You know, the Milanese have always loved Liguria , with its pebble beaches in the heart of the cities and with their multicolored houses and painted details that make even balconies and windows seem real. There are so many Ligurian postcard landscapes, who has never heard of Portofino or the Cinque Terre ?
And if what you are looking for for your trip out of town are a riot of colors and breathtaking landscapes, Portovenere can be the right solution.
Portovenere a riot of colors
Portovenere is a pearl perched on the Gulf of Poets: in fact, well-known names in literature such as Shelley and Byron were at home here . The town’s name derives from the presence, originally, of a temple dedicated to Venus , the goddess of beauty born from a sea foam; today in its place is the beautiful Church of San Pietro .
Reaching Portovenere by land, the first detail that catches the eye from afar is the colors of the building overlooking the sea . The houses stand out in length almost like a protective wall to defend the historic center, with their pastel colors they illuminate the city center and are among the most photographed details of the small seaside village.
What to see in Portovenere
There are many points of interest in such a small village. The highest point of Portovenere is the Doria Castle from which you can enjoy a view that has no equal: an ancient fortification full of terraced gardens, from here the gaze is lost to the islets of Tinetto , Tino and Palmaria .
The Church of San Pietro is placed on top of a rock at the point that borders the sea . From here you can hear the breaking of the waves and the gaze sweeps over the open sea. Arriving in Portovenere by ferry, it is the first important thing that you notice, and it is often mistaken for a castle even though it is a very old church dating back to the end of 1190. The site can be visited every day of the year .
Finally, going down to the foot of the church you will find an open gate to the sea, an unmissable point for any lover of photography. We are talking about the Grotta Arpaia or Grotta di Byron reachable by land via the staircase and by sea thanks to the ferries. The name Byron is purposely wanted to remember the poet and his moments spent in the Gulf of Poets.
