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**This post is the 5th of a 6-post series discussing what to see in Cinque Terre (You can check out the other parts in the list below, separated by each specific village (just click the village name to see the blog post. Everything is also summarized in another post here.**

• Riomaggiore (Blog Post: A Journey through the towns of Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore)

• Manarola (Blog Post: A Journey through the towns of Cinque Terre: Manarola)

• Corniglia (Blog Post: A Journey through the towns of Cinque Terre: Corniglia)

• Vernazza (Blog Post: A Journey through the towns of Cinque Terre: Vernazza)

• Monterosso al Mare (Blog Post: A Journey through the towns of Cinque Terre: Monterosso al Mare)

• Cinque Terre (Summary) (Blog Post: A Guide to the Villages of Cinque Terre)

The Northernmost town of Cinque Terre is Monterosso al Mare (otherwise known as Monterosso). Monterosso is known for its white wines, grapes, and olives and is the largest town of Cinque Terre. It is divided into two parts, the old and new towns, separated by a tunnel. It was briefly omitted from the Cinque Terre trail since Italian officials deemed it to be too large to be included.

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The town is a bit more commercialized than the other ones with a larger volume of hotels, presumably due to the access and size of the beach, being the biggest in Cinque Terre. This difference cut both ways as we found it had more conveniences during our time there, but felt less authentic. Despite this, we spent the entire day in the town and found that to be plenty of time to explore all of its offerings. A Google Map of the places I will discuss can be seen at the end of the post (maroon points).

The Castle of Monterosso was built by the Genoese to protect from piracy attacks in the 16th century. It includes an impressive defensive system including thirteen towers and a curtain wall. However in modern times, the castle has more or less disappeared with only three towers remaining and the site is used as a cemetery.

The parish church of St. John the Baptist features a facade of four small marble columns and a large fresco, which illustrates the baptism of Christ. It was first constructed in 1282 and was completed 25 years later. You can’t miss it due to its distinctive zebra-like stripe pattern in the middle of the city.

The Convent of Monterosso al Mare (Convent of the Capuchin Friars) sits on the highest point of the city and therefore has some of the best views, all while serving a very contemplative roll for the visitor. It overlooks Monterosso Bay and still possesses the elements and characteristics of the time of its construction, many centuries ago.

The Monterosso Giant was created by the Italian sculptor Arrigo Minerbi and Francesco Levacher (architect) and depicts the Giant Neptune near the beach of Fegina. It was made as a decoration to the Villa Pastine but over the years has sustained damage most notably during the bombing by allied forces in World War II and also heavy seas.

Santuario Nostra Signora di Saviore is an old sanctuary that was constructed in the 11th century. It sits high on the Monterosso hills (465 meters) and overlooks the town below. It is primarily a church, but these days also functions as a guesthouse and is a popular stop by those taking the walking trail from Vernazza.

One of our favorite experiences while in Monterosso was the Pesto Cooking Class at the Cinque Terre Cooking School. For 75 euros a person, we got transport to and from the restaurant, our private teacher/chef, a bottle of prosecco and an apron. We learned how to make the pesto from scratch as well as to prepare the gnocchi pasta during this time.

What was probably one of the most amazing things was the view of the restaurant where the class was held. Located high up in the hills, you were able to see Monterosso from above, so just imagine having a fantastic dinner that you prepared while taking in the sunset over this amazing town. Just perfect.

Speaking of views, another great place to go for afternoon wine drinks (or whatever else you fancy) is Torre Aurora. This restaurant is located on the cliffside near the tunnel, between both beaches in the city. After walking through the town, we needed some shade and refreshments and took a chance with this place which did not disppoint.

Just around the corner from here happens to be Statua di San Francesco d'Assisi, or the Statue of St. Francis of Assisi (w/ his dog). The statue itself is quite elegant I think and the platform on which it is housed allows you to see all the villages of Cinque Terre (assuming you have decent eyesight).

If you want more information about the other towns of Cinque Terre, be sure to check out my recent blog posts on Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, and Vernazza.

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