Vernazza
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 6 January 2023
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To many people, Vernazza is the shiniest jewel in the already glittering crown of the Cinque Terre. It shares many similarities with the two of the other four villages (Riomaggiore and Manarola); a small fishing port that leads up to a narrow main street flanked on each side by multi-coloured houses that rise up the steep cliffs, but it has an intangible little extra.
Whether it's the vivid blue of the water, the magnificent views from the vineyards above or just the somewhat uneven layout of the town, the overall effect is breathtaking. |
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Looking at the Cinque Terre from west to east, Vernazza is the second one along from Monterosso al Mare. All five of the Cinque Terre (Five Lands) have a train station sandwiched between the two larger towns of Levanto to the west and La Spezia to the east. Jump off the train in Vernazza and you find yourself surrounded by a sea of colour; a palette of pastel-shades provided by the multi-coloured buildings that tower over the narrow main street of Via Roma. Along this bustling, mainly pedestrianised thoroughfare you'll find a mixture of shops and places to eat for residents and tourists alike.
It doesn't take long until you reach the shoreline and it is at this point that the grand vista of Piazza Marconi first hits you. It's not a huge square, but it's hemmed in on three sides by tall, colourful buildings while on the fourth side is a small beach. The Piazza is lined by al-fresco dining restaurants with their bright canopies but it is the beguiling Chiesa di Santa Margherita di Antiocha which really catches the eye here. It's at this point that you really need to take a deep breath as you can get dizzy trying to work out what to see first. The 14th century church with its beautiful bell tower is a pretty good first step but you'll soon want to take a closer peek at the port area.
It doesn't take long until you reach the shoreline and it is at this point that the grand vista of Piazza Marconi first hits you. It's not a huge square, but it's hemmed in on three sides by tall, colourful buildings while on the fourth side is a small beach. The Piazza is lined by al-fresco dining restaurants with their bright canopies but it is the beguiling Chiesa di Santa Margherita di Antiocha which really catches the eye here. It's at this point that you really need to take a deep breath as you can get dizzy trying to work out what to see first. The 14th century church with its beautiful bell tower is a pretty good first step but you'll soon want to take a closer peek at the port area.
Of the four villages of the Cinque Terre that have a port (Corniglia doesn't), Vernazza's is the oldest and it was this that made the town the most important trading post. The natural harbour was used to ship goods in and out of the hard-to-reach villages and as a consequence, Vernazza thrived. Some of the spoils of the relative riches went on defending the port with a small castle called Castello Doria; named after an important Genoese family whose name adorns another castle in nearby Portovenere. Climb the tight, steep steps up to the castle and you get one of the best views of Vernazza. This is in fact one of three or four vantage points from which you can take in the panorama of the crystalline water of the port with those colourful houses as the backdrop.
Further vantage points can be had by walking the narrow lane through a fascinating residential area, walking away from the port and steadily climbing the hill. Heading east, the hill marks the "Sentiero Azzurro" (Blue Path), that continues for several kilometres on to Corniglia, the next village along. Even if you're not here to take that hike, it's still worth climbing the path until you reach the point where you can look back and admire the town's charms from another angle. Whichever order you choose to do it in, it's also worth climbing the path behind the main church in the port area; here you'll find yourself among vineyards from which you can look down on to the little village with the port and the train line that runs through the tunnel.
Further vantage points can be had by walking the narrow lane through a fascinating residential area, walking away from the port and steadily climbing the hill. Heading east, the hill marks the "Sentiero Azzurro" (Blue Path), that continues for several kilometres on to Corniglia, the next village along. Even if you're not here to take that hike, it's still worth climbing the path until you reach the point where you can look back and admire the town's charms from another angle. Whichever order you choose to do it in, it's also worth climbing the path behind the main church in the port area; here you'll find yourself among vineyards from which you can look down on to the little village with the port and the train line that runs through the tunnel.
You can reach Vernazza in various ways but car really isn't a viable option here. It's semi-possible to reach the village by driving but you won't find anywhere to park and you'll find your nerves shredded by the narrow lanes and steep inclines. One of the easiest ways to access Vernazza is by train; many people choose to stay in either Levanto or La Spezia which offer a much greater choice of accommodation options. You can buy a one day train ticket and simply hop on or off at whichever of the five villages you choose to visit, even visiting them all in one day if necessary. Another option is to take a little ferry from the two aforementioned towns that book-end the Cinque Terre or from further afield towns such as Portovenere, Rapallo or Santa Margherita Ligure.
The final option is to hike along the Cinque Terre. The Sentiero Azzurro is the most popular option as it takes in all five villages with a walking time of around 5 hours, but there are numerous other options available if you prefer a longer/more strenuous hike.
The final option is to hike along the Cinque Terre. The Sentiero Azzurro is the most popular option as it takes in all five villages with a walking time of around 5 hours, but there are numerous other options available if you prefer a longer/more strenuous hike.
Comune di Vernazza
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Province: La Spezia
Region: Liguria Population: 759 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Size: 12 km² Highlights: harbour, multi-coloured houses, church Close by: Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore, Monterosso al Mare Recommended hotel: Albergo Barbara |
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UNESCO World Heritage Site
Portovenere, Cinque Terre and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto) Year: 1997 |
One of I Borghi più belli d'Italia (Italy's Most Beautiful Villages)
Listing headline: Nell'Incanto delle Cinque Terre |
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