In addition to the five villages that make up the five lands of Cinque Terre, there are other notable coastal towns in the region. We had limited time, as we had a long drive back to Milan, so we chose to stroll around Portovenere. The name of the town translates as “port of Venus” – here, on a small cape jutting out into the sea, there once stood a temple in honor of the ancient Roman goddess of love. But at the beginning of the 6th century, a small church of St. Peter was built in its place, since the Apostle is considered the patron saint of fishermen, who made up most of the population of Portovenere at that time.
This is a very cozy town, of which there are many in the Italian province, but at the same time it is endowed with a special charm. Portovenere has a rich history of interesting events, which began in the 6th century BC, during the Roman Empire. All the local landscapes are conducive to leisurely walks and reflections - it is not for nothing that Portovenere has forever captivated many writers and poets with its atmosphere of tranquility and eternal harmony.
It was this town that inspired Dante when he wrote his famous "Divine Comedy", and Lord Byron waited for his muse in a secluded grotto near the shores of Portovenere, where he got only by swimming. Now the locals call La Spezia nothing less than the "Gulf of Poets".
Lord Byron loved to relax here and be inspired by the beauty of the local rocks, which is why these grottoes were named Byron's Grottoes.
The facades to the sea on the embankment of Portovenere are lined up in a row of old houses, it would seem nothing strange, but these houses are special, on their other side is a rock, they seem to have skillfully secured themselves on it and hang over the sea. Long staircases-tunnels connect the embankment with the main street of Portovenere, which runs parallel to the coastline on a small elevation, behind these houses.
Church of San Pietro This is the first thing tourists see when approaching Portovenere by boat. At first it seems like a large castle, fortified with towers and high ancient walls, but in fact it is a very beautiful and old church, built in the 12th century, which is very well preserved and completely open to tourists.
If you move away from the central tourist promenade along the embankment into the depths of the village, you will discover typical tiny streets decorated with flower pots and other details.
Next time we want to get to Santa Marherita Ligure, Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena, Rapallo and Portofino.
Source: travel.ru