Travels in Italy--Porto Venere

While traveling in northern Italy, we visited the coastal town of Porto Venere, located on the Ligurian Sea along Italy's northwestern shore.

Porto Venere is a resort town with many hotels and restaurants, filled in summer especially during Ferragosto.  

Porto Venere has a picturesque harbor and ancient ruins, plus it is a convenient jumping off point the famed Cinque Terre, the five cliffside towns along the Ligurian coast (next up).

Porto Venere and the Cinque Terre are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here are some photos from our visit to picturesque Porto Venere.

The harbor of Porto Venere

Colorful buildings decorate the harbor

Fishing boats in the harbor, with a beach and colorful houses in the background

The subtropical vegetation is lush.

At the mouth of the harbor, the ancient Church of Saint Peter stands guard.  The church dates from 1198 and is built atop an earlier Romanesque church, which is still visible in part.

The Church of St. Peter view from the sea

The altar

St. Peter.  The sculpture sits in the apse of the earlier Romanesque church, with its rough hewn stones and no windows.

Madonna with Child

A view of the coast line near Porto Venere

Porto Venere sits at the mouth of a large natural harbor (pictured below).

Porto Venere (red arrow) is located near the larger town of La Spezia (green arrow), which is home to an Italian naval base built in the 1860's.  The base, surrounded by a moat, is still in use and is home to many naval vessels.

A crane inside the naval base.  Greg thought the crane was interesting, because it looks like a bird or perhaps a horse.

A random hottie in her room with a view

Thanks for visiting Porto Venere with us.