Discover the magical illuminated Nativity scene of Manarola in Cinque Terre!

A fascinating journey into the heart of the Cinque Terre National Park, amidst beautiful terraced fields overlooking the sea, which represent the true identifying feature of the Cinque Terre, where vines have been cultivated for centuries to produce prestigious wines such as Sciacchetrà Cinque Terre DOC. In particular, we will depart from Corniglia station and reach the village (the only village in the Cinque Terre that does not face the sea, but is located on a rocky spur about 100 meters high), walking up the famous Lardarina staircase. After a visit to the village, the path will begin, which in about 1 hour and a half will lead us to the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Salute of Volastra (12th century), located at about 330 meters, through one of the most beautiful routes in all of Liguria. In fact, after a short climb, the path winds halfway up the coast among beautiful terraced fields, where the cultivation of vines reigns supreme, suspended between sky and sea, with a breathtaking panorama that on clear days extends to the Maritime Alps. From Volastra, where it is still possible to admire beautiful cultivations of olive groves, which are, after the vine, the main cultivation, together with citrus fruits, in the Cinque Terre area, we will begin to walk through the entire fascinating valley above the town of Manarola, where since 2019 an important project has been underway to recover the old terraced fields that have been completely abandoned over the years and completely invaded by plants typical of the Mediterranean scrub. In about an hour we will reach the Corniolo coast which divides the town of Manarola from that of Riomaggiore, from where you can admire the promontory of Punta di Montenero to the east (with the Sanctuary of the same name at the top), Manarola and the entire coast of the Cinque Terre to the west. Here we will cross the steep path that connects Riomaggiore to Manarola, which was the original connecting route in use until the 1930s when the famous Via Dell'Amore was built. From the ridge of Costa Corniolo on the left we will take the ancient staircase, partly in stone and partly carved into the rock, which will lead us with scenic views to the town of Manarola. Arriving in the town of Manarola, after a quick visit to the town, we will wait for dusk when we can admire in all its beauty on the hill in front of us the installation of the largest illuminated nativity scene in the world, made up of about 17,000 light bulbs (powered entirely by a photovoltaic system) and more than 300 life-size figures made from unused or recycled materials.