia, on a natural inlet on the Liguria coast (known here as the Riviera di Levante) of north-west Italy and across the gulf from Portovenere peninsula, with an attractive backdrop of rolling green hills.
Although popular with Italian visitors, Lerici is usually much less crowded than the (exceptionally busy) villages of the nearby Cinque Terre.
The town runs up the hill behind the sea and facing out over the attractive boat-filled harbour below. The castle is on a promontory to the east and the main beach to the west of the harbour. Lerici itself, especially around the harbour and Piazza Garibaldi, has lots of the tall, pastel coloured houses so typical of this part of the Italian coast and very pleasant public gardens.
The most interesting part of Lerici is the historical quarter around the Via del Ghetto between Piazza Garibaldi and the castle, and the stroll along the picturesque waterfront promenade - including of course a pause in one of the many restaurants. Start your exploration of the historic centre in the streets around the main square in the centre of Lerici, the Piazza Garibaldi.