PORTOVENERE
A CHARMING TOWN TO DISCOVER
What to see in Portovenere
Portovenere stands guard over the western tip of the promontory, bordering the Gulf of La Spezia and opposite the island of Palmaria. It is one of the pearls of the Ligurian Riviera, a true work of art born from a harmonious blend of nature and architecture, universally acclaimed and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
Its churches, monuments, cliffs, islets, caves, and beaches have forever provided visitors with great sources of inspiration, and this is why the Gulf of La Spezia is also called the “gulf of poets”. Over the centuries, countless artists – from Petrarca to Lord Byron and Shelley – have been here and fallen in love with the area.
San Pietro Church
Doria Castle
Byron’s Grotto
San Lorenzo Church
Palmaria Island
Tino and Tinetto Islands
Blue Grotto
Volcanic Grotto
Villa romana del Varignano
The Carugio
ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF THE CARUGIO
Carrùggio, (plural form carrùggi) – Genoese/Ligurian term, derived from the Latin quadrŭvium/quadrivium – the tiny narrow alley in Ligurian cities, towns, and villages.
Carruggi date back to the Middle Ages, and were the mainstay of the street grid of Genova, which lacked squares and was controlled by the powerful merchant families. The private use of public spaces, which was also typical of the distinctive Islamic settlement patterns in the Middle Ages, was achieved via the “occupation” of portions of the town, the building of angiportica (used to extend one’s dwelling), and the construction of towers at crossroads, to physically and symbolically control an area of influence.
