Liguria is a fantastic region inhabited by generations of sailors<\/strong>. In fact, it is the land of origin of Christopher Columbus<\/strong>, born in the city of Genoa in 1451.<\/p>\n In Liguria the natural beauties add up to the cultural and historical heritage. All of this can be seen in one of the most stunning touristic destination of Italy: the Cinque Terre<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The Cinque Terre \u00a0is the name give to a portion of the coastline to the west of the city of<\/strong>\u00a0La Spezia<\/strong>. It comprises five villages:<\/strong>\u00a0Monterosso al Mare,\u00a0Vernazza,\u00a0Corniglia,\u00a0Manarola, and\u00a0Riomaggiore<\/strong>. The origin of some of these villages dates back to the 11th century. Since most of the coastline is rocky, <\/strong>these villages are usually small and secluded.<\/strong> Their buildings have a particular architectural style and are built on terraces.<\/p>\n They didn\u2019t changed over the centuries.<\/p>\n It isn\u2019t very easy to reach these villages. They <\/strong>are connected by p<\/strong>aths, trains and boats<\/strong>. It\u2019s almost impossible to reach them by car.<\/p>\n I think that this isolation is one of the reason why the CInque Terre aro so appreciated by tourists from all over the world.<\/p>\n Let me give a brief overview of the 5 villages.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Monterosso al Mare is <\/strong>the westernmost of the Cinque Terre villages<\/strong>. And probably the most visited!<\/p>\n The reason is simple: the beautiful and wide sandy beach <\/strong>that goes into a intense blue sea is perfect for taking pictures! Moreover, the village has several facilities <\/strong>to appropriately welcome the tourists.<\/p>\n Monterosso al Mare is divided into an old<\/strong> part<\/strong> and a modern part, separated by the Aurora tower<\/strong>, a fortified tower built around the year 1000 to defend the city from pirates. The Tower is built on a strip of rocky land that stretches to the sea. Despite its bare appearance is really scenic. Deep cliffs, terraces with olive trees, vines and lemons, and a myriad of dry stone walls create the typical landscape of this village.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A flood hit the Cinque Terre in 2011, but Vernazza is still a charming village.<\/p>\n It is dominated by the remains of a medieval castle<\/strong>. The colored buildings are all along the central street from which numerous stairways depart to reach the doorways. The central square overlooks the small natural harbor. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Corniglia is totally <\/strong>different<\/strong>. It is located on a steep promontory<\/strong>, a hundred meters above the sea level. This position makes it almost inaccessible! Y<\/strong>ou must <\/strong>climb a long brick staircase with 377 steps to reach the village<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Corniglia is different also for the architecture<\/strong>. The buildings are lower and but decorated. There isn\u2019t a castle, only the ruins of an old tower.<\/p>\n Its difficult position makes Corniglia a very quiet village<\/strong> from which you can enjoy spectacular views on the sea.<\/p>\n Corniglia is also the smallest<\/strong> of the villages.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Manarola is partly perched on a steep promontory<\/strong>. The houses are clung to the rock. They are built on different levels and frame a small port on an intense blue sea.<\/p>\n Manarola had a castle but it didn\u2019t survive. What\u2019s left has been transformed into a private house. Only its circular walls <\/strong>reminds of the ancient building.<\/p>\n A particular detail of Manarola is a white pyramid<\/strong> that shows up between the highest buildings. Is it a Masonic message? No, it\u2019s a trigonometric signal for sailors.<\/p>\nTHE CINQUE TERRE<\/h2>\n
\nThe whole area is part of the\u00a0Cinque Terre National Park\u00a0<\/strong>and is a\u00a0<\/strong>UNESCO\u00a0<\/strong>World Heritage Site<\/strong>.<\/p>\n![\"Cinque-Terre-Villages-monterosso-al-mare\"](\"https:\/\/www.my-rental-homes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Cinque-Terre-Villages-monterosso-al-mare-1.jpg\")
<\/a>MONTEROSSO AL MARE<\/h2>\n
\nSince it is a private home I don\u2019t think it can be visited.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/a>VERNAZZA<\/h3>\n
\nThe whole view is enchanting, especially if you reach Vernazza by sea.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/a>CORNIGLIA<\/h3>\n<\/a>MANAROLA<\/h3>\n