"Manarola"
In Manarola, multicoloured houses spill down the dark hillside, their balconies looking out over the turquoise harbor surrouned by craggy rock formations. The town is a work of art in its own right, each street bursting with colour, detail and history.
The harbour is formed by a terraced promenade where sometimes you will find boats that have been pulled out of the water, adjacent to a handful of coloured houses. Above on the hills you’ll find the vines of the dry white wine of the Cinque Terre.
The village of Manarola itself probably dates back to the end of the twelfth century, and owes its origins to settlers who came down from Vicus Oleaster (present day Volastra) on the mountain towering above, originally populated by Roman colonists and legionaries. The name almost certainly comes from "Manium Arula", probably a temple deidicated to the Manes - the souls of the departed - built at the bottom of the valley on the land of an ancient Roman family. On the main square there is the parish church of Saint Laurence (1338) that is in front of the bell tower once used as a watchtower.
The village of Manarola is surrounded by vines and is situated along a stream. The wine of Manarola is very famous and the "Via dell’ Amore" starts here: an easy to walk, paved path a distance of two kilometres, connecting Manarola to Riomaggiore.
In the upper side of the village, we suggest to visit the church of San Lorenzo (1338) with its beautiful rose window dating back to the 14th century.
