HK Independent Traveller Blog

  The Hidden Gem Between Portovenere & Cinque Terre Monesteroli is a tiny ancient rural village between Portovenere and Cinque Terre . The key attractions are the demanding staircase with 1,200 steps (“la scalinata grande” or grand staircase )  and breathtaking views.  Along the ways are rows of vineyards, beautiful flowers, endless sea views, peaceful nature, steep cliffs, coastlines of Cinque Terre and panoramic views of the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto. How to Get There & Trail Route Details We visited Monesteroli at end April, a cloudy day which made the hike easier, without suffering from the heat. The trip started with a drive to Campiglia (or take Atc bus). There is a viewpoint over La Spezia between our parking place and the centre of Campiglia , the highest village in the entire Municipality of La Spezia. The centre is small. Still, you can stock up food and drinks for the hike, if needed. We followed the signpost at Campiglia. Path number 5...

  Ortonovo is a perched village with a view that sweeps over the Luni valley and surrounding hills, all dotted with vineyards and olive groves. In the background are the villages nearby, extensive plain, Magra river and sea. The origins of Ortonovo date back to the 11 th to 12 th centuries. The area was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Luni. It has changed a few times since 1333 and finally went under Genoa in 1495. The ancient town was protected by defensive walls and a castle. Today, the only remaining part of the castle is the Torre Guinigi (the Guinigi Tower ), an imposing 33 metre high structure. It becomes the campanile of the church of St. Lawrence (17th century). The photo below lets you have an idea of how the old castle looked like. Strolling around we saw some paintings of the village. Affection felt. The villagers love and respect their origins. To let the tourists know more about the places, signages / notices are here and there to deepen the understandi...

  La Spezia is often seen as a transit point for the smaller, picturesque localities around it, yet it offers pleasant surprises: museums, the lively Via del Prione , the renovated Piazza Giuseppe Verdi and the Morin promenade, with its spectacular views of the gulf and the Apuan Alps (the mountain range is also known as Carrara marble).   It is quite typical to see lined up orange trees in Liguria towns. When we stepped out La Spezia Centrale Station, sweet orange fragrance appealed to us. The trees lined up next to the pavement. A nontragic and cosy welcome! We spent the next 3 sunny days in Cinque Terre , Portovenere , Lerici and Tellaro . The first sightseeing point in La Spezia is the San Giorgio Castle and its archeological museum .   The exhibits are from pre-history (as early as the Copper Age, i.e. the 4th millennium B.C. ) to the Middle Ages. It also contains an extensive display of Roman artefacts including objects excavated from the nearby Luni (a R...