Lerici

Lerici is one of the most picturesque villages and towns of Liguria. It is positioned on the eastern side of the gulf of La Spezia and, in terms of origins of its name, the most convincing hypothesis suggests the existence of holm oaks of extraordinary dimensions: the word Eryx was later transformed into Erice, and eventually into Lerici.

Placed in a sheltered position at the heart of a small natural bay called “Seno di Lerici”, Lerici is spread over a promontory where its massive castle rises. The castle was built in 1152 and was the subject of contention between the ancient Maritime Republics of Genoa and Pisa.

The first traces of the village date back to the Etruscan time. During the Middle Ages, this bay was used as a landing place and as a commercial hub first by the Counts-Bishops of Luni, and then by the Obertenghi family and for the Tuscan Counts of Malaspina.

Lerici, thanks to the contrast between the typical multicolored Ligurian houses and the Monumental Castle that seems to protect the bay, was long depicted, described, and admired by artists and writers of all time, ranging from Dante’s verses of the Purgatorio in the Divine Comedy to those of Mary Shelley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and David Lawrence.

Close to Lerici, you will find Muggiano, point of excellence for the shipbuilding industry, and Venere Azzurra, the long sandy beach connecting Lerici to San Terenzo.