Riomaggiore – where begin Via dell’Amore | Italy
Riomaggiore is the first village on the road from La Spezia, situated in the valley of the river Rivus Maior (after which the village is named). Riomaggiore is one of 5 villages in Cinque Terre – costal mountain area in Italy. An old story tells that the historical roots date back to 8th century, when a group of Greek refugees, persecuted by Leo III the Isaurian, find shelter here.
Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Italy by Artur Staszewski
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Typical tower houses, each in different colour, have about 3 to 4 floors. They have two entrances: the front and rear, which allows direct access to upper floors. In the upper part of Riomaggiore there is the Church of San Giovanni Battista, built in 1340 by Antonio Fieschi, bishop of Luni. Just above the church there is the Castle of Riomaggiore, which dates back to the 13th century. It dominates the village from the hill. Interesting is also the 16th century oratory of the Disciplinati also called “church of the Confraternita dell’Assunta”.
Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Richard, enjoy my life!
But the most beautiful and famous part of Riomaggiore is Via dell’Amore – a hiking trail across the charming countryside leading to the near Manarola. The trail has been closed at the end of the 80s because of a lot of landslides. Thanks to the financing of the European Union in 1995 some renovation works were begun and finally the “Via dell’Amore” was reopened and you can now admire the breathtaking views from the trail.
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Category: Cities, Cities, Virtual Travel