Cinque Terre Park (Five Lands) in Italy – photo, description, history, attractions, map
In 1860, the Florentine painter Telemaco Signorini, known for his landscapes, met two women in a market in the Italian city of La Spezia. They were dressed so unusually that they were interested in a creative person. Telemaco, curious about what kind of people they were and where they lived, followed them through the mountains and ended up in Riomaggiore, one of the five villages that now make up the Cinque Terre park.
The painter was amazed by the magnificence of the local nature, fell in love with these places and even stayed here to live. Inspired by the views of the Ligurian coast, he created several masterpieces and sent them to Florence, Venice, London, Paris, where they were appreciated by art historians. So the whole world learned about the extraordinary beauty of the western Italian Riviera.
Cinque Terre National Park
About ten kilometers of the coast is occupied by the “Five Lands” nature reserve, as translated from the Italian “Cinque Terre”. Terrible rocky shores, turbulent seas, mountains covered with vineyards, orange and olive groves, picturesque beaches, mostly rocky, but there are also sandy ones. Until the beginning of the last century, these places were difficult to reach for travelers. And today, it seems that the local population lives the same way as in the Middle Ages. Narrow and tall houses, located on the rocks, are painted in bright colors. Drying linen, hung right on the windows, adds peace and tranquility to the dwellings.
Park infrastructure
The park consists of five tiny towns, interconnected by hundreds of paths and a railway that runs mostly through tunnels in the rocks. “Road of Love” is the name of the largest footpath along the coast. Walking along it, tourists can fully enjoy the magnificent pictures of untouched nature, the sound of the surf, clean air. Listen to lyrical melodies performed by local musicians, in open cafes and restaurants enjoy the taste of white wine, which local craftsmen are famous for, taste pasta and seafood cooked right in front of visitors.
City of Vernazza
The visiting card of the Cinque Terre is the town of Vernazza. Once upon a time it consisted of two parts: a peasant village, located on the hills, and a fishing village, by the sea. Anchovies, caught here in a special way and cooked according to old recipes, are famous all over the world. But the main attraction of these places is not the cuisine, although gourmets will appreciate the efforts of the local culinary specialists.
Vernazza is a very ancient town. The first settlers from Greece came here around the 7th century. Two or three centuries later, these places were distinguished by economic growth, largely due to impregnability, both from land and from the sea. And the Doria family who then ran the coast.
sights
Part of the village and a medieval fortress are located on a rock protruding into the sea. This is Doria Castle and the Belforte Tower next to it, built in the 11th century. The ancient building is now in excellent condition. From its observation deck offers amazing views of the sea and the coast. So the guards watched the approaching pirate ships and protected their homes from robberies.
The outstanding attraction of the village is the Church of St. Margaret of Antioch. It was erected in the 11th or 12th century, scientists have not determined exactly. It was repeatedly reconstructed and modified, in 1751 it acquired its original appearance in the Romanesque architectural style. The altar and some elements inside are in their original form. The foundations of the temple are washed by the waves, already calm, thanks to the natural breakwater that protects the port of Vernazza from the unpredictable sea.
The church of St. Francis, built in the 17th century, stands next to the clock tower, built in the 16th century, and the remains of more ancient walls, which serve simply as an architectural monument. There are many places of great religious significance for the indigenous population in the district.
Particularly noteworthy is the Temple of the Black Madonna of the 16th century, or the Cathedral of Reggio, as it is also called. It contains an image of the face of the Black Madonna. The locals revere him sacredly. A picturesque platform with amazing fountains, surrounded by evergreen cypresses, adorns the cathedral.
Architecture
Vernazza is a magnificent architectural monument, where landscapes of wild nature, medieval buildings and modern buildings harmoniously coexist. Multi-colored three-, four-storey houses with motley roofs are closely pressed against each other. Tall windows with wooden shutters complement the overall picture remarkably.
Buildings seem to grow not in breadth, but upwards. The village is surrounded by greenery, but there are no front gardens. Potted flowers decorate all the free sections of the sidewalks, where only space allows. There are no cars here, and not only because of the lack of space. In the Cinque Terre Nature Reserve, this type of transport is prohibited. Maybe that's why this part of Liguria has the cleanest air on the entire Mediterranean coast.
The streets are so narrow, sometimes no more than two meters wide, that a company of three people may not go everywhere. In most cases, these are just steps leading up the mountain, or down to the port, where the central square of Rocky Village, or Rocky Village, as tourists call it, is located.
Here, opposite the church of St. Margaret, there is an old building with elegant narrow galleries. It has been a meeting place for the villagers since ancient times. Now Vernazza is a major tourist center with a developed entertainment industry. And on July 20, the Santa Margherita di Antiochia is traditionally held every year. On this day, noisy festivities take place here, and in the evening there is an obligatory grandiose fireworks display.
Night romance
Rocky Village looks very romantic at sunset. The sun sets in the sea, painting the sky in different shades, the wind subsides, the trees freeze. Lights on the pier are lit, colorful houses are transformed by bright illumination, rocks from black volcanic rock darken even more, the dense forest is filled with magical figures created by light and shadow. All this fabulous splendor is reflected in the sea. At night, under the starry sky, the “Rocky Village” simply enchants, leaving an unforgettable experience.
Getting to Rocky Village is not difficult. Either by sea or by rail from any major nearby city. Tourists are also transported by a bus, from the station “Vernazza” to the place you need to walk along the equipped paths on foot, while admiring the beauties of nature and breathing in fresh air.