Outskirts: from Val di Vara to Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre (Five Lands)

Describing the "5 terre", for the people living there, is not such an easy work. It's impossible for foreigners not to fall in love with them, by just looking ah their marvellous panorama. You can't see them all at first sight, 'cause your eyes are captured by the vastity of the sea under yourselves. 5 terre are a place of other times, where the rhythm of time is beated by the waves of the sea, and the wine perfume relaxes yourselves completely, in this fantastic scenario.

5 terre are the ideal place for a reasoned tourism, to find yourselves and your inner rhythm, losing nothing of the city comforts. Just reducing to the essential. So, switch off your mobile phone for a while and breath deeply: you'll be seducted by Riomaggiore and its "Via dell'Amore" leading to Manarola, then let yourselves be enchanted by the splendid Vernazza; therefore, enter a wine growers' club in Corniglia and finally visit Montale's house in Monterosso. The five ligurian pearls are waiting for you with all their charme.

Val di Vara

Val di Vara is the biggest valley in Liguria (it's extended for 2/3 of the territory of La Spezia). Its landscape is very various and presents a really rich diversity of woods. All the valley is composed by historical centres in suggestive positions (Corvara, Borghetto Vara and so on) dominating the river. Splendid mountains enchant the tourists.

Formed by a chain of hills, Val di Vara landscape is different from every corner. Many rivers cross the valley, and the 15 small villages present there do transmit very special emotions to the people visiting this marvellous place. Light emphasizes different sides of the valley depending on the moment of the day. Val di Vara also maintains its medieval core in its architectural structure. Agricolture is still the first way of carrying on for the people of these wonderful places, and traditions are transmitted mainly orally. People of Val di Vara are also very linked to their roots: many cultural association have been founded here to promote the history of the place.

Lerici

La Spezia should thank Lerici everyday because it's for its presence that the gulf is called "Poets' Gulf". Here, Byron and Shelley found the inspiration to write their most famous poems, choosing to spend their life in this fishers village, painting the beauty of this place with their immortal verses. Starting from San Terenzo Castle you'll arrive to Lerici one by walking on a suggestive promenade. In the village, then, you'll be able to make shopping in some exclusive boutiques of the coolest brands.

Portovenere

The growing fame of Portovenere, nationally and internationally speaking, augmented exponentially the number of visitors year by year, but left untouched the original charme of the village and its panorama. After diving into the clear sea of "Arenella", "Ulivo" or "Grotta Byron", in the evening you'll be given the chance to see the fantastic show of San Pietro Church (built in VI siecle and rebuilt again in 1200), directly on the sea: illuminated, it will leave you without words. Another fantastic place to go is Palmaria Island (from where the photo has been taken), only some hundreds of meters far from the village, and mainly still wild.

La Spezia - San Giorgio Castle

San Giorgio Castle takes place on the Poggio hill, and was built for defense reasons by the old inhabitants of the city. Today, it hosts public conferences, events and manifestations of the bourgeoises of La Spezia, and the entrance is free.

Sarzana

Built in the centre of Lunigiana, of which can be considered as the natural "capital" for conformation and charism, Sarzana is a modern artigianal, agricultural and touristic centre, but still maintains its medieval heart. That is why you can't miss to visit the Cittadella, strongly willed by Lorenzo il Magnifico in 1488, and S. Maria Assunta Cathedral, in which you can admire the wonderful Cross by Maestro Guglielmo (1138). The city is also famous for the presence of many antique-trade and repair boutiques, and that's the reason why it hosts many antique-trade fairs, especially in August (particularly interesting is the well famous "Soffitta nella Strada", directly in the centre).

La Spezia - "Amedeo Lia" Museum

The "Amedeo Lia" museum is located in the old convent of the minimites of St. Francis from Paola, who settled in the town of la Spezia in about 1620. The museum is a gift to the city by Amedeo Lia, a naturalised La Spezia citizen of Apulian origins, who began to acquire paintings and art objects after the Second World War. The building is divided into thirteen rooms, containing litugical objects, paintings, portraits, marvellous sculpture up to the heart of the museum, the unique "Chamber of Marvels".

La Spezia - The Naval Museum

The real boast of La Spezia, strongly wanted by Cavour, is certainly the Naval Museum, one the most complete of Italian Navy. In its core, you'll have the pleasure to see many naval antiques, starting from geographic maps to underwater weapons, and an incredible collection of more than 150 ship models, among which the Amerigo Vespucci School Ship, built in the laboratory of the museum.

Varese Ligure

"Europe in the heart" is the slogan of this small ligurian village, whose first intention has always been taking care of nature. Varese Ligure is the first village in Europe that obtained the ISO 14001 certification for the environment, and now is the first witness of european way of life, always looking for substainable development, biological culture and healthly life. Here you will be able to find your inner spirit, in this small village of a few of thousand people alla living respecting nature and all its beings, promoting quality of life before everything else.

Luni

Situated on the boundary between Liguria and Tuscany, Luni is one of the oldest village of all the Italian peninsula. The zone was inhabitated since Paleolithic period, but the city was founded only in II siecle before the birth of Jesus Chryst and was well-famous in the Romans era because of its port, form which ships with Apuan Marble landed everyday. Around X siecle, malary and progressive interment of the port brought to the fall of the city: in 1058 all the population was transferred in Sarzana, which always had a debt towards the city of "stele" statues. Don't miss a visit at the archeological museum, built in the centre of the old Luni city, which contains many reperts of Romans period.

Versilia

Even though techically speaking Versilia is part of Tuscany, La Spezia is not very far from it. This means that in the evenings Versilia is the centre of aggregation for young people of different regions, in order to be able to choose among the larg variety of attractions there: pubs, discos and much more. Between Marina di Massa and Forte dei Marmi you'll be able to discover many locals managed by Formula One's well-known manager Briatore or other local vips, in which you'll find beach parties, karaoke and many other events. All this at less than a hour of car from you relaxing room in Corvara and Bracelli.

Pisa

At less than one hour driving from La Spezia (about 80 km), you'll find the famous and world-known Leaning Tower of Pisa. But there is not only "Piazza dei Miracoli" to see: the university town is also rich in youth activities with its substratum of pubs and dancings. On the evening, walking along the Arno river with its many bridges will be the added value of your visit to the Garibaldi town.

Firenze

Capital of culture and cradle of the Italian Renaissance, the Tuscan chief town is a destination attracting tourists from all the world. There are a lot of things to visit: the "Galleria degli Uffizi" with its huge cultural patrimony, the wonderful squares, the "Ponte Vecchio" and its reputed jewelries. By night, Florence and its lights will subjugate you. Your room in Corvara and Bracelli is distant less than 200 km from the Florentine fashion: will you hesitate anymore?