Portovenere

Near La Spezia, at the western tip of the Gulf of La Spezia, Portovenere is a small fishing town with plenty of charm that has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Its seafront and small harbour are lined by the ” Palazzata a Mare “, rows of tall pastel-coloured houses, typical of the Ligurian coast, clinging to the rock at the foot of the hill dominated by the austere Doria Castle.
In the historic centre you can discover other medieval buildings, such as the former church of San Lorenzo, and at the very end of the small peninsula, on a small rocky promontory, stands the spectacular church of San Pietro. Near it is the Grotta di Lord Byron.
Directly opposite, the island of Palmaria emerges from the waters, a vast nature park, with beaches, nature to explore and sea caves.

Heritage and sightseeing

• The borgo is protected by walls dating back to the 12th century, built by the Republic of Genoa, which made Portovenere a stronghold defending itself against the Republic of Pisa. You can enter the historic centre through the Porta del Borgo, from the same period. Via Capellini is the main street with the shops.
• From the jetty there is a very beautiful view over the Palazzata.
• The church of San Pietro at the end of the promontory consists of two main bodies, one in Romanesque style and the Gothic part from the 13th century. It stands out for its black-and-white facade and its bell tower.
• The austere Doria Castle is a fine example of Genoese military architecture, erected in 1160, with a pentagonal plan.
• The Grotto of Byron, 20 metres deep, is located between the castle and the church of Saint Peter. It seems that in the 19th century Lord Byron drew inspiration from this magnificent place to describe the corsair’s cave in one of his poems. You can also go diving there.
• The church of San Lorenzo, also called Sanctuary of the White Virgin, was built in 1130, then remodelled over the centuries. It preserves the image of the White Virgin (Madonna Bianca), which according to legend arrived by sea at Portovenere in a cedar trunk. The church keeps the icon and the trunk.

Palmaria Island

The island of Palmaria, together with the small islets of Tino and Tinetto, is a beautiful nature reserve protected as a park.
It has varied and popular beaches, opportunities for hiking and for discovering remarkable sea caves (such as the Grotta dei Colombi in the south-west and the Grotta Azzuro in the north-west). The west is steep, reaching 190 metres in altitude, while the eastern side slopes. On the latter, the Pozzale beach is the most suggestive. The other main beaches are Cala Fornace and Spiaggia del Secco.
The two hamlets of the island are Terrizzo and Pozzale.
The islet of Tino, a military area, can be visited on 13 September only, the day of San Venerio, with organised excursions.
The even smaller islet of Tinetto was occupied by a monastery founded in the 6th century CE.

The surroundings

Le Grazie is another village north of Portovenere, less busy than the latter and with its own small charm in its little cove equipped with a small harbour.
The Villa Romana del Varignano is an interesting archaeological site, which moreover preserves the oldest oil mill in Liguria.

The main beaches are to the north (Spiaggia dell’Olivo, free) and Sporting Beach, on the island of Palmaria.

Gallery

Map

Information

• Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org
• Tourist portals: www.cinqueterre.com, discoverportovenere.com
• Unesco page: whc.unesco.org