Amazing Italy: The colorful city of Manarola, as if drawn by a talented artist

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

From afar, this city looks like a huge multi-deck ship, painted with bright colors. His houses are perched right on the rocks and each of them really has its own color. Tourists rush here in the summer to enjoy the stunning golden sea at sunset, diving enthusiasts descend into the water directly from the coastal cliffs, and in winter only in Manarola you can see the largest nativity scene in the world.

Revived fairy tale

This ancient city is part of the Cinque Terre Park, which consists of five settlements. Manarola attracts tourists from different countries with its unusual location and amazing beauty. Here, old houses coexist with new buildings, and on the horizon, the sea merges with the sky.

In a tiny town, the full feeling of a fairy tale revived is created. Narrow streets lined with gingerbread houses stretch right above the sea, and multicolored boats stand in the small harbor below. However, parked boats can be seen right on the streets.

Of all the settlements that make up the Cinque Terre (Five Lands), Manarola is the oldest and undoubtedly the most colorful.

In the fourteenth century, it was a small fishing village, later acquired the status of a town and its current name. At the end of the twentieth century, the city of Manarola was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The legend of love

One of the paths connecting Manarola and the neighboring town of Riomaggiore is romantically named "The Path of Love". Legend has it that the inhabitants of these cities in ancient times were at enmity with each other, not sharing the source of water. But it just so happened: a young man from Manarola fell in love with a young beauty from Riomaggiore. The girl answered him in return, the lovers began to secretly meet.

Parents, having learned that their daughter is carrying a child under her heart, began to find out the name of her beloved. The beauty, fleeing the wrath of her parents, ran along the path to Manarola, shouting the name of the young man. The young man ran out to meet his beloved, they joined hands and rushed down. The sea scattered their bodies in different directions. The body of the girl turned out to be in Manarola, the young man - in Riomaggiore.

Only when they saw the bodies of the lovers, the inhabitants of both cities realized: enmity makes people unhappy. Since then, the path on which the lovers met is called the Path of Love, and in Manarola there is a small monument that reminds residents and tourists of this story.

Manarola - city of impressions

You can wander around the fabulous city for hours, discovering new beauty. There is the Church of St. Lorenzo, the construction of which dates back to the fourteenth century and is of interest from the point of view of acquaintance with the architecture of those times. However, tourists go to Manarola, rather, for vivid impressions.

There is no sandy beach here. At the service of those wishing to swim and sunbathe are only the same rocks, but this does not diminish the number of those wishing to plunge into the purest waters in the Manarola area. These places are also attractive for diving enthusiasts. For descent into the water, special ladders were built, descending directly from the cliff.

Of particular interest is "Dark Cliff". It is located in such a way that the sun's rays never touch it, even at noon. It is always in the shadows, which is why it got its name.

In the rays of the setting sun, colorful houses seem brighter, and the sea takes on a golden hue. That is why, closer to sunset in the sea around Manarola, you can see many boats and boats with tourists who have come to admire the unique city from the sea.

Manarola is a city that is beautiful at any time of the year, but tourists are especially fond of visiting here in summer and, surprisingly, in winter. The fact is that it is here at the beginning of December that the world's largest Christmas nativity scene is being built. It stands until the end of January and is a truly unique sight.

The author of this Christmas miracle is Mario Andreoli. Since 1976 he has been working on the realization of his idea. It took him 30 years for his dream to come true. The Nativity scene in Manarola now spans the entire hill, and each figurine is illuminated by a photovoltaic system.

At the time of the opening of the unique den in 2007, the structure immediately became the Guinness Book of Records holder. For the den, more than three hundred life-size figures were made, 17 thousand light bulbs and about 8 thousand meters of electric wire were used in the lighting.

The locals are mainly engaged in fishing and winemaking. Therefore, at any time of the year in Manarola, tourists will be treated to dishes from freshly caught fish and exquisite wine.

The city of Manarola is undoubtedly one of the more popular among tourists.