Vernazza
ITALY, GREECE & MONTENEGRO Diary : Day 3 - 04 May 2018
The Vernazza village, is the second in line heading southward, after Monterosso ( read MONTEROSSO), known for its vineyard terraces. A part of the colourful village jutting into the waters in a 'C' curve, is the iconic photograph one would see, at the mention of this village. The village area occupies a side of the hill that sits right on the coast. Considered as the only natural port of Cinque Terra, the village is known for its zero car traffic. Unlike Monterosso which covered a wide area length wise, this village has a short length and runs up a slope along its longer breadth.
The train from Monterosso to Vernazza lasted less than 5 minutes in comparison to the walking trail that is usually said to take an hour and a half. Without losing much time we walked into the village. The train station was situated at a higher level than the village. The village was characterised by buildings, running on either side of the mildly curvy narrow roads. They maintained a similar colour code to the ones we saw in Monterosso. They however stood taller and were built closer to each other with no space between them. At every curve, the road seemed to vanish, leaving an impression of the buildings intersecting.
The stone steps & barricades seemed to be a common feature in certain buildings & shops. The streets were aesthetically decorated with green plants in most places. The village was bustling with energy. Tourists seemed to occupy the streets widely. Despite the crowd and narrow pathways, I couldn't spot a single piece of paper or the like on the streets. It was so clean. The shops displayed various items ranging from curios & souvenirs to cosmetics & clothes. The fresh vegetables and sea food was another common feature. Most independent houses decorated their walls with flowers. The road side restaurants and pubs were running full even at that time of the day. Every little floor space was nicely managed.
We looked around a lot of shops but purchased nothing. It was interesting to note the way of life here. We could spot a vineyard terraces atop a hill peeking out behind the railway station.
We crossed interestingly structured pathways. This was truly Italian. Not long after, we reached an open square. It was live with music.
On one of its sides was an open restaurant, also running full. The centre of the square was decorated with a few single short trees, that stood stripped of leaves. The edge of the square posed as a balcony to a small water body here. It looked more like a small canal, that united itself with the Ligurian sea at a far off distance. A FOOSBALL table was installed in the square, inviting passersby to try their hand at it. There was no dearth of people. Boats lay anchored at irregular intervals. A narrow, cemented pathway on one side of the square led to its pier area. We relished our moments in the square, trying our hand at the FOOSBALL board.
Walking towards the pathway, we found a small church on our right hand side, pillaring above the village rocks facing the sea. Vineyards covered its mountainous backdrop. Right ahead in the front, was the 'C' shaped iconic cemented pier, with lovely small boats anchored along its curve. As attractive as the far end looked, we decided to first pay a visit to the church. The "Santa Margherita di Antiochia Church " is an integral part of the the harbour in Vernazza. Playing the role of a maritime base to a noble family, the village was a fortified area as early as the 11th century.
The Church had come into existence in the early 12th century. History narrates that a small box was discovered along the village harbour, that contained finger bones belonging to Santa Margherita. Considering this a miracle, the localites built a church in his honour. Not long after, the relic moved yet again finding its original position, after a powerful storm broke out. The Church was then rebuilt on a pre-existing Roman style building, where it stands today. Later, the Interiors were renovated in Baroque coverings. Its wooden roof was replaced with a Bell tower. The 40 metre high, octagonal tower is ornamented by arches, ending with a pointed dome cap.
A small tunnel and a few steps led us to this stone built place of worship. Though slightly dark, the interiors were calm & peaceful. We sat on the benches offering our humble prayers and got out of the rear entrance, once done. A small courtyard opened up to a stunning view. We were led down to the water area from there, by a few steps. The uniquely shaped rocks all along, offered some beautiful pictures. We got to capture the beauty of Vernazza from another angle. We sat on the rocks for a while, enjoying the views before we headed to a path sticking to the side of the fortress walls, right behind the Church. We soon got to the pier side.
The pier was more like a cemented ramp built in two levels. People sat all around enjoying the views. Plenty of Sea birds surrounded the area. Relaxing & enjoying the sea breeze whilst admiring the colourful Vernazza is ideal here. The Belfort Restaurant was at one end of the pier sitting on a rocky surface, resembling a fortress. We spotted many people getting up there. Towering above the restaurant at a distance, was the Doria Castle. All we did was relax by the pier side before we got to the train station to catch up with our next destination. For further story read MANAROLA.
