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Cinque Terre: Manarola |
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Situated on a rocky pedestal
overhanging the sea,
Manarola looks
as a compact group of houses
brightly coloured, almost all with a
terrace on the top, i.e. the typical
"cassola" where in September, after
the grape harvest, the best grapes
are lied in the sun to obtain the
wine called Sciacchetrà.
Here, like in
Riomaggiore, the
stream that flows between the houses
is almost completely covered today
and forms the current main street
which ends at the characteristic
square cut in the rocks, where boats
are hoisted with the strength of
one's arms. The chessboard square of
the S. Lorenzo church, in the
village upper part, often becomes -
out of necessity - a playing round
for kids, whose joyful voice
replaces the noise of cars. Now a
deviation towards Groppo and
Volastra - two quiet inland hamlets
- is worth the while. Half an hour
walk on a path amidst vines and
century-old olive trees leads to the
top of the Volastra hill where the
light air and the large green
opening surrounded by trees in front
of the Santuario della Madonna della
Salute (Health's Madonna Sanctuary)
enable to enjoy a wonderful view. |
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