The hiking trail Via dell' Amore (Lovers’ lane) is the most famous and romantic stretch of the Cinque Terre coastline. It connects the picturesque villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola and is only about 1 km long. Via dell'Amore is the easiest section of the Sentiero Azzurro (blue trail) which takes the hikers from Riomaggiore to Monterosso.
During your trip to the Cinque Terre, between the Capuchin monastery and the Torre Aurora, you can admire the beautiful statue of St. Francis overlooking the sea. A moving Bronze statue depicting St. Francis with his faithful wolf. According to tradition, the Wolf of Gubbio was terrorizing the town of Gubbio, killing and eating many livestock and even a few of the townspeople. Saint Francis was able to tame the wolf and stop the killing through his love of animals and all of God's creation.
In Monterosso, near to the beach of Fegina you can find the statue of the Giant / Neptune built by the Italian sculptor Arrigo Minerbi (the favorite artist of Gabriele D’Annunzio) and the architect Francesco Levacher. In the past, not too far away, the impressive sculpture, with their 14 meters high, stood on the promontory as decoration of the luxurious Villa Pastine (built in the early ‘900). In addition to the trident, Neptune was holding a gigantic shell on his head, that was nothing more than the beautiful house terrace. Unfortunately, during World War II, Monterosso was bombed by allied forces, and the Neptune statue (along with the villa) suffered serious damage. It was damaged even further by heavy seas in 1966.
Monterosso is the largest of the five coastal villages collectively known as the Cinque Terre. The town is located on hills cultivated with vines and olives. The vegetation surrounds the built-up area like an embrace; its fabulous beaches, its beautiful reefs and the sea’s crystal clear waters make this small village one of the most hospitable of the Ligurian Riviera.
Vernazza is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. It is the only natural port of Cinque Terre and is famous for its elegant houses. Vernazza's name is derived from the Latin adjective verna, meaning "native". The aptly named indigenous wine, vernaccia ("local" or "ours"), helped give birth to the village's moniker.
Corniglia is a frazione ("fraction") of the comune of Vernazza in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northern Italy with a population of about 150 (in 2016). Unlike the other localities of the Cinque Terre, Corniglia is not directly adjacent to the sea. Instead, it is on the top of a promontory about 100 meters high, surrounded on three sides by vineyards and terraces, the fourth side descends steeply to the sea.
Manarola (Manaea in the local dialect) is a small town, a frazione of the comune (municipality) of Riomaggiore, in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is the second-smallest of the famous Cinque Terre towns frequented by tourists. Built on a high rock 70 meters above sea level, is one of the most charming and romantic of the Cinque Terre villages.The tiny harbor features a boat ramp, picturesque multicolored houses facing the sea, a tiny piazza with seafood restaurants.