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AREA:
10 sq km.
POPULATION:
1,891 HEIGHT
FROM SEA LEVEL (m): 35 WEB
SITE:
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The
first coastal town west of Portovenere is Riomaggiore, the first of the
Cinque Terre. The name derives from "rivus major", which is
today crossed by the steep main road lined on both sides with houses that
slope down in the direction of the sea. Originating in the fourteenth
century, it separated from the community of Biassa in 1343. The landscape
is dominated by Mediterranean maquis, from the steep cliffs to the paths
that climb up to Monte Parodi, beyond which you can see the Gulf of La
Spezia: one of these paths leaves the town and rises rapidly up to the
400-metre altitude where the sanctuary of the Madonna di Montenero is
situated. This is the first that you come to on the "road of
sanctuaries", which runs along the upper parts of the Cinque Terre.
The church of San Giovanni Battista dates from 1341. All that is left of
the thirteenth-century castle is the outer wall and the ruins of the two
towers, which can be visited in the panoramic location of Colle Cerricò.
On the promontory of Torre Guardiola, where a fortress once stood, there
is now a nature path for birdwatching enthusiasts. There is also an
original open-air workshop for creative writing.
Manarola forms part of the same municipality and is very similar to
Riomaggiore, to which it is connected by the famous Via dell'Amore that is
carved into the hillside and by a short railway tunnel. This town,
however, is older and is referred to in documents dating from the
thirteenth century. The parish church of San Lorenzo, with a Gothic façade
and rosace, dates back to 1338. Volastra, a town founded in Roman times,
stands on the road to Corniglia and preserves its original layout.
Riomaggiore forms part of the Cinque Terre National Park, which is also a
marine reservation: the many rare plant and animal species are protected
and fishing is strictly regulated. All sea sports can be practised here,
from diving (there is a special diving centre) to sailing.
The superior quality wine of the Cinque Terre is a white wine of world
renown: it is a raisin wine similar to "sciacchetrà" and is
very hard to find. The painter Telemaco Signorini was born in Riomaggiore.
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