Coming from La Spezia, the first village you meet is Riomaggiore, which can be reached in around 7/8 minutes by train. It is thanks to Riomaggiore that the Cinque Terre gained their notoriety. This small fishing village, perched on rocks overlooking the sea along a small stream that used to flow there, was the first to be noticed by some painters around the half of the 1800’s; the artists, looking out from the promontory of Portovenere, spotted its wild cliffs on the sea and, on their way to the village with the intent of immortalising it on canvas, discovered the fascinating trail of the Cinque Terre.
Such meeting proved fatal for some of them, namely the painters Telemaco Signorini, Vincenzo Cabianca and Cristiano Banti, who, enchanted by the beauty of these areas, where the endless blue of the sky meets the sea, regularly came back to visit it in the summertime, until the end of 1800.
Many of such paintings are exhibited in the most famous museums in America and Europe.
The village of Riomaggiore stretches along the stream "Rio Maior"; the section of the village next to the sea lies below the castle instead.
Riomaggiore is characterized by its peculiar pastel-coloured tower-houses, arranged in two parallel rows.
These houses are narrow and tall, huddled together, and forming a pattern of exceptionally narrow alleys (the "carugi").
The two entrances of each tower-house are the legacy of the time when they were constantly visited and looted by pirates.
One entrance is located on the ground level, the other one on the top floor level, in the back.
Thanks to this clever arrangement, its residents could escape from the attacks of Saracen pirates.
Overlooking the village of Riomaggiore, just like in any other village of the Cinque Terre, is the Sanctuary of Mariano di Montenero (Our Lady of Montenero)
It can only be reached on foot. The trail is No. 3 and it takes about an hour. There is also another trail leading to the Sanctuary, the one next to the graveyard, number 3/a (it is actually a mule track) ascending along the slope, then running parallel to the paved road and finally winding up through the vineyards on the terraced coast.
Built in the first decades of 1300, around 300 metres above the sea, the Sanctuary of Montenero overlooks a square with magnificent views on the sea horizon: you can see the Island of Elba, Corsica and all the Ligurian Riviera up to Portofino.
Major attractions in Riomaggiore are as follows:
The Castle of Riomaggiore
Dating back to the fifteenth century, it was built on the ridge (colle Cerricò) that splits the village in two “valleys” (Rio Major and Rio Finale). Now it hosts cultural events.
Oratory of San Rocco (or San Rocco and San Bernardino)
At the side of the Castle, you can see the Oratory with its small front porch and the figure of the saint, carved on the lintel, a testimony of the plague that hit the village around the half of 1500.
Oratory of Our Lady Assumption (Oratorio di Nostra Signora Assunta)
It features an attractive wooden statue of the “Virgin of the Chains” ("la Madonna delle Catene"), (fourteenth century) and a tempera painting on wood in the shape of a triptych with a gold background. The oratory is located in the upper Riomaggiore.
Tower-houses
Built in local stone and with grey slate roofs.
They lean on each other and are all pastel-coloured in different tones.
Each house has maintained its own name since ancient times, usually the name or nickname of its first owner (in the past there were no house numbers and buildings went by the name/nickname of their owners).
Church of St. John the Baptist
Built on 8 September 1340, it features a 3-nave layout and its interior is marked by pillars and cross arches in black and white; roof is made of wood.
Inside, you can admire three fine bas-reliefs: one on the door of the sacristy depicting the Holy Virgin and the saints John the Baptist and Dominic, another one depicting St. Martin and saints Joachim and Anne, and the last one representing the Holy Virgin and the Child, St. John the Baptist and St. Francis.
The Hermit Cave
Dating back to the period from the late 800’s to the early 900’s, it was built by Don Andrea Fresco in two caves.
The clergyman chose to retire in total isolation and found his ideal retreat here.
To visit this hermitage, you need to take the trail next to the Castle Square (Via Aldo Rollando).
The trail climbs up crossing a small bridge and then up a stairway surrounded by vineyards.
Once you have reached the ruins, you need to walk down an old staircase leading to the cave.
Inside the cave, you can still see the niches carved out by the hermit as well as a number of rock-hewn seats and sculptures.
Following are the main festivities and celebrations in Riomaggiore:
June 13 is when the festivity of Corpus Christi is celebrated. Of great visual impact is the procession with the Blessed Sacrament paraded along the main street of the village. Once it arrives at the seafront, the procession stops and a holy Mass is celebrated on an altar arranged on a boat with fishing nets and other marine decorations.
On June 24, the village residents celebrate St. Joseph the Baptist. An evening procession is dedicated to the saint.
On August 15, the village celebrates the Assumption at the oratory of St. Mary Assumption