Portovenere, Italy

Portovenere is a town in Northern Italy in the province of La Spezia which is made up of three villages – Fezzano, Le Grazie and Portovenere. Together with the five picturesque villages of Cinque Terre it was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

Main sights include the Gothic Church of St.Peter, the Romanesque Church of St.Lawrence and the site of the Grotta dell’Arpaia which has actually now collapsed but is still a popular tourist spot because of its history. This is the grotto from where the English poet Byron swam across the gulf of La Spezia to San Terenzo to visit Shelley, another English poet in Lenci in 1822. It is also known as Byron’s Grotto. It is not surprising that these romantic poets chose to visit this beautiful area. The whole area is full of stunning and inspiring views.

Portovenere has a lovely harbour lined with restaurants and cafes. It is a lovely place to sit and relax and watch the water which is dotted with fishing boats and excursion boats. One can also find rocky areas alongside the water to sit and swim but there is no sandy beach in Portovenere. Above the harbour one can enjoy the view of the colourful buildings of this town. One can take a boat from here to the Island of Palmaria which is more suitable for sunbathing and swimming if that is what you are looking for.