Portovenere

The ancient "Portus Veneris" was originally a Benedictine colony, with settlements on the three islands opposite (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto). Later, it became a strategic location during the war between Genoa and Pisa before it was conquered by the Aragonese in the 15th century. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, it was a place of retreat loved by Byron and Shelley. In 1998, Porto Venere, the Cinque Terre and the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto were recognised as UNESCO World Heritage sites. At first sight, the compact rows of tall, colourful houses are certainly enchanting. A mass of tower-houses, all crowded together. Beyond this wall of colour, from the marina with its boat moorings or from the parallel streets with their tiny shops and homes, you can enter the village itself, with its incredibly narrow and often very steep streets, known as "capitoli". You then proceed along the alleyway (Via Cappellini), that leads to the esplanade in front of St Peter's Church, on the peak of the promontory, built in a striped Gothic style, with a large bell tower for defensive use. You can take boat to reach Palmaria island, with its characteristic vegetation, and Tino island, with its lighthouse and the remains of an abbey.