Portovenere, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a beautiful village with brightly colored houses lining the harbor and narrow medieval streets leading up the hill to its castle. The main street of Portovenere, lined with shops, is entered through Portovenere's ancient city gate. There is an interesting church on the promontory, once the site of a temple to Venus (Venere in Italian) from which Portovenere gets its name. Nearby is Byron's Cave, a rocky area leading to the sea where the poet Byron used to swim.
Portovenere is southeast of Genoa and the Cinque Terre and near the port city of La Spezia, on the train line that goes along Italy's coast. You can reach Portofino by ferry from La Spezia, Lerici, or the Cinque Terre. You can also take a bus from La Spezia or drive the twisty, narrow road but parking is difficult in summer.
Enjoy our Portovenere pictures. Click each picture to see it full size.
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