{"id":24510,"date":"2021-05-26T08:22:48","date_gmt":"2021-05-26T06:22:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/checkinblog.it\/?p=24510"},"modified":"2021-05-26T08:22:48","modified_gmt":"2021-05-26T06:22:48","slug":"what-to-see-portovenere-gulf-of-poets-eastern-liguria-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/checkinblog.it\/en\/what-to-see-portovenere-gulf-of-poets-eastern-liguria-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"Portovenere in Liguria (northern Italy), what to do and see in one day in this hidden gem near Cinque Terre"},"content":{"rendered":"

For my first day-trip to the Gulf of La Spezia<\/strong> I chose to visit Portovenere<\/strong>, one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Liguria<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The old fishermen\u2019s village<\/strong> is famous for the fortress<\/strong> that dominates the peninsula, the colourful houses<\/strong> overlooking the sea, the ancient churches<\/strong> and several hiking trails<\/strong> that allow you to reach Cinque Terre <\/strong>and other places of interest across the coast around La Spezia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

That is the reason why Portovenere<\/strong> together with Cinque Terre<\/strong> were declared a World Heritage Site <\/strong>by UNESCO<\/strong> in 1997<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In this article I want to share with you some useful information about how to reach Portovenere without car<\/strong>, which are the best day-tours available from La Spezia and Tuscany<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a> as well as a recommended<\/strong> itinerary of the visit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Where is Portovenere?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The town is located at the southern end of a small peninsula which forms the western tip of the Gulf of La Spezia<\/strong>. The city of La Spezia is just 13 Km away.<\/p>\n

This area is also named Gulf of Poets<\/strong> as it welcomed many writers and poets over the centuries. Dante Alighieri<\/strong>, Petrarch<\/strong>, Lord Byron<\/strong>, Mary Shelley<\/strong>, D. H. Lawrence<\/strong>, Virginia Woolf<\/strong> and George Sand<\/strong> are some of the artists that came here to find the inspiration for their works.<\/p>\n

Then, together with the three islands of Palmaria <\/strong>(which is partially inhabitated), Tino and Tinetto<\/strong>, Portovenere<\/strong> constitutes a Regional Natural Park<\/strong>. Established in 2001, its unique landscape comprises high coasts, caves, Mediterranean vegetation and a marine protected area.<\/p>\n

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How to get to Portovenere?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There is no train station there<\/strong> so the best way to reach it is by bus from La Spezia<\/strong>. The ATC bus lines 11\/P<\/strong> leaves every 15-30\u2019 from Viale Garibaldi <\/em>(not Fridays, from 7am to 7pm) and Via di Monale <\/em>(only Fridays, from 7am to 7pm).<\/p>\n

Both bus stops<\/strong> are located 10-15\u2019 by walk from La Spezia Railway Station (Centrale FS<\/em>). Travel time to Portovenere<\/strong> is around 30 minutes. A single ticket<\/strong> costs 2,50\u20ac (updated on May 2021) and must be bought at tobacconist\u2019shops and newsstands before boarding.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a>
Portovenere promontory – Gulf of Poets in La Spezia, Liguria<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During high season<\/strong>, generally between March-October, it is possible to explore Portovenere and the Bay of Poets by boat<\/strong> (traghetti<\/em>). Maritime services connect La Spezia to Portovenere, Lerici, Levanto and the towns of Cinque Terre. For more details visit Navigazione Golfo dei Poeti<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

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Driving to Portovenere<\/strong> is possible but not really recommendable, especially in high season. Parking fees <\/strong>are expensive and only those who book a stay at Grand Hotel Portovenere<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/span> can have their parking slots in the central garage. Having said that, the parking areas available<\/strong> are:<\/p>\n