Village
Manarola
Cinque Terre · Liguria
QUICK INFORMATION
- CATEGORY
- Village
- COUNTRY
- Italy
- REGION
- Cinque Terre · Liguria
- DURATION
- 1–2 days
ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION
Manarola is the village of pastel houses that tumble down a steep gorge to a tiny harbour and a square of rock where the swimmers gather. It is one of the oldest of the five villages, founded in the 12th century, and its steep terraced vineyards above the village are still worked, producing the Sciacchetrà dessert wine. The classic postcard view of the Cinque Terre — the coloured houses against the sea — is taken from the cemetery road above Manarola, and the village is at its best in the evening, when the houses light up against the water.
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The story behind it
Manarola was founded in the 12th century, and its name may derive from the Latin Manium arula, a small temple of the Manes gods. It was held by the Republic of Genoa from the 13th century, and its economy was based on fishing and the wine grown on the terraced slopes above — the sweet Sciacchetrà, made from dried grapes, that is the Cinque Terre’s historic wine. The vineyards, held up by thousands of kilometres of dry-stone walls, are the most striking human feature of the landscape, and the reason the Cinque Terre was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
WHAT TO SEE
What to see here
The harbour and the swimming rock — the tiny harbour and the flat rock where the swimmers gather.
The cemetery road view — the classic postcard view of the coloured houses against the sea.
The vineyards — the terraced slopes above the village, still worked for the Sciacchetrà wine.
The church of San Lorenzo — the 14th-century church in the upper village, with its rose window.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
Manarola is the village that gives the Cinque Terre its most famous image, and the one where the terraced vineyard landscape that earned the UNESCO listing is most visible. For a visitor, the view from the cemetery road at dusk is the single most representative sight of the five villages, and the vineyards above explain why the coast looks as it does.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before you go
MAP & LOCATION
Manarola
Manarola, Cinque Terre, Liguria, Italy
44.1214, 9.7267
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FOOD & DRINK
Where to eat nearby
Nessun Dorma — a celebrated bar and kitchen above the harbour in Manarola, for focaccia, pesto and the view
Gambero Rosso — a seafood restaurant in Vernazza’s old town, for fresh catch and trofie al pesto
Cappun Magru — a refined restaurant in Monterosso for traditional Ligurian cooking, book ahead
A Cantina da Mananan — a beloved trattoria in Corniglia for local cooking and Sciacchetrà wine
Rio Maggiore — a harbour-side kitchen in Riomaggiore for fried anchovies and focaccia
HOTELS & STAYS
Where to stay nearby
Hotel Porto Roca — a hotel on the cliffs above Monterosso with a pool and sea views
La Torretta — a charming guesthouse above the harbour in Manarola, with a terrace
Hotel Gianni Franzi — simple rooms above a restaurant in Vernazza’s old town, with harbour views
A Cà du Sciensa — a small guesthouse in Riomaggiore, good value for a village stay
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