"Riomaggiore"
The small village of Riomaggiore is one of the most attractive of the Italian Cinque Terre’s villages and was founded in the 12th century. The name derives from “Rivus Mayor”, the biggest stream which flows underneath today’s main road. Descending steeply towards the "Marina" you will find the typically narrow coloured buildings called "case torri" (tower houses), narrow coble stone alleyways, steep staircases and an abundance of colour.
From the little beach of Fossola you can reach the botanical gardens of Torre Guardiola along a pedestrian pathway. From Riomaggiore you can reach Manarola along the coastal trail called "Via dell'Amore".
Riomaggiore is the most eastern and the nearest village to La Spezia (connected by a scenic road) and is named after the stream crossing it.
It’s interesting to see the seashore and the upper side of San Giovanni Battista, with its two wonderful twin doors made of marble, which are placed in its southern side and which date before the church itself. Above the village, the Sanctuary of "Madonna di Montenero" stands out, built on the homonymous promontory and which is the last of the gulf the Cinque Terre.
The Tramonti area, which stretches from Portovenere to Riomaggiore, has been made into the "National Park of Five Lands" and includes a park for marina life together with the landside flora and fauna. There is also a popular scuba diving operation in Riomaggiore that takes divers out into the adjacent marine reserve.
