The panorama and the beauties of the maritime cities of the Liguria they are famous all over the world. The wonderful villages of Monterosso al Mare, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore and Vernazza constitute what in Italy and in the world are known as the Cinque Terre. Today we want to talk to you about the latter, which is considered by many to be the most beautiful seaside town of the eastern Ligurian Riviera.
Agriculture and tourism
As mentioned, Vernazza is considered by many the most enchanting of the Cinque Terre of the La Spezia Riviera. Together with its four sister cities, the city was included in the list of UNESCO heritage. Its isolated position makes this town even more characteristic. Immersed in sumptuous colors of its homes and in the brilliant blue of the sea, Vernazza is a quarter of an hour from La Spezia and can be reached thanks to a winding and not exactly easy road. Once in the village, all that remains is to leave your car in the two parking spaces available and enjoy a walk to reach the center.
The main economic resources of the small Ligurian town are derived fromagriculture, with the typical terraces of the Ligurian landscape and, obviously, from . Of great importance are the cultivation of olives, lemons and, above all, grapes. Vernazzani wines and, more generally, from the Cinque Terre, are in fact highly appreciated on the national territory.
Historical notes
La city is dominated by the Castle Doria, a medieval fortress built on the rocky ridge and about seventy meters high. The fortification dominates the natural harbor of Vernazza and the remains of its walls almost merge with the jagged rocks of the coast. The first nucleus of the castle dates back to the domination of the Obertenghi, suggesting that an inhabited center existed already in the XNUMXth century. Certainly the position of the city was particularly favorable for commercial exchanges and only his own is excluded foundation is even coeval with the Roman Empire.
The other fortification of the city consists of Belfry, a quadrangular medieval bastion that stands on the rocks of the promontory, which dates back to Genoese domination of the town.
The religious center of Vernazza is certainly there church of S. Margherita d'Antiochia, dating back to the early XNUMXth century and built on a previous Romanesque building. This parish has the particularity of developing on two floors and to have one of its sides protruding directly on the sea. The consecration to the saint derives from the legend who wants one chest with his relics was found right on the beaches of Vernazza. One was used for the interior of the church unmistakably Gothic style (the tabernacle is of great value) and theslate, typical stone of the Riviera di Levante.
Not far from the center, however, is the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Reggio, which offers one of the countless views to visit with the camera around your neck. Vernazza, in fact, for its sceneries, is considered as a sort of paradise for Photography of the landscape.
