Portovenere and Lerici
Portovenere is a medieval fishing village situated in northern Italy, bordering the Cinque Terre National Park on the Ligurian Riviera. This charming village is well worth the visit and can be reached from the Cinque Terre by boat or from La Spezia Railway Station by boat or by bus. Portovenere, on the Gulf of Poets, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its picturesque harbor is lined with brightly colored houses while narrow medieval streets lined with shops lead up the hill from the ancient city gate to the castle. Stroll around the old town and don't miss the small shop Bajeicò, a pesto shop selling delicious freshly made basil-based sauce and related products like fresh pasta.
The tip of the promontory holds a picturesque church. Byron's Cave is a rocky area leading to the sea where the renowned poet Byron used to swim.
How to reach Portovenere
BY TRAIN: Portovenere doesn't have a railway station. The nearest station is La Spezia Centrale, from which you have to walk for about 8 minutes to Via Garibaldi and then continue by bus.
BY BOAT: From April to November it's possible to reach Portovenere with the boat service.
BY CAR: Portovenere can be reached by car using the motorway "A12 Genova - Livorno". On "La Spezia" motorway exit, follow the state road number 370 towards "Portovenere - Cinque Terre"
LERICI
The pearl of the Eastern Riviera, it looks out on the Gulf of Poets, halfway along a small inlet dominated by a promontory on which the Castle, dating back to 1152 and nowadays housing the Geo - Paleontological Museum, stands.
Near the promenade there are numerous golden sandy beaches that have been awarded the famous Blue Flag for years.
Towards La Spezia, after the Blue Venus, one can find the San Terenzo hamlet, with a 15th-century castle, Villa Marigola immersed in the greenery of the park, a Golf Club with a view of the sea, and Villa Magni, which accommodated Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Shelley and Lord Byron.
The territory of the municipality also includes the splendid Fiascherino hamlet, with beautiful beaches and luxuriant nature. Continuing towards Montemarcello, after Fiascherino, one gets to Tellaro, a small fishermen’s village which recently added to the prestigious list of "Italy's most beautiful Boroughs". The municipality is part of the Montemarcello - Magra Regional Nature Park. Among events, on the first Saturday in July there is the Feast of St. Erasmus, the patron saint of sailors: a big night-time procession is held in the bay lit up with thousands of lamps. The statue of the saint is transported through the streets of the village and then on board a ferry escorted by numerous boats it is taken to Tellaro and San Terenzo. At the end of the procession there are fireworks.
BY CAR: Highway A12 (Genoa - Livorno), exit Sarzana.
BY TRAIN: from the railway station of Cavi (distance 600 mt) or Sestri Levante (distance (2,3km) destination Sarzana.
BY FERRY: from Levanto- La Spezia, for more information www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it.
