At the end of the quay, a Cinque Terre panorama unfolds from the rocky terraces of a cave formerly known as Grotta Arpaia. Lord Byron once swam across the…
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Porto Venere
Perched on the dreamy Golfo dei Poeti's western promontory, the historic fishing port's sinuous seven- and eight-storey harbourfront houses form an almost impregnable citadel around the muscular Castello Doria.
The Romans built Portus Veneris as a base en route from Gaul to Spain, and in later years the Byzantines, Lombards, Genovese and Napoleon all passed through here and made the most of its spectacular natural defences. Its appeal, however, is not just strategic: its beauty drew the poet Byron, who famously swam from the now collapsed Grotta Arpaia's rocky cove to San Terenzo to visit fellow poet Percy Shelley (it was to be renamed Grotta di Byron for him). The town remains a romantic, scenic place for a day trip, or a relaxing base for exploring the coast. Serene by comparison to its Cinque Terre neighbours, weekends and summer evenings do bring Ligurians from far and wide for the passeggiata (evening stroll).
Explore Porto Venere
- GGrotta di Byron
At the end of the quay, a Cinque Terre panorama unfolds from the rocky terraces of a cave formerly known as Grotta Arpaia. Lord Byron once swam across the…
- CChiesa di San Pietro
This stunning wind- and wave-lashed church, built in 1198 in Gothic style, stands on the ruins of a 5th-century palaeo-Christian church, with its extant…
- PPalmaria
The largest island of the Italian Riviera is largely undeveloped (it's home to around 50 residents) and lies just a short ferry ride from Porto Venere…
- CCastello Doria
No one knows when the original castle was built, though the current structure – a formidable example of Genoese military architecture – dates from the…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Porto Venere.
See
Grotta di Byron
At the end of the quay, a Cinque Terre panorama unfolds from the rocky terraces of a cave formerly known as Grotta Arpaia. Lord Byron once swam across the…
See
Chiesa di San Pietro
This stunning wind- and wave-lashed church, built in 1198 in Gothic style, stands on the ruins of a 5th-century palaeo-Christian church, with its extant…
See
Palmaria
The largest island of the Italian Riviera is largely undeveloped (it's home to around 50 residents) and lies just a short ferry ride from Porto Venere…
See
Castello Doria
No one knows when the original castle was built, though the current structure – a formidable example of Genoese military architecture – dates from the…
Guidebooks
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