Visiting the Cinque Terre along the Via dell’Amore

One of the most famous attractions is undoubtedly the Via dell’Amore, between Manarola and Riomaggiore, a one-kilometer path perched above the sea, where the stone changes step by step, marking fairy-tale caves (nothing better for romantic rendezvous), framed by whims of agaves and pittosporums, jutting 50 meters over the sea. But there is also the Path of the Five Ancient Sanctuaries, which watch over the coast, offering a fascinating visit: Montenero, on the way to Manarola; Nostra Signora, a Romanesque jewel just outside the village of Volastra; San Bernardino, on the Corniglia trail; the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Reggio, above Vernazza, and that of the Madonna di Soviore, a three-quarter hour walk from Monterosso. In these churches, centuries ago, the villagers gathered to pray against the threat of invading Turks. Today, it is still the women who climb there, who have not lost the habit of entrusting themselves to the Saints and the Madonna when their men are at sea. The route, to be done on foot or horseback, starts from the Sentiero Azzurro, which connects, halfway up the slope, Monterosso to Riomaggiore and climbs up to the medieval village of Volastra, then continuing along the Via dei Santuari, through pinewoods and chestnut forests, vineyards and olive groves, ridges and ravines plunging down to the sea. But the Cinque Terre are also beautiful to see from the sea, thanks to the convenient and frequent ferry service departing from La Spezia, Portovenere, and Levanto.