Overview
Cinque Terre, surrounded by the crystal-clear sea
La Spezia is a must for anyone visiting Liguria. The city has the characteristic features of Ligurian municipalities: Art Nouveau palaces, narrow alleyways and stairways. Don’t miss Castello San Giorgio for panoramic views, the port and the Technical Naval Museum of Spezia, one of the best known in Italy.
La Spezia overlooks the Bay of Poets, which owes its name to the countless 19th-century English Romantic literary figures who stayed there. Mary and Percy Bysshe Shelley and poet Lord George Byron were regular visitors to the area.
Once almost completely isolated from the rest of the territory, the villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore now form the Cinque Terre. Connected by the Blue Trail, they are the main attraction of the area. Together with Porto Venere and the islands of Palmario, Tino and Tinetto, the Cinque Terre were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1997. If time allows, you can hire a canoe or kayak in Riomaggiore: it is undoubtedly the best way to enjoy the crystal-clear water and explore the marine protected area.
La Spezia SP, Italia
