In Porto Venere, it only takes a few steps to go from the cool shade of narrow alleyways to the bright light along the cliffs. The landscape here is unlike anywhere else in Liguria: just offshore lie Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto, recognised together with the village as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The result is a place where history and long-held traditions sit alongside remarkably clear waters, protected by the Marine Protected Area.
You enter the historic centre of this UNESCO-protected village through the Porta del Borgo, a 12th-century stone arch that opens onto a tangle of narrow lanes. Just beyond it runs Via Capellini, the village’s main artery, lined with tall, slender tower houses and the lingering scent of freshly baked focaccia drifting out of doorways.
