Image by Ronile35 via Flickr
Liguria is thin crescent-shaped coastal strip of land on a mountain range that borders the sea. It is divided into two sections: a western coastline on the French border near San Remo and an eastern coastline that houses the Cinque Terre and Portovenere on the Mare Ligure.
Genoa is the regional capital of Liguria and lies at about the midpoint of these two areas that comprise the Ligurian Riviera. The illustrious Portofino Peninsula is southeast of Genoa, one of the most exclusive coastal resort areas in Italy.
Porto Venere is located on the Ligurian coast of Italy in the province of La Spezia. It comprises the villages of Fezzano, Le Grazie and Porto Venere. There are three islands near Porto Venere: Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto.
Via dell’Amore – Riomaggiore (Photo credit: Ciccio Pizzettaro)
Porto Venere (Photo credit: anroir)
In 1997, Porto Venere and the villages of Cinque Terre were designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Here are some UNESCO photos of the Cinque Terre
http://www.ourplaceworldheritage.com/custom.cfm?&action=site®ionid=9&site_country=ITALY&site_name=Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)&siteid=91
Portovenere, Liguria, Italia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Vernazza town in Liguria, Italy. Nederlands: Cinque Terre: Vernazza (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Cinque Terre includes “Five lands” that cling to the cliffs of the Riviera di Levante including Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The scenic Ligurian Coast between Cinque Terre and Portovenere presents a fascinating landscape.
Riomaggiore, the first village of the Cinque Terre. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The pristine layout of the seaside villages and small towns are characterized by steep mountain slopes that are engulfed by the splendor of the sea. The local residents have overcome the disadvantages of a steep, uneven terrain by creating an agricultural economy using terraced vineyards. These mesmerizing “Five Lands” overlooking the sea provide a seductive walking promenade called the “Via dell’Amore” (Lovers’ Road). The path is between the cities of Manarola and Riomaggiore.
The cuisine of the Cinque Terre is very flavorful and highly dependent upon fresh local ingredients. Try some regional pasta in pesto sauce or local savory pies like torte di verdure with fresh vegetables or torta di riso with rice. Frittate is very popular in Liguria. The fish soup and stuffed anchovies are delicious.
The Cinque Terre vineyards produce mostly white Cinque Terre wines from Vermentino grapes. The area is home to a number of fine terraced vineyards that are carved into the mountains. The most famous Ligurian wine from this region is a white dessert wine called Sciacchetra that is crushed from partially dried grapes. It was considered the “wine of the gods” in the ancient Roman Empire.
Vernazza town in Liguria, Italy. Vernazza is in the cinque terre region. Français : Le village de Vernazza, dans les cinque terre, en Ligurie (Italie). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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