The path above the sea
Riomaggiore, the easternmost of the Cinque Terre and the closest to La Spezia, is a village of tall, colourful tower houses built along a narrow valley that descends steeply towards the sea, where a stream once flowed, now covered by the main street. At the bottom, the tiny Marina, a small cove with boats pulled up on the rocks and houses climbing up the cliff, is one of the most photographed images of the Cinque Terre, especially at sunset. In the upper part of the village stand the Gothic church of San Giovanni Battista and the remains of a castle.
Riomaggiore is linked to Manarola by the most famous path of the Cinque Terre: the Via dell'Amore, the Lovers' Lane, a walkway about one kilometre long carved into the cliff above the sea, with spectacular views of the coast. It was built in the 1920s during works on the railway, and it became a meeting place for young people of the two villages, who used it to visit their sweethearts, hence its name; along the way, couples hang padlocks as a symbol of love. Closed in 2012 after a landslide, it was made safe with long works and fully reopened in 2024, with access in one direction and with a ticket and time slots in high season. Above the village, the panoramic paths of the national park climb among vineyards to the Sanctuary of Montenero, with a view over the whole coast. Riomaggiore is also a centre for diving in the protected marine area of the Cinque Terre.
Tip: book the Via dell'Amore in advance in high season; go down to the Marina at sunset for the classic photo.
Where it is
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