The Cinque Terre are a jagged stretch of coast of the Ligurian Riviera di Levante (Riviera spezzina) located in the territory of the province of La Spezia between Punta Mesco and Punta di Montenero, in which there are five villages or, as in ancient times it said lands, listed here from east to west: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso al Mare.

The first historical documents on the Cinque Terre date back to the XI century. Monterosso and Vernazza sprang up first, whilst the other villages grew later, under military and political supremacy of Genova.
In the XVI century to oppose the attacks by the Turks, the inhabitants reinforced the old forts and built new defence towers. From the year 600 the Cinque Terre knew a decline which reversed only in the XIV century, thanks to the construction of the Military Arsenal of La Spezia and to the building of the railway line between Genova and La Spezia.

With respect to the past, today’s landscape of the Cinque Terre has changed considerably. The transformation, due to man’s work over the centuries, who has attempted to exploit the land to the utmost, is obvious on the hills, where a tight line of terraces called “ciàn” interrupt the steep slopes.
Flat land sustained by dry stone walls, on which rise allotments, vineyards, flights of steps, cottages, mule tracks.
A large environmental engineering work: 4,200 cubic metres of wall – 2 metres high per hectare for a total of 8,400,000 cubic metres, 3,163 linear metres of wall per hectare, for a total of 6,729 km of wall, above the ray of the Earth. Thanks to the happy supposition of the territory, sunny and protected from north winds, the “ciàn” have always been cultivated mostly in vineyards and olives, with the production of top quality oils and wines.

Manarola, hamlet of Riomaggiore, is a town planning jewel, rich as it is in typical tower houses of Genovese style.
Founded during the XII century, the village probably derives its name from an antique “magna roea”, a large mill wheel present in the village. The first evidence of the village dating back to the year 1200, is relative to the events of the Fieschi, whilst in the XVI century there was news of their strenuous resistance against the pirate raids.
The most important monument of the hamlet is the church of San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence), which was built in 1338, work of the inhabitants of Manarola and Volastra, as testifies the stone on the façade of the church.
The layout with three aisles, whilst the façade is embellished with a rosette of twelve columns.
Also important is the bell tower, detached from the main body of the church, probably because originally it held a defensive role.

The mountains, almost 800 metres high, which run parallel to the sea assure that the Cinque Terre are protected from the cold winds. The hotter and damper southern currents, go back up towards the crest and collide with the cold ones, being the cause of frequent mists and a high rain level.
The typically Mediterranean vegetation consisting in cluster-pine tree, Aleppo pine, oak, sea fennel, red valerian, euphorbia, broom, arbutus and thyme.