Cinque Terre: Monterosso al mare

Monterosso al Mare is located in the center of a small natural bay, protected by a small artificial reef, in the east part of Punta Masco, in the Riviera of La Spezia. It is the fifth town of Cinque Terre, moving away from La Spezia. According to historical sources, the first human settlement was built in the immediate hills of the municipality of Monterosso. The village, in which some tombs of pre-Roman Ligurian people were found, was destroyed by the Longobards in 640, led by King Rotari.

Monterosso is the typical ligurian village consists of colorful houses, beautiful beaches, steep rugged cliffs and crystal clear sea. These features make this town one of the most welcoming places of the eastern Riviera.

In the village there’s The Giant, a majestic and impressive structure in reinforced concrete, which is leaning against a rock and overlooking the homonymous beach. Built in 1910 by the architect Francesco Levacher and the sculptor Arrigo Minerbi, it is 14 meters high, it weighs 170 tons and represents Neptune. The statue, that adorned villa Pastine along with a large shell-shaped terrace, was ruined by the bombings of World War II.

Another important monument is the Aurora Tower, built around the year 1000, it was annexed to the property of the Republic of Genoa in the second half of the thirteenth century. Built in the past to defend the country from the attack by pirates, it is located above the hills of the Cappuccini. Today it is a private house and separates the ancient village from the modern one.

Among the typical ligurian food excellence there are anchovies, part of the blue fish family, with slender shape and a silvery color. Thanks to a different salinity of the sea, Monterosso-anchovies have a particularly balanced flavor: they are tasty, but delicate. Once denominated "u pan du ma" (the bread of the sea), they are some of the most present fish in the Ligurian recipes: salted, in green sauce, stuffed, marinated or simply fried.