CINQUE TERRE
And the Bay of Poets
by Nina Ondine
 Geographically on the Ligurian coastline, Cinque Terre exerts a magnetism all of its own. The region of the Five Lands, as it’s been referred to since the 15th Century, consist of a pattern of cultivated terraces that rises steeply above the ultramarine waters of the Mediterranean.
Cinque Terre is on the World Heritage List and on the WMF’s (World Monuments Fund) list of 100 Most Endangered Sites of the World. The WMF is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting important artistic and architectural treasures throughout the world. The list includes ancient archaeological sites and modern industrial buildings. Currently, the list includes 34 sites in Europe of which four are in Italy, including Ancient Pompeii and Cinque Terre.
Antique stone paths crisscross the terraced wine groves and forests of olive trees that plunge in to the shimmering sea. The ancient steps, carved into the rock, connect tiny cays with beaches (as long as a word), with ruins and castles and fishing villages clustered along the shore. The many fortresses and gothic churches in the area, the centenary walls and slate paths, are all testament to Cinque Terre’s ancient history.
The terraced wine cultivations that rise beyond the Cinque Terre, result from the efforts of early thirteenth century farmers. A superhuman effort hat transformed the steep woodlands into pockets of farmland. A 2’000 kilometer network of stone walls supports the great impact this labor has had on to the configuration of the landscape.
Today, however, barely 100 hectares are used for growing grape wines. The ever-increasing number of people who abandon agriculture is having unfortunate repercussions on to the environment. As fields and terrace walls are being neglected, the risk of landslides becomes an increasing threat.
Built along the steep and rugged shoreline, the five villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore are primitive and vibrant, with rows of multi-colored houses. A scenic walking track that winds along the jagged cliffs connects the villages. The best way to see them is to trek the many sentieri (paths). The most famous is the Via dell'Amore, which links Riomaggiore to Manarola, through vineyards and fragrant brush land. From Vernazza to Monterosso, Via delle Agavi follows the rocky outcrops peppered with wild cactus.
Imbued with romantic drama, from the Gulf of La Spezia where Percy Bysshe Shelley drowned, this area has been a favorite location for some of the gothic novelists. Loved by Lord Byron and D.H. Lawrence, the dramatic geology of the area is said to have inspired Shelley's wife, Mary Wollstonecraft, to write Frankenstein.
Thanks to the steep terrain that rises up behind them, the five villages have been inaccessible by land for many centuries — though the area has been inhabited since prehistoric times. In fact, the strategic location accounts for the many fortifications along the shore.
Each of the villages of Cinque Terre is unique. Monterosso has a long, wide sandy beach. Vernazza rises dramatically above the water, with waves crashing against its walls. Corniglia is set high above the shore and offers a great view of the other towns. Manarola is a traditional fishing village that offers excellent swimming off the rocks. Riomaggiore has a lemon orchard and is the prettiest of them all.
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