Portovenere

Portovenere is a medieval fishing village situated just south of the Cinque Terre. This charming village is well worth the visit and can be reached from the Cinque Terre by boat or from La Spezia by boat or by bus from the train station. Portovenere, on the Gulf of Poets, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its picturesque harbour is lined with brightly coloured houses while narrow medieval streets lined with shops lead up the hill from the ancient city gate to the castle. The tip of the promontory holds a picturesque church. Things to see in Portovenere: -The 3 Island tour, a 40 minutes tour visiting the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto with wonderful panoramas. Boat tours Portovenere - Cinque Terre. -The Church of San Pietro sits on a rocky promontory overlooking the sea. It was built in 1277 in the typical Genovese Gothic style. -The Grotta di Byron, Byron's Cave, from which Lord Byron famously swam to visit his friends in Lerici on the other side of the Gulf. -The Doria Castle with its powerful structure representing a wonderful model of Genoan military architecture. The castle was first built in 1161, but it was significantly reconstructed in 1458.